Willow Nature Area

Overview

Willow Nature Area is a small undeveloped nature area off of Eisenhower Parkway just north of Briarwood Mall in the south of the city. View the Ann Arbor Parks & Nature Areas Map for location context. A branch of Mallett's Creek flows through the area.

Willow Nature Area is one of a number of city park properties with no trails or amenities. These natural areas represent a unique recreation and conservation feature of the city’s park system. In these relatively few spaces across the city, off-trail exploration is encouraged – a rare opportunity to meander through a wild space in our urban context. Visitors are also invited to reflect on the conservation value and biodiversity of these spaces, where the Parks & Recreation’s Natural Area Preservation staff and volunteers work to steward, restore and inventory the natural communities throughout the city’s parks.

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

Access and Parking

There is no parking at Willow Nature Area. There is parking across Eisenhower Parkway at Briarwood Mall.

Part of the park touches Eisenhower, which has protected paths along both sides of the road. There are no bike racks at the park.

Public Transportation

There is a bus stop across Eisenhower at the corner of Briarwood Circle and Plaza Road. 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.

Willow Nature Area was acquired by the city in 2007, but it was not named or designated as parkland until 2020. A developer bought and developed a property on Eisenhower Parkway and dedicated a small parcel of the land back to the city to be used as parkland. In 2020 a resolution corrected the omission of this area, designating it as parkland and naming it Willow Nature Area.

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