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Kensington Metropark
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
8 reviews for Kensington Metropark
I've been to Kensington many times and I've still yet to take advantage of all that this park has to offer. Usually, I ride my bike around the 8 mile paved loop 2-3 times, or I sometimes run it, when feeling ambitious. The loop is somewhat hilly, which is a nice change from running/biking the streets of pancake-flat Royal Oak.
Other stuff to do: there are trails (which I have not yet explored), rowboats, kyacks and paddleboats to rent, a beach, fishing, as well as sledding hills and a toboggan runs (the latter of which I really need to check out this winter)! AND there's a petting zoo.
That said, the reason why I gave Kensington only 4 stars is because of the stupid rule that requires you to wear helmets when on a bike (or rollerblading...but who the hell rollerblades anymore?!). I, for one, am not a fan of wearing a helmet. It totally cramps my style, ok? Furthermore, I don't appreciate ordinances/laws that are overly-paternalistic, i.e., helmet laws for non-motorized bikes! Caveat: I do realize that there are quite a few laws that are paternalistic in nature that are also reasonable, but I draw the line at non-motorized bike helmet laws. Let ME worry about keeping my skull and brain intact, ok?
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Kensington is great!
Having grown up as a Milford resident, Kensington gets a lot of love from me. It's beautiful, massive, and a great destination for active people or just people looking to enjoy a nice day out of the house.
Annual permits are available for only $20, a steal if you live in the area. There's ample paved trails for bicycles, rollerblades, or just to walk on. Picnic space is never in short supply here and there's beaches to choose from when it comes to swimming. The activities go on an on, including geocaching, canoeing, paddle boat rental, camping, bird watching, hiking, sledding and tobogganing, skating and a whole lot more.
I love disc golf and Kensington has an attractive 24-hole course to throw through. It can get a bit crowded after school's out but I've never had a bad time with it. If you're more of a regular golfer, there's a regulation 18-hole course here too, though I can't speak for the quality of play being a non-golfer myself.
With its wide range of outdoor activities, Kensington Metro Park makes a great destination for families, groups, couples, or just going out on your own to get some stress out. Date ideas include the a beach cookout, a shared paddle boat ride, rollerblading, and going on a photo safari through the trails. Another bonus for me personally is its proximity to my hometown, meaning I can really give a date the grand tour.
The are only a few dings against the park. One was the strange "culling" of the deer herd they did a few years back when they handed out deer licenses to local hunters to thin the out-of-control deer population. I'm a hunter myself and don't have anything against them needing to thin the population but there's no sport in that. I've grown up in the area and those deer come right up to you so it hardly seems sporting to shoot at something that doesn't know it should flee.
The other ding against Kensington is that they have all that space and still, for some reason, no dog park! Come on guys, just fence in a few acres and install a couple poop bag dispensers! My dog wants to yelp too!
Kensington is an awesome park with something for everyone! Being so centrally located for SE Michigan, it's a great place for reunions, and no one should end up bored!
In addition to the beaches and picnic pavilions, there are nature trails and a nature center, boat rentals, a petting farm and other farm animals, and a paved path around the park. I think it's eight miles long, and perfect for a save, limited auto-traffic exercise place after a day at work, or on the weekends.
I like all the Metroparks, but this is one of the best of them. On a recent visit with a friend, I went hiking the trails, checked out the nature center, and picnicked near the lake.
The trails are good for beginners or experienced hikers. They range from pretty flat to pretty hilly, and range from wide well-traveled chip paths to small one-person dirt ruts through grassy meadows.
The Nature Center and the wildlife in the park are fun, too. While the display inside the Nature Center was fun, I enjoyed the wildlife outside just as much. I saw ducks, ground squirrels, a beaver, and a raccoon. Some of them are pretty brave and will walk right up to you. On previous trips, I've also explored the Farm Center (cute goats!) and have been on their boat excursion on the Island Queen II.
Kensington is one of the best parks within an hour's drive of Ann Arbor.
The walking/ biking / skating trails are beautifully laid out, the nature areas appeal to all ages, and the lake vistas and beaches are really appealing. The petting zoo's little animals are most attractive to little humans. Great place for a quiet picnic by the lake, especially the picnic area that's up on top of a little hill overlooking the water.
Get out of those dark and dismal bars and get some fresh air, yelpers!
Great place to rollerblade! Mostly pretty flat. If I remember correctly, there is a long section of wooden bridge. Be aware that there is a helmet law that is enforced (and also new since my first visit a few years before)...my friend & I weren't aware of this & made it probably 3/4 of the way around when we were stopped by park authorities & escorted/transported via automobile back to my car. Very pretty surroundings (especially in the autumn when all the leaves are changing color), trail is around Kent Lake. Part of the Metro Parks system, so $4/day, or $20/annual pass which is good for any Metro Park. Not sure why the other parks I'd been to (Stony Creek & Metro Beach) didn't have the helmet law.
What a wonderful park - we are so lucky to have this in our own backyard. There is something for everyone - great walk / bike / rollerblade trail around the lake, rent a boat, hang out at the beach, have a picnic, hike trails, visit the farm and animals, play disc golf, enjoy the new waterpark, cross-country skiing, sledding, explore the nature center, or one of our favorites - driving through the park and looking for deer and other wildlife.
HUGE PARK with so much to do! Good for parties, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, beach, hiking, biking, or just chilling out. Paddle boats! History! I think there's a farm and nature center out there somewhere. They were working on building a big slide last time I was there and that's probably finished now. Highly recommended.