Merritt Prairie Forest Preserve
Nature preserve
54 acres2.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Pierce Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Pierce Township
The biggest trail networks: Merritt Prairie Forest Preserve (2.3 mi). 3.6 miles of mapped trail cross Pierce Township, 0.1 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
under 1%
53 acres · of 35.0 sq mi of land
Trails
3.6 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Merritt Prairie Forest Preserve, with 2.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
53 conserved acres
under 1% of Pierce Township’s land. Who manages Pierce Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency53 ac
State Conservation Area · 53 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merritt Prairie Forest Preserve State Conservation Area | Regional agency | 53 | Closed |
Things to do
1 places to go in Pierce Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Picnic areas in Pierce Township
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
When to get out
The best walking months in Pierce Township: April and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 34 | 47 | 60 | 71 | 80 | 83 | 82 | 76 | 63 | 47 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.7 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Pierce Township →
Next door
Pierce Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Afton Township10 miCortland Township5.0 miKaneville Township4.9 miPierce Township3.6 miSquaw Grove Township2.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Squaw Grove Township | under 1% | 0.1 | 3 | 66% | C− |
| Cortland Township | 1% | 0.1 | 11 | 83% | C+ |
| Afton Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Kaneville Township | 16% | 0.1 | 104 | 2% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Pierce Township
Where can I hike in Pierce Township?
The longest trail networks: Merritt Prairie Forest Preserve, 2.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Pierce Township’s trails?
Merritt Prairie Forest Preserve doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Pierce Township?
8,371 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Pierce Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), almost none of it inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Pierce Township neighbors.
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Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →