Iron Creek Nature Preserve
A rolling oak-hickory forest dotted with intermittent wetlands, including a remnant prairie fen.
11703 Noggles Road, Manchester, MI
Get Directions
Note: Located about halfway between Wellwood and English Roads, the entrance to the parking lot is on the east side of Noggles Rd.
Get to Know Iron Creek Preserve
Prior to colonization, the land now known as Iron Creek Nature Preserve was covered by oak-hickory forest, oak savanna, and hardwood swamp. The property passed through multiple families and was cultivated as farmland beginning in the late 1800s. Years after the Kolongowski family purchased the land in 1948, the farmland was eventually allowed to transition back into woodlands and wetlands. In 2024, Sybil Kolon and her husband, Maan Abdulbaki, donated the land to Legacy Land Conservancy.
The 80-acre preserve sits in the headwaters of the River Raisin and contains rolling upland forests, multiple prairie fens, vernal pools, and a floodplain forest along the stretch of Iron Creek that flows through it. The fens are home to wildflowers that color the preserve throughout the spring and summer, and the forest to the north allows visitors to view the wetlands from atop hills shaded by mature oak and hickory trees.
The land has a wealth of stories to share, which are evident in the former location of the farmhouse (now the parking area) as well as the former cabin site.
Trail Map
Take a screenshot or download a printable PDF of the map before your hike.
PRAIRIE FEN
Near the trailhead, a prairie fen provides a rare wetland encounter. Fed by a natural spring, its unique groundwater conditions allow select plants and animals to thrive. American angelica plants grow over 8 feet tall. Joe-pye weed and Goldenrod form a dazzling sea of pink and yellow. Listen closely for the constant hum of pollinators that flit from flower to flower.
JEWELL'S FOLLY
At the heart of the trail, rest beneath towering oaks and hickories. Keep an eye on the forest floor for blue-spotted salamanders as you view the previous site of Jewell’s Folly, a cluster of hexagonal cabins built in the 1970s. Look down to spot a former borrow pit, once used for soil and gravel. Look up for spicebush and raspberry, visual and culinary delights.
ATOP THE HILLS
A living reminder of Michigan’s glacial past, this steep hillside rises nearly 100 feet above the wetland below. Look closely along the slope to find woodland wildflowers like round-lobed hepatica and smooth yellow false foxglove peeking out from the forest floor leaves.
Taking Care
Enjoy your time at the Preserve, but please be mindful of the plant, animal, and natural communities thriving in and around the land we have protected. The Preserve is open to the public from dawn to dusk.
Contact us if you are interested in visiting with groups of 12 or more, need to report an issue, or have a question.
What Can You Do at Iron Creek Nature Preserve?
- Hike
- Bird Watch
- Take Photos
- Study Nature
- Walk Pets on Leash
- Cross Country Ski
- Foraging of common species of mushroom, fruits, berries, and nuts is allowed. Collecting protected species and commercially harvesting any species is not allowed.
- Hunting is permitted with prior approval from Legacy Land Conservancy. Learn more about our policies and how to request permission to hunt.
Help Protect the Preserve
- No Bicycles
- No Littering or Dumping
- No Smoking, Fires or Fireworks
- Do Not Go Off the Trail
- No Camping
- No Motorized or Off-Road Vehicles (Required mobility devices are allowed.)
- No Construction of Forts, Benches, and Structures
- No Pets Off Leash (Bag and remove all waste.)
- Do Not Remove Native Plants, Animals, Rocks or Fallen Wood
- No Placement of Memorials or Items from Outside the Preserve