Winter in the Parks

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Did you know City of Ann Arbor parks are open year round? Winter is a lovely time to get out in nature and walk! Especially when there is a little snowfall. Walking in winter conditions requires some extra attention and awareness as slips, trips and falls increase in winter months and can cause injury. However, with the right gear, care and preparation, you can still enjoy the fresh air and the benefits of being in nature. The parks department has close to 90 miles of paths and trails of which more than 35 miles are multi-use pathways on snow removal routes. Clear and dry sidewalks or pathways can make for a more comfortable winter walking adventure. Please review walking tips below when heading out in the winter months. 

Winter walking​ tips

  • Check weather before you head out.
  • Dress in layers and bring along hat and gloves.
  • Wear shoes that have good traction.
  • Consider taking a paper map or download a map on your phone of the area you’ll be driving to and walking.
  • Remember that even with our best efforts to clear and salt the paths, they can be slick and subject to ever changing weather conditions.
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Checklist of items

  • Shoes with flat, non-skid soles, good heel support, enough room for your toes, and a cushioned arch that’s not too high or too thick.
  • Socks to cushion and protect the feet and help keep them dry.
  • Clothes that feel comfortable during a walk.
  • An ID with emergency contact information, a mobile phone and a small amount of cash.
  • A hat or visor for the sun, sunscreen and sunglasses.
  • A hat and scarf to cover the head and ears when it’s cold outside.
  • Layers of clothing in cold weather that can be removed as a person warms up.
  • Waterproof clothing to avoid getting wet if it rains.
  • Step counters or other wearable devices to keep track of steps taken.
  • Water to drink before, during, and after the walk.
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Parks snow removal inf​​ormation

When two inches of snow fall, parks staff are​ dispatched to over 100 parks on snow clearing assignments. ​Depending on the route, there may be small snow plows on the paths while others require shoveling by hand. These areas are also salted following the snow removal. Wooden bridges and boardwalks do not get salted due to material considerations. With over 30 miles of paved pathways in our park system, not every path is plowed and the ones that are scheduled for clearing, can take time. Our goal is to clear the paths within 24 hours but snow emergencies or ongoing weather conditions may cause delays. A list of parks on the snow plow routes is below.

Snow emergenc​​ies

Please note that in cases of heavy snow fall or snow that occurs over an extended period of time, park staff are called off of park snow removal to support road clearing efforts. In this case, path snow removal is delayed but will resume when streets are cleared. We appreciate your understanding.

Snow routes in the pa​rks

With 160+ park properties managed by the city, parks staff have snow removal duties at 105 parks. In general, any sidewalks that are on the perimeter of park land, are cleared by parks staff. There are also many pathways through parks that are on the snow plow routes. Read below for the list of parks that our staff get to for snow clearing duties and a brief description of the snow plowing assignment at each park.

Parks with free residential sand/salt

​During the winter, the city provides residents with up to five gallons of a sand/salt mixture, per visit, at various ​locations around Ann Arbor to help treat sidewalks. Residents need to bring their own shovel and bucket as well as load material themselves from the marked piles. Sand/salt mixture is not for contractors or landscapers. Material is typically available beginning in late November.​

Locations for pick up include:

