- July Newsletter -

Thank you for supporting the expansion and development of Kent County parks and trails!

Featured Park:

Luton Park

Luton Park, just a short drive from downtown Rockford, is a popular mountain biking spot and home to an ongoing prairie restoration that showcases beautiful flowers throughout the summer months.

The bike trail network totals 9 miles and contains six different trail loops of varying difficulty, making this park perfect for both seasoned and beginner mountain bikers. The trails are also great for hikers, trail runners, and—in the winter—cross country skiers and snowshoers. Thanks to the West Michigan Mountain Biking Alliance for maintaining these trails for park goers!

Did you know only 1% of Michigan natural prairie is left? The prairie restoration in Luton Park converted farmland back into this unique Michigan habitat. Prairies are an amazingly diverse food source for wildlife, making them an important part of our ecosystem. Something extra special about this prairie restoration is the woodcocks that can be seen during their mating flights in the spring at dawn and dusk. The prairie can be accessed by the trailhead on Kies Street.

Check back later this month on our blog for more information about the prairie restoration.

Directions and detailed park information can be found by visiting the Kent County Parks Department website.

This Month in Our Parks

On July 6th we'll be celebrating the completion of the new boardwalk at Millennium Park, thanks to the generosity of Mr. Dick Hansen. The new boardwalk spans 500ft and connects the Hansen Nature Trail with the main recreation core of the park.

The Hansen Nature Trail is located on the west side of the park off the Kent Trail and features a 0.6-mile unpaved path through a wooded area with an observation deck over a pond. The new boardwalk crosses over a stream and connects to the main recreation core on the purple loop of the Sandy Hansen Shoreline Trails.

Later this month—construction on the Meadows development will be complete! Special thanks to Mr. Peter Secchia for his contributions that made the Meadows possible.

To find out more, check out this month's blog post

Save the Date: Something's Grilling

More information about Something's Grilling can be found here.

Thanks for Coming!

June 24th, we hosted a Pit Stop for Active Commute Week GR's West Side bike train. Thank you to all the active commuters who stopped by! We enjoyed our early morning Westside Watering Hole with you!

Special thanks to John Ball Zoo for showcasing some of their amazing wildlife.

Thank you for your continued support of KCPF!

Donations like yours help fund the expansion and development of Kent County Parks and regional trails. With your help, we were able to purchase an additional 170 acres of riverfront property in Caledonia Township for the future Two Rivers Park.

We are currently working to expand Chief Hazy Cloud Park in Ada. Phase 1 one of this 4-phase project includes adding 1 mile of frontage on the Grand River to the park by acquiring 145 acres of land adjacent to the current park footprint. Parks and greenspaces like Chief Hazy Cloud provide recreational areas and preserve wildlife habitats. With your continued support, we can all enjoy the health, environmental, social, and economic benefits parks offer.

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