Castle Keep Preserve
Access: Open to the public from dawn to dusk
Acreage: 27 acres
Trails: 0.75 miles of natural surface trails
Natural Features: Restored prairie, forest, floodplain
Address: 9310 Maudlin Road, New Buffalo, MI
Recreational Activities:
Directions:
The Preserve is located in New Buffalo Township on the south side of Maudlin Rd between Yasko and Lakeside Roads. From New Buffalo’s Whitaker St., turn northeast on Jefferson Rd (which turns into Maudlin) and drive 3.4 miles.
Parking: There is a small gravel parking area available at the entrance on Maudlin Rd.
Natural Features:
This 27-acre property features three different habitats: restored prairie, floodplain forest, and mesic southern forest. The primary natural feature is a former agricultural field being transformed into a prairie through invasive control, native seeding, and prescribed fire. The field is surrounded on three sides by ravines containing a creek that is a tributary of the Galien River South Branch. The bottoms of these ravines are considered floodplain habitats; they experience frequent flooding and host a plant community specially adapted to these wet periods. The wooded uplands around the ravines are considered mesic southern forests that boast large beeches, oaks, and maples. While most of the bottomlands and uplands were logged in the early 1900s, the trees lining the slopes were spared—notice the mature trees and impressive root systems that remain.
History:
The property was donated to COL in 2021 by Michael Yannell. The name “Castle Keep” is a tribute to his father, Colonel Michael P. Yannell, who became a castle aficionado after being stationed in Europe during his time in the Air Force in WWII. The “Keep” portion of the name is in reference to the safest, or most protected, part of the castle. As this property became protected in perpetuity upon its donation to Chikaming Open Lands, the donor felt that “keep” was a fitting synonym for “preserve.” The property’s topography is even reminiscent of a castle—it is surrounded on three sides by moat-like ravines that play into its castle-inspired name.
Recreational improvements funded by:
