Amplify Your Experience by Visiting the Nature Megaphone
Nature Megaphone Art Estonia
Visiting the Nature’s Megaphone at the Agnes S. Andreae Preserve in Indian River, Michigan
Sometimes you surprisingly stumble across a relatively unknown Michigan hike and fall in love with the area. This hike has beautiful overlooks along the Pigeon River and a unique man-made structure, the Nature’s Megaphone, that helps facilitate a greater appreciate for nature!
We visited the Agnes S. Andreae Preserve in late September, when our family of 6 tagged along on my husband’s work trip to Indian River, MI. This small town is centrally located between Mackinaw City, Petoskey and Cheboygan, which makes it a great spot for easy day trips.
Getting There
The hike is a great stop off exit 310, while traveling on 1-75. If you’re headed to the Upper Peninsula or Mackinaw Island this is one of those lesser known hikes but definitely worth the trip. It’s an ideal spot to break up the long drive.
Where to Stay in Indian River
We stayed in an adorable A-frame cabin in Indian River, which allowed easy access to many local hikes. Check out the many options for VRBO’s in the area. If you’re looking to camp, Burt Lake State Park is nearby and has a beautiful beach and is a great location for boaters. Conveniently located next to Big Bears Adventure for day trips tubing and kayaking down the river.
“A cozy cabin provided the perfect opportunity to slow down, enjoy a campfire, complete a puzzle and create memories.”
Vrbo has tons of options for cabins and cottages in Indian River.
What To Expect on the Trails
One of our favorite hikes was at the Agnes S. Andreae Preserve attached to the Banwell Nature Preserve. I felt comfortable hiking alone with my 4 children on the trail system. We parked and began our hike at the Agnes S. Preserve which consists of 181 acres and combined with the Banwell Nature Preserve has 5 miles of trails. The trail system had unique elements, or as we refer to them as “rewards spots” along the 5 miles of trails.
We did the two mile loop to the megaphone and back which is a great distance for children and families. The trail took us past the Andreae cabin, over the Andreae Bridge, besides the Pigeon River, along wooded boardwalk trails, and scenic overlooks. There is some terrain changes and hills, but was manageable for even little toddler legs. The trails were well marked with visible signage.
The preserve is adjacent to the Boyd B. Banwell Nature Preserve, which has 400 acres. In 1983, the Nature Preserve and Andreae Cabin were named in honor of Agnes S. Andreae, who donated the cabin and acreage to the Little Traverse Conservancy.
We hit the jackpot for mushroom hunting. The rainy, wet weather was the ideal environment for mushrooms of various colors and sizes. We created this photo collage of all the differing fungi.
Nature’s Megaphone
The Megaphone is a perfect spot for a snack and water break. The Megaphone was created as part of the Art Estonia Project. My children enjoyed some silly shenanigans before heading back on the return loop.
The Nature Megaphone is designed to amplify sounds filtering into the opening. Crawl inside for a rest and to listen to the amplified noises found in nature.
Nearby Activities
Some other nearby spots we visited included:
Burt Lake State Park: Beautiful state park with wooded sites and a large beach on Burt Lake. Read about our experience visiting Burt Lake here.
Seven Springs Nature Preserve: The preserve has tons of trails and a rocky shoreline rock hounds will love.
National Shrine of the Cross in the Woods :Home of the 2nd largest crucifixes in the world
Ocqueoc Falls Scenic Site : Home of the largest waterfall in the Lower Peninsula. In warmer weather you can swim in the falls and enjoy the many trails.
Big Bear Adventures: Big Bear is known for its tubing and kayaking river trips. We had planned to tube at Big Bear Adventures, but the weather did not cooperate. They also have a high ropes course to try and an 18 hole putt putt golf course which we enjoyed during our stay.
Below you will find additional pictures and information on the places we mentioned above. Don’t forget to follow Discovering Anew for more camping reviews, hikes and Michigan day trips.
With only 18 summers with your children, make the most of Michigan summer vacation with this list of outdoor adventures from sliding down a waterfall, climbing up a lighthouse, crossing the Mackinac Bridge, finding a Petoskey Stone to going on a glass bottom boat tour at Picture Rocks. Add these unforgettable Michigan activities and destinations to your families bucket list. Your kids will treasure these epic spots which can be a fun Michigan day trip or a week vacation.