Watkins Park is known for its Timbertown playground and three baseball diamonds used by local youth teams. But the southern two-thirds of the 30-acre park are dedicated to natural areas — and that area is filled with a network of hiking trails. Hoadley Nature Trail is home to a wide variety of wetland flora and fauna because it is a wetland. The open section loops around the Schwark Stormwater Wetland and the forested section is a mature wet-mesic flatwoods.

Directions: From US-12 turn south onto Nel’s Drive (Harding’s grocery store is on the corner). Continue across Locust Street into Watkins Park parking area. Parking GPS: 41.79658, -86.61931 (DD)