Discover the Forests of Washington Island

Explore one of Washington Island’s largest undeveloped forests on this 1.5-mile guided walk through the Richter Community Forest Nature Preserve. The preserve features diverse northern hardwoods, large tree tip-up mounds, and abundant spring wildflowers—clues that this land was never clear-cut or farmed, allowing native plants to thrive. Along the trail, bedrock ridges and beach stone reveal that the area was once under postglacial Lake Nipissing, an ancient high-water stage of Lake Michigan. Gifted to the community in 2001, the preserve remains a protected natural retreat and educational resource for islanders and visitors alike.