Parks with snow plow activ​ity

Allmendinger - Parking lot drive though, Pauline Blvd. sidewalk.
Ann Arbor Senior Center - Parking lot.
Argo Nature Area - Barton boardwalk .
Bader Park - Sidewalk from Provincial Drive to the playground and basketball courts.
Bandemer Park - Border to Border Trail, plus multi-use path loop around the disc golf course.
Beckley Park - Path through the park that connects Argo Drive to Wright Street. 
Broadway Park - Pathways around the dog park and connection paths to the Border to Border Trail.
Bromley Park - Perimeter sidewalk along Briarcliff Street path from Sheffield Court to the park.
Brookside Park - Perimeter sidewalks.
Bryant Community Center - Sidewalks and facility entrance.
Buhr Park - Pathway from Packard ​Street through the park past the ice arena connecting to Essex Road to the North and pathways to Easy Street to the East. 
Burns Park-  Shelter driveway.  Wells Street park sidewalk, park path  between Granger Street and Wells Street (adjacent to the school).
Burr Oak Park - Perimeter sidewalk.
Churchill Downs Park - Entrance of Steeplechase Drive to the playground
Clinton Park - Perimeter sidewalk.
Cloverdale Park - Sidewalk along Cloverdale Road.
Cobblestone Farm - Sidewalks and paths from Packard Street around the parking lots and up to the farm.
Cranbrook Park - Path from Oakbrook Drive through the park to where it meets Oakbrook Drive again.
Crary Park - Perimeter sidewalks.
Creal Park - Pathway through the park that connects Creal Cress to Argyle Cress.
Devonshire Park - Pathway through the park that connects Devonshire Road to Geddes Avenue.
Dicken Park - Perimeter sidewalks.
Dicken Woods Nature AreaPerimeter sidewalks.
Douglas Park Perimeter sidewalks.
Earhart Park Perimeter sidewalks.
Earhart West Park Perimeter sidewalks.
Ellsworth ParkPerimeter sidewalks.
Esch Park Perimeter sidewalks.
Forsythe Park - Sidewalks through the plaza and perimeter.
Foxfire East Park Perimeter sidewalks.
Foxfire North Park - Perimeter sidewalk.
Frisinger Park - Perimeter sidewalk.
Fritz Park - Sidewalk leading from Northwood Street into the park and the Pauline Street perimeter sidewalk.
Gallup Park - Paved pathways along the Border to Border trail and around children’s fishing pond. (No clearing on the dirt path areas that complete the inner loop).
Fuller Park - Perimeter sidewalk.
Furstenberg Nature Area - Paved path around the parking lot.
Garden Homes Park - Pathways through the park that are connected from Franklin Street to Fullmer Street and South across Garden Homes Drive.
George Washington Park (The Rock) - Sidewalk perimeter.
Graydon Park - Pathways through the park and sidewalks alongside East Stadium Boulevard.
Greenbrier Park - Sidewalk into park from Frederick Drive.
Hanover Square Park - Perimeter sidewalk and pass through.
Hollywood Park - Perimeter sidewalk.
Huron Highlands - Perimeter sidewalk.
Huron Parkway - Sidewalks along Huron River Drive.
Island Park - Sidewalk along Island Drive.
Kelly Park - Perimeter sidewalk.
Kilburn Park - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Lansdowne Park - Path through the park.​
Las Vegas - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Lawton Park - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Leslie Park - Sidewalks around playgrounds, connecting Leslie Park Circle to Arrowwood Drive.
Leslie Science and Nature Center - Sidewalk from Traver Road up to center.
Liberty Plaza - Through the plaza and perimeter sidewalk.
Mallets Creek Nature Area - Perimeter sidewalk along Huron Parkway.
Manchester Park - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Mary Beth Doyle Park - Pathway from Birch Hollow, north to Woodmanor Court and South over I-94 to the connecting neighborhood. Consists of half of the loop around the pond.
Maryfield Wildwood Park - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Meadowbrook Park - Path through park from Seventh Street to Northbrook Drive (sidewalk perimeter).
Mixtwood Pamona Park - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Mushroom Park - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Narrow Gauge Way - Perimeter sidewalk.​
North Main Park - Pathway through park connecting North Main Street and North Fourth Avenue.
Northside Park - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Oakridge Nature Area - Perimeter sidewalks (Huron Parkway and Glazier Way).
Olson Park - Pathway along Dhu Varren Road and the parking lot only.
Pilgrim Park - A small portion of the sidewalk along Verle Avenue.
Pittsview Park - A small portion of the sidewalk along Packard Street.
Placid Way Park - Pathway through park connecting Placid Way and Omlesaad Drive.
Plymouth Parkway - Path through the park connecting Broadway Street and running along Plymouth Road.
Postman’s Rest - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Redwood Park - Perimeter sidewalk.​
Riverside Park - Border to Border Trail pathway alongside the river.
Rose Park - Pathway from Eisenhower Parkway along Hikone Drive.
Ruthven Nature Ar​ea - Huron Parkway perimeter sidewalk.
Scheffler Park - Path from the parking lot through the park and alongside Platt Road.
Sculpture Plaza - Perimeter sidewalk.
South Maple Park - Perimeter sidewalk along Liberty Street.
South University Park - Perimeter sidewalks Walnut Street and South University Avenue.
Southeast Area Park- Pathway throughout the park and along the sidewalks.
Stapp Nature Area - Perimeter sidewalk along Huron Parkway.
Sugarbush Park - Paved pathway through park connecting Green Road to Yellowstone Drive (from Yellowstone Drive to Rumsey Drive and then Rumsey Drive to Green Road).
The Ponds Park - Perimeter sidewalk along Ember Way and Emerald Avenue.
Tuebingen Park - Perimeter sidewalk along Tuebingen Parkway.
Turnberry Park - Perimeter sidewalk along Turnberry Lane.
Veterans Memorial Park - Perimeter sidewalks and paved pathways through the park connecting Dexter Road to Jackson Avenue.
Waterworks Park - Perimeter sidewalks and pathways through the park connecting Eighth Street and South Seventh Street.
Waymarket Park - Perimeter sidewalks and path through the park connecting Signature Boulevard toward Briarwood Circle.
West Park - Perimeter sidewalks and pathways through the park connecting Chapin Street to North Seventh Street.
Wheeler Park - Perimeter sidewalks and path through park connecting North Fourth Avenue to North Fifth Avenue.
White Oak Park - Perimeter sidewalk along White Oak Drive.
Winchell Park - Perimeter sidewalks and the path through the park connecting Winchell Drive to St. Francis Drive.
Windemere Park - Perimeter sidewalk along Wynnstone Drive including the paths through the park connecting Windemere Drive to Wynnstone Drive.
Winewood Thaler Park - Path through the park connecting Carolina Avenue to Winewood Avenue.
Wurster Park - Path through the park connecting West Madison Street to Edgewood Place and across to Mosley Street.​

Seaso​nal Restrooms

​​​All of the parks listed below have restrooms available in the summer. Exact opening and closing dates will vary from year-to-year.


​P​​ark ​ ​​Open W​​inter and Year-Round
​Allmendinger
​​No
​Argo Livery
​No
​Argo Livery (Porta John)
​No
​Bandemer (Pit Toilet)
​​Yes
​Bryant Community Center
Yes
​Buhr Ice Rink
Yes
​Burns Park
​No
​Farmer's Market
​Open on Market Days
​Fuller Park
​No
​Fuller Park (Porta John)
​Yes (Winter Only)
​Furstenberg Nature Area
​​No
Gallup Park Livery
​​Yes
​Gallup Park (Pit Toilet)
​​Yes
​Hunt Park
​No
​Huron Hills Golf Course
​Yes (Winter Only / for sledding)
​Island Park
​No
​Leslie Park (Porta John)
​​No
​Northside Community Center
Yes
​Northside Park
​No
​Olson Park (Pit Toilet)
Yes
​Veterans Memorial Park
Yes
​Veterans Memorial Park (Porta John)
Yes
​Wheeler Park
​No