Visitors to Kalamazoo can experience art, landscapes, and regional history in many different ways. The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts presents art in its galleries, while the Kalamazoo Nature Center’s trails lead through forests, wetlands, and prairies. The Kal-Haven Trail, meanwhile, follows an abandoned railroad line built in 1871. The collections, natural areas, and transportation history offer different starting points for planning your stay.
Nature, Water, and Trails
The parks of Kalamazoo County offer trails for hiking, walking, and jogging. The Kalamazoo Nature Center has more than 14 miles of trails through forests, wetlands, and prairies. Prairie View Park sits on the shores of Gourdneck Lake and Hogsett Lake. Cold Brook County Park covers 276 acres and consists mostly of water, including three lakes and distinctive wetlands. Kalamazoo County’s parks also have three swimming beaches.
Fort Custer State Recreation Area offers another scenic setting. It covers 3,033 acres and includes three lakes and the Kalamazoo River, as well as more than 40 miles of trails, second-growth forests, and remnant prairie. These places offer different highlights, from trails through several types of landscape to parks where water makes up a particularly large part of the area.
Trails with Different Profiles
The Kalamazoo River Valley Trail is free to use, 10 feet wide, and paved. Intended for non-motorized transportation and recreation, it currently extends for 24 miles through Kalamazoo County. One section runs from Galesburg through River Oaks County Park and Markin Glen County Park to the Kalamazoo Nature Center. This makes it possible to distinguish the trail’s total length from the specific route described here.
The Kal-Haven Trail State Park offers a different scale: This 33.5-mile rail trail runs between Kalamazoo and South Haven along an abandoned railroad line built in 1871. The Kal-Haven Heritage Trail project includes 31 interpretive panels on the region’s natural and cultural history. For mountain biking, Markin Glen Park has its own trail, the Maple Hill Trail: just under five miles of mostly machine-built singletrack. Trail conditions and features can change, so check the latest information before setting out.
Art, History, and Events
The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts has a permanent collection of nearly 5,000 works of art. Collection and special exhibitions are presented in ten galleries. The institute also offers museum tours, exhibitions, and classes. The range of options spans everything from exploring the art collections on your own to taking a closer look at a particular subject.
At the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, the “Kalamazoo Direct to You” exhibition explores products that have made Kalamazoo famous. It also invites visitors to look at Gibson instruments and learn how they are made. Exhibition content can change, so check the latest information before your visit.
Scotts Mill County Park includes a historic mill and offers visitors a chance to experience agricultural and natural history in a distinctive setting. Sports and events provide another focus: River Oaks County Park has 15 soccer fields, which regularly host youth and adult leagues as well as regional tournaments. The Kalamazoo County Fair is held at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center & Fairgrounds, with agriculture, family entertainment, live music and other entertainment, local food, and exhibits.
The Air Zoo also brings a variety of experiences together under one roof: general admission includes exhibits, interactive experiences, indoor rides, and full-motion flight simulators. The included offerings may change, so check the latest details before your visit.
Local Products and Getting There
The Kalamazoo Farmers Market sells fresh food and handmade goods from more than 120 local farmers, food businesses, and artisans. Bell’s Brewery offers another way to learn about local production, with tours of its downtown Kalamazoo facility and its larger brewing operation in Comstock, both including free beer samples. The DeLano Farm at the Kalamazoo Nature Center also offers a pick-your-own garden.
For train travel, the Wolverine and Blue Water serve Kalamazoo station, with four daily round trips. Check the current schedule for your travel date. When searching for a hotel, you can start by deciding whether art and exhibitions, nature trails, or local products will shape your stay.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Kalamazoo, Portage, Lapeer County, Houghton, Crawford County, Saginaw, Delta County, Huron County.
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