Kidder-McKeachie Scio Woods Preserve
Managed by Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission
88 acres2.5 mi of trail
Outer Loop (Red)Inner Loop (Blue)Connector Trail (Green)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Scio Woods PreserveWebsite ↗
Photo: Dwight Burdette · CC BY 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Scio Township
Scio Township has 1,172 acres of parks, 66 for every 1,000 residents
10% of Scio Township’s land is conserved, about 2,029 acres. The biggest trail networks: Kidder-McKeachie Scio Woods Preserve (2.5 mi), West Scio Preserve (2.2 mi), DeVine Preserve (1.8 mi). 25 miles of mapped trail cross Scio Township, 0.8 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns · #134 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Conserved land
10%
2,029 acres · of 32.0 sq mi of land
Trails
25 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,172 ac
66 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
73%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
17 mi
9.1 mi lanes · 7.5 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
5
4 beaches · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Scio Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Scio Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Scio Township is ahead of 86% of U.S. towns, #134 of 701 in Michigan. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; park acres per resident rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Scio Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land10% of the land · typical MI town 5% · U.S. 4%A−Trails0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (25 mi) · MI 0.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land66 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,172 acres) · MI 33 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home73% of residents within a half mile of a park · MI 50% · U.S. 72%B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 86%
LessMore
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 81%
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
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 Kidder-McKeachie Scio Woods Preserve, with 2.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
West Scio Preserve
Nature preserve
208 acres2.2 mi of trail
West Scio StraightCohosh CornerVernal LoopLittle Bean Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
DeVine Preserve
Nature preserve
153 acres1.8 mi of trail
Grassland TrailWoodland TrailWet Meadow Trail (Mowed July to October)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto DeVine Preserve Trailhead
Van Curler Preserve
Nature preserve
91 acres1.7 mi of trail
Van Curler Trail (VCT)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Scio Ridge Land Conservancy
Managed by Scio Ridge Land Conservancy
57 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Sloan Preserve
Nature preserve
48 acres1.3 mi of trail
Long Grass LoopFlood Plain LoopUpstream RouteDownstream Route+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Liberty Pond Nature Area
Managed by Scio Township
50 acres1.2 mi of trail
Liberty Loop
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Burns-Stokes Preserve
Managed by Washtenaw County Natural Areas Preservation Program
30 acres1 mi of trail
Prairie Trail (Red)Mill Pond trail (Yellow)River Trail (Blue)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 21 parks & preserves
Kidder-McKeachie Scio Woods Preserve88 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission
DirectionsWest Scio Preserve208 acres · 2.2 mi of trail
DirectionsDeVine Preserve153 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsVan Curler Preserve91 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsScio Ridge Land Conservancy57 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Scio Ridge Land Conservancy
DirectionsSloan Preserve48 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsLiberty Pond Nature Area50 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Scio Township
DirectionsBurns-Stokes Preserve30 acres · 1 mi of trail · Washtenaw County Natural Areas Preservation Program
DirectionsBrokaw Nature Area29 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation
Osborne Mill Preserve18 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission
DirectionsDexter Huron Metropolitan Park93 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsFox Science Preserve75 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission
DirectionsDelhi Metropark87 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Huron-Clinton Metroparks
DirectionsTownship Hall Park11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Scio Township
DirectionsCountry French Estates Sanctuary13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Marshall Park10 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Scio Township
DirectionsBotsford Natural Area11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Douglas David Marshall Preserve47 acres · Scio Township
New Tubbs Park21 acres
Tubbs Nature Area4 acres
Mill Creek Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,029 conserved acres
10% of Scio Township’s land. Who manages Scio Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city710 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)595 ac
County397 ac
Other state land256 ac
Private owners174 ac
Joint173 ac
State Department of Land157 ac
Agricultural Easement · 1,127 acLocal Conservation Area · 663 acLocal Park · 204 acPrivate Park · 174 acRecreation or Education Easement · 159 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 831 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polo Fields Golf and Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 162 | Restricted |
| Devine Preserve Local Conservation Area | County | 155 | Open |
| Trinkle Unknown | State Department of Land | 117 | Open |
| Van Curler Preserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 92 | Closed |
| Scio Woods Preserve Local Conservation Area | County | 88 | Open |
| Saginaw Forest Local Conservation Area | Other state land | 84 | Open |
| Dexter-Huron Metropark Local Park | Regional agency | 78 | Open |
| Fox Science Preserve Local Conservation Area | County | 71 | Open |
| Delhi Metropark Local Park | Regional agency | 70 | Open |
| Liberty Farm Local Park | Town or city | 56 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
25 places to go in Scio Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Scio Township
4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Scio Township
14 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Scio Township
4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Scio Township
2 fishing spots without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Scio Township
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
21 named trails and 5 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.7 miUnpaved · 12.4 mi
Outer Loop (Red)1.6 mi
Van Curler Trail (VCT)1.2 mi
Grassland Trail1.0 mi
Liberty Loop0.7 mi
Prairie Trail (Red)0.6 mi
West Scio Straight0.5 mi
Inner Loop (Blue)0.5 mi
Long Grass Loop0.4 mi
Flood Plain Loop0.4 mi
Woodland Trail0.4 mi
11 more trails
Cohosh Corner
0.3 miVernal Loop
0.3 miMill Pond trail (Yellow)
0.3 miLittle Bean Loop
0.3 miWood-Leaf Loop
0.3 miUpstream Route
0.3 miConnector Trail (Green)
0.2 miDownstream Route
0.2 miWet Meadow Trail (Mowed July to October)
0.2 miRiver Trail (Blue)
0.1 miPeninsula Loop
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
17 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
9.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
7.5 mi
off-road bike paths
0.5 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
27Tennis
7Soccer
6Baseball
6Pickleball
4Basketball
2Equestrian
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Delhi BridgeStructure · listed 2008
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Scio Township: July to 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 31 | 34 | 45 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 61 | 47 | 36 |
| Rain (in) | 2.1 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 3.8 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Scio Township →
Next door
Scio Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Ann Arbor93 miAnn Arbor Township34 miScio Township25 miLodi Township14 miWebster Township7.6 miLima Township5.1 miDexter0.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scio Township | 10% | 0.8 | 66 | 73% | A |
| Ann Arbor | 14% | 3.3 | 24 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Dexter | 7% | 0.2 | 26 | 98% | A− |
| Webster Township | 17% | 0.2 | 198 | 25% | B+ |
| Lima Township | 8% | 0.1 | 180 | 21% | B |
| Ann Arbor Township | 17% | 2.1 | 189 | 84% | A+ |
| Lodi Township | 7% | 0.4 | 14 | 40% | B− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Scio Township
Where can I hike in Scio Township?
The longest trail networks: Kidder-McKeachie Scio Woods Preserve, 2.5 miles; West Scio Preserve, 2.2 miles; DeVine Preserve, 1.8 miles; Van Curler Preserve, 1.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Scio Township is conserved land?
10% of its land, against a typical 5% for a Michigan town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Scio Township’s trails?
Kidder-McKeachie Scio Woods Preserve and West Scio Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Scio Township?
17 miles of bike routes are on the map: 9.1 of painted or protected lanes, 7.5 of off-road paths and 0.5 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Scio Township?
32,899 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Scio Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,172 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Scio Township have?
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #134 of 701 in Michigan. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Scio Township neighbors.
Share a tip
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 →