The Matthaei Botanical Gardens Trail

A much-anticipated hiking and biking trail connecting Matthaei with points beyond is within sprinting distance. With some critical dollars in place and local governments on board, private donations will close the funding gap. 

Read about the trail below or follow this link to go directly to the trail donation page.

Talk of a trail connecting Matthaei Botanical Gardens with Parker Mill Park and the Washtenaw County Border to Border Trail system has been brewing for years. Until recently, however, it was just that—talk. Now we’re within sprinting distance of a trail that will engage users with nature on their way to and from Matthaei, clearing the path for the Gardens to connect to Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and beyond in a truly groundbreaking way.

The proposed Matthaei Botanical Gardens trail 

in green showing its connection to Parker Mill Park 

and the Border to Border Trail.

The finished  path will wend its way through a green quilt off Dixboro, inviting walkers and bicyclists to enjoy otherwise inaccessible ecosystems. From the trail, travelers will see quiet forests, rolling hills, and wildlife such as butterflies and birds. The trail also aligns with one of our priorities: creating nonmotorized transportation connecting U-M’s central and north campuses to Matthaei.

Help Us Close the Funding Gap
We are close, very close, to making the dream of a hiking and biking trail connecting Matthaei with points in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and beyond a reality. Now we’re reaching out to Matthaei-Nichols members and the community, businesses, and corporations to bridge the gap between the funding in place and the amount needed to go ahead with trail construction.

We hope you’ll join us in raising the $400,000 needed to make this trail a reality. 

Click here to make a contribution.