Trail Updates at Bow in the Clouds Preserve

Turning a potential problem into opportunity.

Modern plumbing is a blessing: flush and the waste swooshes out of sight and mind! In urban areas, a network of underground sewage lines takes it to a water reclamation plant. One of those lines runs under SWMLC’s Bow in the Clouds Preserve, and it needs cleaning.

Bow in the Clouds Preserve  is a 60-acre public natural area in the heart of urban Kalamazoo that provides a peaceful oasis for people and wildlife. To access the sewer line that lies beneath it, city workers must bring a huge truck with a giant vacuum unit close to five concrete maintenance manholes. But the current trails are too steep and narrow, so something bigger must be constructed.

Turning a potential problem into an opportunity, we realized the wider, more gently sloped trail needed by the vac truck could also provide better accessibility to the community. SWMLC strongly believes that everyone should be able to enjoy nature’s benefits, and we know that Bow’s trails are too hilly and eroded for some folks to safely navigate.

So, working with OCBA Landscape Architects, and with generous support from donors John and Maureen Lewandowski and a grant from the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, we’ve created a thoughtful plan that balances community needs, the City of Kalamazoo’s legal requirements, and the lightest possible impact on nature.

Part of the current trail will be replaced by new ones that are six to ten feet wide, with moderate grades and crushed gravel surfaces. Portions of the wetland boardwalk and two bridges will be replaced with durable steel frame products. Next to the bridges will be steps to the stream that protect the banks, and the boardwalk will feature “bump outs” for easy passage or savoring nature moments.

The project began in November 2024 with removal of non-native or fast-growing tree and shrub species like Tree of Heaven, black locust, and box elders. The big, beautiful oaks and hickories are safe and will not be cut.

The project was on hold over the winter and early spring while we waited for the dirt to firm up again, which helps keep disturbed soil from going into the wetland and makes it easier for the trail builders to create the correct slopes and surfaces.

Now, in mid-April 2025, we have temporarily closed the preserve so that contractors can safely do their work. They will be compacting the new 10-foot wide trail so that it can support the weight of the sewage maintenance machines; cutting the path for the new 6-foot wide trail; creating grades that allow water to run off the trail without creating erosion or putting silt into the wetland; and laying down a crushed limestone surface (similar to what was used on the trails at our Armintrout-Milbocker Nature Preserve) that will be friendlier to a wider range of mobility devices.
The project began in November 2024 with removal of non-native or fast-growing tree and shrub species like Tree of Heaven, black locust, and box elders.
Pink ribbons mark the path of the future 10-foot wide trail.
Many of the current trails are steep and deeply eroded.
"Manholes" provide maintenance access to the sewer line for city utility workers.
The preserve's two bridges will be replaced with durable, steel-framed versions.
Portions of the boardwalk will be replaced over time.

We know things look ugly right now at Bow in the Clouds and understand that some folks may be upset. In the months ahead, we will sometimes have to close the preserve and apologize for the potential inconvenience, mess, and upset. We ask for your patience and trust as we turn necessary septic-sucking into long-lasting updates.

tap here to learn more about Bow in the Clouds Preserve

Watch our 2020 video that commemorates the community’s love and care for Bow in the Clouds Preserve in the 50 years since Kalamazoo’s very first earth Day in 1970.