Next Hike
Sunday, September 7, 2025 @ 2:00 PM EDT
Theme: Riparian Zones
Paw Paw River County Park
Watervliet, MI 49098
Harbor Country Hikers (HCH) will be hiking Berrien County’s Paw Paw River County Park for our next adventure. The trail is accessed by bridge and makes its way around the outer perimeter of a 10 acre island, so water views and fishing spots are abundant. Hiking a Riparian Zone is a good time to learn about their importance as a habitat from Hike Leader and HCH President Pat Fisher. This park was designed to be accessible to people of all abilities so don’t miss out on this awesome but reasonably short hike.
Paw Paw River County Park is approx. 14 acres of wilderness and peaceful tranquility near downtown Watervliet, MI. The Park is designed for people of all abilities and encourages the public to experience a natural river area in a beautiful Southwest Michigan setting.
HCH has an All-Terrain Rollator which may be reserved for use on our hikes. Reservations are made on a first-come first-served basis by filling out the brief form at Request Rollator.
Wear long pants (preferably tucked-in), hat, sturdy shoes or boots, preferred pest controls, and bring plenty of water. Light precipitation and hot or cold weather don’t ordinarily lead us to call off hikes, but health-threatening temperature extremes and lightning can be causes for cancellation. In case of inclement weather, the day of the hike, check our website, harborcountryhikers.org, or our Facebook page for notice of cancellation or rescheduling.
Theme: Riparian Zones
Venue: Paw Paw River County Park
When: Sunday, September 7, 2025 @ 2 PM EDT
Estimated Presentation Time: 10 minutes
Hike Leader: Pat Fisher, President HCH
Estimated Time: ~ 1.5 hours
Hiking Distance: ~ 1 mile.
Physical Difficulty: Easy
Location: 650 N Main St, Watervliet, MI 49098
Directions: From I-94, Exit 41, head north on South M-140 (N Main St) for about 1 mile, watch for the Paw Paw River County Park on your right. Follow the short lane to the circular parking lot. We'll gather near the bridge.
Parking GPS: 42.191840, -86.257661 (DD)— Google Map provided below.
About Dogs
The Hikers welcomes dogs, as long as they’re well-behaved and on leashes. Some of the venues we hike, however, may not welcome the pooch. Generally, Chikaming Open Lands properties allow dogs. So do Berrien County parks. State parks allow dogs, but the New Buffalo Nature Study Trails do not. Fernwood only allows dogs on special occasions. If you’re uncertain, contact the venue for more information. Of course, you’re responsible for picking up after your dog.
Flash Hikes
Flash Hikes are periodically scheduled a few days in advance, and the only notification is via email to our mailing list. There’s no official hike leader for Flash Hikes, nor is there a theme–just friendly hikers out for a walk in the woods. Flash Hikes are usually scheduled for an evening during the summer and for a weekend day in the winter.
