North Country Trail - MI-02 South Segment Trailheads

At Historic Bridge Park

There is space for a car or two along F Drive N next to the rocks on the eastern side of Historic Bridge Park. There is also a parking lot in the park, and this is near to the western end.

The entrance to the park is on South Wattles Road, south of the community of Wattles Park in Emmett Township. South Wattles Road goes south (big surprise!) from M-96 (East Michigan Avenue) east of Battle Creek.

In Wattles Park

There is plenty of parking area at the old (now mostly unused) Wattles Park Jr High School, which is located at the western end of Crosby Drive in Wattles Park. Follow the blazes and not the unmarked trail, since the NCT deviates from map MI-02 here.

Crosby Drive goes west from South Wattles Road.

At Kimball Pines Park

Kimball Pines Park has a large parking area.

There are signs for the park on M-96 (East Michigan Avenue). Turn into the driveway for the Calhoun County Medical Center & Adult Day Care facility (refer to picture "bc"). The entrance to Kimball Pines Park is at the rear of this drive. (Refer to pictures 20100430ba-bc.)

At Ott Biological Preserve

There are trailheads with parking lots at both ends of the Ott Preserve, though at the south trailhead there may be gate closure issues once the park closes.

For the south entrance, there are signs for the park on M-96 (East Michigan Avenue). Turn north onto Arlington Avenue and go two blocks to the parking area.

The northwest entrance is at the end of Jameson Avenue in the community of Brownlee Park in Emmett Township. Jameson Avenue goes east from N Raymond Road, which is north of M-96 (E Columbia Avenue) east of Battle Creek.

(Refer to pictures 20100430ca-cc.)

Along the Battle Creek Linear Park

There are many trailheads and parking areas along the almost 9 miles where the NCT runs concurrently with this linear trail.

The eastern end is at the corner of E Emmett Street and Wagner Drive in the Verona Park section of Battle Creek. There is a parking area there, which is a short distance east on E Emmett Street from M-66 (Capital Avenue NE).

There are many parking lots in Battle Creek which could be used.

The westernmost parking area still on the concurrent NCT/BCLP is located on Jackson Street W, just east of M-37 (S Bedford Road).

The western end of the BCLP is at the corner of M-96 (Dickman Road) and Brady Road, and there are many business parking lots at that location. Even though map MI-02 indicates that this is certified NCT, the NCT route leaves on a road connector 0.7 miles east of this location.

Refer to the following pictures:
* eastern end: 20100508 1632, 1634a, and 1634b
* western end: 20100508 1653, 1656, 1656b, and 1656c.

Near Fort Custer National Cemetery

There is space to park along Armstrong Road / 48th Street, where the NCT enters the eastern edge of the Fort Custer National Cemetery as well as along River Road, where the NCT enters the western edge. Both of these streets go north from M-96.

Refer to pictures 20100508 1701, 1706, and 1707.

Near Augusta and at Kellogg Experimental Forest

North of Augusta at the Augusta Drive trailhead there is space for several cars. There is also plenty of parking at the Kellogg Experimental Forest.

Refer to pictures 20100501a NCT, 20100501-1635, and 20100501-1640.

At Kellogg Biological Station and Kellogg Bird Sanctuary

There is room to park along C Avenue where the NCT crosses. However, there is an actual trailhead just inside the entrance of the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, on C Avenue west of 40th Street.

There is also room to park along roads (especially 39th Street) near the northern end of the Kellogg Biological Station grounds. The NCT returns to road connectors to head north (in the ND direction) to Yankee Springs at the corner of Baseline Road and 39th Street.

Refer to the following pictures:
- for C Avenue: 20100512 1640, 1642, 1644, and 1646
- for Baseline and 39th: 20100512 1703
- for the trailhead at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary: 20100512 1720 and 1721.

Notes and Revisions

Suggestions and submissions welcome!

03 May 2010: page created
04 May 2010: pictures added for Kellogg Experimental Forest
12 May 2010: text updates made
21 May 2010: text updates made and pictures added
07 Jun 2010: editing
22 May 2011: heading edited; pictures inserted into body

Images

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