Ringwood Forest
This is a great place for nature lovers
of all ages to enjoy the outdoors in all seasons. The trail
loops, though unimproved, are conveniently short, most being under a
half mile in length. The river and wetlands attract exotic
birds, like mergansers and loons. There are places along the
bank of the river for fishing. In the winter, these trails
become cross-country ski trails. If you go in October, the
Ringwood Forest will be a riot of fall colors, that
will rival anything to be found “up north”. The park has a
pavilion available on a first come first serve basis, a picnic area,
a playground, and pit toilets. The river access includes a
canoe launch.
Ringwood Forest is a rugged 160 acre park in the middle of Saginaw County. Within the three miles of trails, the Historic Spruce Alley, is one of the most beautiful loops, in a forest known for beauty. After a short walk through the grand evergreens of the Pine Promenade, the Spruce Alley, lined with towering pines more than a century old, winds through the woods and back to the banks of the Bad River.
There are several main trails, in the Ringwood Forest, with loops through unique habitats branching off each one. The Walnut Ridge trail follows the course of the Bad River on the south bank. Board walks serve as bridges across small brooks. At the end of the main loop, is a scenic overlook of the river. From there hikers can take the Spruce Alley loop, or the Lumberjack loop, back to the picnic area. These same trails can be hiked in the opposite order by starting down the Pine Promenade. The Footbridge and Western trails are reached via the Muskrat Flats trail. This trail crosses the river, where it branches into the Witch Hazel loop and the Pine Hills Run loop. These are somewhat longer hikes, with the Witch Hazel long loop being almost 2 miles long. All of the main trails are just a few steps from the parking lot and picnic area.