New Year’s Day Hike
January 1 @ 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
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About the Event
Kick off 2026 with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan and help us celebrate the beginning of our 50th year!
On January 1st, join the Land Conservancy team and former Land Protection Director April Scholtz at 10:30am for a New Year’s Day Hike at Tallmadge Woods.
Tallmadge Woods is owned and managed by Ox-Bow School of Art and protected in perpetuity by the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. The permanent protection and ongoing care of the land are a testament to the relationships that make conservation possible.
Join us to embark on an exciting new year as we explore and appreciate the natural areas that make West Michigan unlike anywhere else. We’ll hike the Tallmadge Woods trail, enjoy views of the Kalamazoo River and Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area, and reflect on fifty years of working together to keep nature nearby.
Please come dressed for the weather and activity – spikes (Yaktrax, etc.), trekking poles, or other accommodations to make the hike easier are encouraged! We will be hiking on natural surface trails, which may be slick with snow or ice.
We have updated our meeting location! We are now gathering in the Tallmadge Woods parking lot at 10:30am. This will require you to drive down the single track road (past the Mount Baldhead parking lot) to the very end of Park Street. The approximate street address is 1045 Park St, Saugatuck, MI 49453. There will be hand-painted signs once you reach Ox-Bow campus that will direct you toward the parking area.
About Tallmadge Woods
Tallmadge Woods is a 102-acre natural area in Saugatuck owned by Ox-Bow School of Art. It is protected by a conservation easement held by the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. The easement, together with Ox-Bow’s enduring commitment to care for the land, permanently protects forested dunes, emergent marsh, and the Kalamazoo River shoreline. The land connects to and overlooks Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area — another example of community conservation in action. Together, they comprise 275 acres of permanently protected Lake Michigan Shoreline habitat.