Winter sunset in the Ervin-Stucki Preserve

Sun setting over the Raisin River in the Ervin-Stucki Preserve in Bridgewater Township on Sunday Jan. 15, 2017.

In addition to our county park, Sharon Mills, the Manchester area boasts seven county preserves. Next to the Leonard Preserve, which borders the Village, the closest county preserve to the village is the Ervin-Stucki Preserve in Bridgewater Township.

The 126-acre Ervin-Stucki Preserve, which was established in 2003, includes over 1.2 miles of River Raisin shoreline. Currently the Ervin-Stucki Preserve has 0.33 miles of trails. From the parking lot, a long boardwalk takes you over a frozen cattail marsh, then you follow a mowed path hugging a fence which divides the preserve from a neighboring farm to a second boardwalk which guides you to a lovely overlook of the river. From the overlook, you can continue exploring the preserve downriver. View a map of the preserve here.

Directions to the Ervin-Stucki Preserve from the village: head east, out of the village on Austin Road, then turn right onto Clinton Road. The preserve access point is on the west side of Clinton, approximately 0.6 miles south of Austin, directly opposite Burmeister Road.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.