Boyd B. Banwell Nature Preserve
All dogs must be on a leash!
And please clean up after your pooches while using the trails. Learn More
Size
400 acres adjacent to the Agnes S. Andreae Nature Preserve
Frontage
Nearly three miles along the Pigeon River.
Land Description
A continuation of the oak / pine forests and steep bluffs above the Pigeon River that you see at the Andreae Preserve. This preserve features gorgeous views of the Pigeon River. It is also home to LTC's original Nature Megaphone, a wooden acoustical magnification device that you can climb into and listen to amplified bird song and other nature sounds. (You can get to the megaphone from either the Banwell or the Andreae preserves.)
Trail Description
More than five miles of trails can be explored between the Banwell and the adjacent Andreae Preserve.
Hunting
The Boyd B. Banwell Nature Preserve is open to unrestricted hunting. However, please note that the neighboring Agnes S. Andreae Nature Preserve is closed to hunting.
History
Boyd Banwell sold the original 320 acres in 2000 at a bargain sale. Since that time, the Conservancy has acquired additional parcels with more river frontage, allowing extended trails.
Directions
ADDRESS: 1126 M 68 Highway, Afton, MI 49705 - From Indian River, take M-68 east about 5.3 miles. Look for the parking area and sign on the left.
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.
