Brokaw Nature Area

Overview

Brokaw Nature Area is a 24.45 acre triangular-shaped nature area along Huron River Drive, far northwest of the city center, close to the Huron River and bounded by Wagner Road on the west. View the Ann Arbor Parks & Nature Areas Map for location context. The park was opened in 2017. City Council voted to accept the property in October 2013, but an old house and outbuildings had to be removed before ecological restoration could begin and the park could be opened to the public. Funding for these activities was provided through an endowment that came with the property. The existing trails, which are still being developed, pass though an oak-hickory forest that contains shingle oaks, a very special oak that has leaves with no lobes. Brokaw Nature Area is one of only two parks owned by the City of Ann Arbor that has shingle oaks, and it contains seven different species of oak in total. The site of the old house is considered a great place to stop and smell the wildflowers, like wild bergamot and common mint. There is a higher diversity of wildlife at Brokaw than many city nature areas because of its variety of habitats. Leopard frogs hunt in the meadows, and snapping turtles sometimes follow the stream course up from the river to nest. It’s also a good park for listening to woodland birds— Eastern Wood-pewees and Scarlet Tanagers sing here, and at least 5 woodpecker species can be found here during the nesting season.

Park Notices

Unless otherwise posted per City Council resolution, when a park is closed, no person shall remain in or enter it other than to quietly sit or walk.

Refer to Chapter 39 of the City of Ann Arbor Code of Ordinances for park regulations and rules.

Park Hours

6 a.m. – Midnight

Amenities

Unpaved Trails

Parking

Access and Parking

There a small parking area off of Huron River Drive, marked by a mailbox.

There are no sidewalks or bike lanes along Huron River Drive. There are no bike racks at the park.

Public Transportation

There is no bus stop within a 30 minute walk to the park. Visit TheRide for closest stops and route details or check out the parks ride guide.

History

Ann Arbor's city parks sit on the ancestral and traditional homelands of several indigenous Native peoples. Read a land acknowledgement from the city and learn more about the early history of the land here.

Brokaw Nature Area is named for Joseph Donald (“Don”) Brokaw, the previous owner of the property. Brokaw was born in 1919 in Ann Arbor, and his parents, Roscoe and Eleanor, owned a dairy farm on Geddes Road called The Meadows, which is now Concordia College. Don graduated from University High School in 1938 before moving on to Parks College of Aeronautical Technology in East St. Louis. He was a fighter mechanic in England during World War II. In 1947, Don married his wife, Earldine, and the two bought the property that would become Brokaw Nature Area in 1952. Upon Earldine’s passing in 2003, Don started a foundation “to receive and administer funds for operating a park for the use of the general public.” He transferred almost $500,000 and his 25 acres into the foundation. Several parties expressed interest in Don’s property over the years, including developers and environmental educators from the Ann Arbor Public Schools. When Don passed away in 2010, many unusual legal circumstances made the future of the property uncertain. In 2013, the Michigan attorney general’s office granted the property and the endowment to the City of Ann Arbor. To read more about the Brokaws and the history of this property, see this 2014 article from the Ann Arbor Observer.

Read a Natural Area Preservation (NAP) Newsletter featuring the park shortly before it opened:

2017 Park Focus: Brokaw Nature Area by Amy Wells, NAP Crew

Volunteer in the parks

Looking to make an impact in a park or nature area? Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation provides volunteer opportunities for almost every interest, ability, and commitment level.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities

Park Finder

Discover parks and find amenities through the City of Ann Arbor Park Finder. This map allows you to search park names or search by amenity type or keyword.

View the Park Finder

A2Fix It - Service request tool

A2 Fix It is an online system you can use to report any maintenance issues or other problems during your park visit. When reporting an issue in a park please include detailed location information in the "details and description" section near the end of the request process. Pictures that provide location context are very helpful.

Submit a request