Traver Creek Nature Area is a 5 acre natural area in northeast Ann Arbor, situated between the Leslie Park Golf Course and the Ann Arbor Railroad. View the Ann Arbor Parks & Nature Areas Map for location context. Trails through this park can be somewhat thick with vegetation, so be prepared with long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Traver Creek, the park's namesake, runs through the area, bordered by wetlands. The remainder of the park consists of prairie remnants and thickets. A variety of butterflies can be seen in the park and crawfish can be found in the creek. This area is open to mountain biking.
Traver Creek is part of a large green corridor comprised of a variety of parks and nature areas, including Leslie Woods Nature Area, Leslie Park Golf Course, Leslie Park, Tuebingen Park, Stapp Nature Area, Dhu Varren Woods Nature Area, Foxfire South Nature Area, Black Pond Woods and more. In total these areas comprise nearly 300 acres of greenspace, providing valuable habitat for native flora and fauna. This combined area makes it the largest greenspace in the City of Ann Arbor.
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
Unpaved Trail
Mountain Bike Access
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The main trail entrance is located off of Traver Road. Street parking is allowed at the park entrance but the street is a fairly narrow dirt road. There are no sidewalks or bike lanes. The park is accessible for off-road biking. There are no bike racks at the park.
The nearest bus stop is at the corner of Tuebingen Parkway and Lancashire Drive, about a 5 minute walk from the park. Visit TheRide for closest stops and route details or check out the parks ride guide
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.
Traver Creek is named after Absolom Traver. Traver is the namesake of many places on this side of Ann Arbor, including Traver Road and the Traverwood Branch of the Ann Arbor District Library. Traver, born in 1800, was an early Ann Arbor farmer, miller and neighborhood developer who first arrived in the area in 1830. When Traver arrived to Ann Arbor, it was a small burgeoning frontier town with just over 1000 people. Read more about the "forgotten" history of Traver and his family in an Ann Arbor Observer piece by Patrick McCauley.
Read a Natural Area Preservation (NAP) Newsletter highlighting the park and its interesting flora and fauna:
2020 Park Focus: Traver Creek Nature Area by Rebecca Naumenko
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.
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.
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.
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