Agnes S. Andreae Nature Preserve
All dogs must be on a leash!
And please clean up after your pooches while using the trails. Learn More
Size
81 acres
Frontage
1.4 miles along Pigeon River
Land Description
Set along the lower Pigeon River (a blue-ribbon trout stream), this preserve includes pine forests on steep bluffs above the river.
Trail Description
More than five miles of trails can be explored between the Agnes S. Andreae and the adjacent Boyd B. Banwell Preserve. The Nature Megaphone can be found on the Banwell Preserve.
Hunting
Please note that the Agnes S. Andreae Nature Preserve is closed to hunting. However, the neighboring Boyd B. Banwell Nature Preserve is open to unrestricted hunting.
History
In 1983, Agnes S. Andreae donated the original 27 acres with frontage on the Pigeon River, and several additions have been purchased since then. The donation included a small cabin overlooking the river. The cabin is available for use (at no charge) by non-profit or community groups. Reservations are required.
Directions
ADDRESS: 4569 Big Sky Trail, Indian River, MI 49749 - From Indian River (exit 310 off I-75), take M-68 east 4½ miles. Turn left onto Old Onaway Rd. (Look for “Cochran Lake Public Access” sign). Go north on Old Onaway Rd 1.7 miles to Riverwoods Trail and turn right. At the T intersection with Big Sky Trail, the preserve sign is ahead of you.
Andreae Cabin
The Agnes S. Andreae Nature Preserve and Andreae Cabin are named after Agnes S. Andreae, who donated the cabin and 27 acres of land to the Little Traverse Conservancy in 1983 so that the peaceful wilderness experience that it offers could be protected for future generations. Today, the preserve’s size has grown to 181 acres, with 1.35 miles of frontage on the Pigeon River. The preserve contains a cabin, a footbridge that crosses the river, and a one-mile-long hiking trail.
Check out the plants and animals found at this preserve using the iNaturalist guide below. Help us document more with iNaturalist.org and eBird.org.
Visit the Nature Megaphone
Google “A Nature Megaphone Art Estonia,” and you will see the images that prompted Little Traverse Conservancy staff member Charles Dawley, to think it would be a fun idea for a Little Traverse Conservancy nature preserve.
Charles held onto this idea for a couple of years before the Petoskey High School Building Trades class agreed to do the construction. Donated wood from The Home Depot sealed the deal. The megaphone was completed in May 2019, and it was placed in June.
How to best use it? Crawl inside, lie still, and stay quiet. The design amplifies sounds filtering into the opening and lets you focus on your senses more profoundly.
