Topinabee Lake Preserve

Bertrand Township • Berrien County • 71 acres

With a shallow lake covering its 71 acres and a viewing platform extending into the water, Topinabee Lake Preserve is a birding hotspot.

71 acres
Bertrand Township
Berrien County

With a shallow lake covering its 71 acres and a viewing platform extending into the water, Topinabee Lake Preserve is a birding hotspot.

Quick facts

Click to quickly jump to . . .

• Maps
• Getting there
• Natural features & conservation
• Preserve history
• Photo gallery

Parking

Roadside pull off (east side of road)

Trails

Length: 0.05 mile

A short walk takes one to a viewing platform that’s popular with birdwatchers and overlooks a shallow lake. There are no other trails at this preserve that is primarily meant to provide prime habitat for waterfowl.

Dogs

Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times. Dog waste must be packed out. Click to learn more.

Restrooms

None

Recreation

Wildlife viewing

Maps

The only “trail” at Topinabee Lake Preserve is the short walk from the roadside to the observation deck, so hiking maps are not available (or necessary). The map below shows the preserve’s boundaries and location of the deck.

Click here for interactive maps for other SWMLC preserves.

Need help? Visit the Avenza Maps Support Page.

Prefer to have a paper map?

Click on the map image for a PDF that you can print or leave open on your phone while you hike.

Getting there

For GPS purposes, the address is approximately:
1400 block of Portage Rd., Niles, MI 49120

Topinabee Lake Preserve is located just southwest of Niles. From US-12 (Pulaski Highway), turn north onto Portage Road. The preserve is just ahead; park along the east edge of the road when you see the preserve sign.

Natural features

Most of Topinabee Lake Preserve is made up of a shallow lake with a border of willows, swamp rose and small trees.

This wetland is a popular migration spot for many different species of birds, especially waterfowl. Nearly 20 different types of ducks have been identified on the preserve.

Birds that are rare in southwest Michigan such as American bittern, common moorhen, and great egret are occasionally found hunting the wetlands for food – while a variety of warblers, orioles, and tanagers explore the brushy edges for insects. In 2015, a whooping crane was spotted by birders at Topinabee Lake Preserve – a rare sighting indeed!

Nature has our backs.
Let’s return the favor.

Our public preserves remain free and open from dawn to dusk – and your support helps keep them that way!

please donate

History

Topinabee Lake Preserve is SWMLC’s first publicly accessible preserve. Donated by C. Simmons and Eva H. Messinger Revocable Trust (December 1995) and Duane E. and Anna D. (Dolly) Masten Revocable Trust (March 1996).