For-Mar Nature Preserve: Always something to experience here!
Our family discovered For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum about 15 years ago. It quickly became one of our favorite places. Even after we moved farther away, we made trips to walk the trails, stop in at the Visitor Center, and experience the fun things happening at this outstanding park.
Finding For-Mar
For-Mar Nature Preserve is part of Genesee County Parks and is just Northeast of Flint in Burton. The park is just a short drive north from I69. Once you are in the Nature Preserve, you forget that you are anywhere near a city or a freeway, even though both are quite close. The grounds surround you like a bubble of nature, and the rest of the world just goes away. Time moves differently here, and nothing matters but the beautiful world that surrounds and holds you in this magical place.
Visitor Center
The For-Mar Visitor Center is open 7 days per week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Visitor Center was always our first stop when we arrived. It allowed us time to explore the live and preserved nature specimens and make a pitstop in the restrooms before heading outside to explore. While you are there, you can check out snow shoes, yoga mats, discovery backpacks, and walking sticks. The gift shop is in the Visitor Center as well. We have purchased a few things over the years. Our favorite was a jar of lemon-flavored creamed honey from a local beekeeper. Delicious!
Special Exhibits
Many different special exhibits and structures are scattered around the grounds of For-Mar. The Butterfly House is a habitat specially designed for butterflies to flourish and is open during regular hours from mid-May to mid-October. One of the newest additions is a Barrier Free Tree House, which is also one of the most popular structures for visitors. The Tree House is not always open to the public due to special events, so you should call ahead if this is on your list to see. Don’t forget to visit some of the special gardens, the apiary, or the sugar shack, while you are exploring the trails at For-Mar Nature Preserve.
Events
For-Mar hosts many different events throughout the year. Concerts, holiday events, seasonal events-there are so many. Check their calendar for events scheduled at the Park. We have attended the Maple Syrup special events in March, Hay Rides in the fall, and Holiday events in the winter.
The Trails
Our very favorite part of For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum are the trails. Many of the trails cross Kearsley Creek, which meanders through the park. We have walked all of the trails there and enjoyed them all. Most recently, one of our sons and I walked every marker on the trails, starting at #1 and going all the way to the end at #62. It was about 6 miles and took us a couple of hours. We had a really great time and felt a great sense of accomplishment as we had been planning this for quite some time.
For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum is worth a trip to explore or attend an event. You can disappear into nature for a while and shed the cares of the wider world as you wander the trails.
Some of our favorite trails that you may also like: