Where do you take a walk in Oakland Township once the leaves are down and the cider crowds are gone? For years the hoped-for answer has been Stony Creek Ravine Nature Park and its new front door on Snell Road. The parks department's Fall 2026 newsletter said construction by The Alan Group was "underway now, with completion expected by November," and told residents to "keep an eye out for a reopening announcement."
On the township's Natural Areas Notebook bird-walk calendar, the September 23 and October 28 walks that would normally go to Stony Creek Ravine were sent to Cranberry Lake Park instead. Both listings carry the same note: "Stony Creek Ravine Nature Park new trailhead construction is NOT ready."
Around that project, the township's winter already has fixed dates. Stony Creek Ravine closes two days a week for controlled hunts through January 31. The last bird walk of 2026 is November 18. The Lost Lake sled hill opens only when there are 2 inches of packed snow on frozen ground.
What the Snell Road trailhead adds
Stony Creek Ravine is one of the township's largest natural areas. It covers 268 acres along the West Branch of Stony Creek, with oak forest, prairie plantings, restored wetlands and nearly two miles of trail. The listed address is 1280 Knob Creek Drive, and the park page says it is "pedestrian access only at this time."
The project gives the park what the newsletter calls "a proper gateway" for the first time. It includes:
- A new parking lot and trailhead off Snell Road, with basic amenities
- A universally accessible crushed-limestone trail through the oak forest to a stream overlook above the West Branch of Stony Creek
- A trail connection south into Stony Creek Metropark
A federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant and the township's Land Preservation millage are paying for the work.
The Metropark connection has a practical payoff. Stony Creek Metropark charges $10 per vehicle per day, and an annual vehicle pass costs $40 for residents of Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. The Huron-Clinton Metroparks FAQ also says that "walkers, bicyclists and inline skaters can enjoy free access to all Metroparks by entering through the park roads and hike/bike trails." A trail from a township lot into the Metropark gives Oakland Township a walk-in route to the Metropark's north side.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays are hunt days
The new trailhead won't change one rule. Stony Creek Ravine closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from October 1 through January 31 for controlled hunts.
Since 2009 the park has hosted antlerless archery deer hunting on set Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Hunters need both a Michigan DNR permit and a township park permit. Under the DNR's Urban Deer Management Zone, the township's season now runs to January 31 each year. The park page says hunting is not offered in any other township park.
That makes the other parks the midweek option. Bear Creek Nature Park, behind Township Hall, is the closest to the center of the township. Its page lists parking at the Snell Road entrance or at Township Hall, with a trail from behind the hall into the park.
The birding calendar ends November 18
The Wednesday bird walks start at 8:30 a.m. and last about two hours. The schedule ends earlier than the cold does. The last 2026 walk is November 18 at Fox Nature Preserve. After that, the calendar reads "No Bird Walks the rest of November and December 2026," and walks resume January 6, 2027.
The township's stewardship volunteers keep working after the bird walks stop. The volunteer workday calendar lists:
- November 19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Seed cleaning and mixing at Watershed Ridge Park, 1720 W. Buell Road. Volunteers clean seed collected in the fall for the custom mixes used in habitat restoration.
- December 1, 8 and 15, 9 a.m. to noon: Invasive-shrub removal at Bear Creek Nature Park, meeting at 740 W. Snell Road. Tools and training are provided. RSVP is recommended, and drop-ins are welcome.
- December 16, 10 to 11:30 a.m.: Stewardship holiday coffee hour at Paint Creek Cider Mill.
Those workdays build on the summer. The newsletter reports that the 2026 summer stewardship crew pulled thousands of pounds of garlic mustard, continued wet-mesic prairie and prairie-fen restoration, and controlled invasive plants across multiple acres.
Lost Lake and the Cider Mill host the December calendar
The remaining scheduled programs meet at two places, the Lost Lake Nature Center and warming shelter and Paint Creek Cider Mill. Here is the remaining November and December lineup from the Fall 2026 newsletter:
| Date | Program | Location | Ages | Resident / Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., Nov. 24, 6–9 p.m. | Paint Like Bob Ross | Lost Lake Nature Park | 12+ | $60 / $70 per painting |
| Tue., Dec. 1, 10–11:30 a.m. | Frosty Fun Crafts | Lost Lake Warming Shelter | 2.5–5 | $5 / $7 |
| Wed., Dec. 2, 5:30–8:30 p.m. | Babysitter, CPR and First Aid | Paint Creek Cider Mill | Kids | $60 / $65 |
| Sat., Dec. 5, 9:30–11:30 a.m. | Pining Over Yew | Lost Lake Nature Center | 50+ | $5 / $7 |
| Sat., Dec. 5, 1–4 p.m. | Christmas Chemistry | Paint Creek Cider Mill | Kids | $42 / $47 |
| Fri., Dec. 11, 6–8 p.m. | Ornament-Making Workshop | Paint Creek Cider Mill | Adults | $20 with code "OAK" / $30 |
| Sat., Dec. 12, 10 a.m.–noon | Michigan's Winter Animals | Lost Lake Nature Center | All ages | $5 / $7 |
| Tue., Dec. 22, 6–9 p.m. | Paint Like Bob Ross | Lost Lake Nature Park | 12+ | $60 / $70 per painting |
Registration for the ornament workshop goes through PCCArt.org. Most other programs register at Oaklandtownship.recdesk.com, by phone at 248-651-7810, or in person at the Paint Creek Cider Mill office, and payment is due when you sign up.
The yoga calendar also moves indoors for the season. All Levels Yoga starts its November 22 to December 27 Sunday session at Paint Creek Cider Mill, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Mommy and Me Yoga runs Tuesdays at Paint Creek Cider Mill from November 24 to December 29. Yin Yoga meets on Mondays at the Cider Mill from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m., with a new session running December 14 to January 18. Each session costs $60 for residents and $72 for nonresidents.
Snow sets the rest of the schedule
Two of the township's best-known winter spots only open when conditions allow, and each has a phone line to check before you go.
The Lost Lake sled hill needs at least 2 inches of packed snow on frozen ground. When a "Sled Hill Closed" sign is posted, the hill is off limits. The status line is 248-651-4440 ext. 299.
The Bear Creek rink is listed as open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. when conditions permit, with a status line at 248-651-4440 ext. 289. The township's recreation page says the rink is "open based on ice conditions" and points to the Winter Newsletter for times and skate details.
If the snow comes before you know the trails, the township's new Trail Guide is online. Printed copies are available at Township Hall, at Parks & Recreation events and at the Cider Mill office. On the Paint Creek Trail, the replacement Bridge 31.7 north of Ludlow and Woodward in Rochester is complete and open. It is a new span about 14 by 70 feet, and it had its ribbon-cutting on September 24.
On the Metropark side
The Snell Road connector leads toward Stony Creek Metropark, which has its own December calendar at the Stony Creek Nature Center. It lists:
- December 5: an adult nature hike and holiday nature ornament-making
- December 6: feeding time
- December 12: a kids' outdoor craft hour
- December 19: a family nature hike and nature play
From September 1 through June 18 the Nature Center is open 1 to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The Metropark also lists cross-country skiing among its winter activities.
Put both calendars side by side and a December Saturday fills up quickly. On December 5 you could do Pining Over Yew at Lost Lake in the morning, then Christmas Chemistry at the Cider Mill or the ornament program at the Stony Creek Nature Center in the afternoon. On December 12 you could choose between Michigan's Winter Animals at Lost Lake and the kids' craft hour at the Metropark.
At Showtime Realty, we track the Oakland Township updates that change a family's week, from a new Snell Road trailhead to a sled hill waiting on 2 inches of packed snow. If you want to talk through how projects like Stony Creek Ravine fit into owning a home in the township, schedule a consultation and we'll get back to you quickly.
