Black Creek Nature Sanctuary
Encyclopedia
Black Creek Nature Sanctuary, commonly referred to as Black Creek, is a 242 acres (97.9 ha) nature sanctuary located in Keweenaw County, Michigan
. It is maintained and preserved by the non-profit organization
Michigan Nature Association
, and is only one of many parks and sanctuaries maintained by the association in Keweenaw County. The Black Creek Nature Sanctuary provides varied landscapes, several beaver ponds, sand dunes fringed by giant white birch
, mixed conifers, lowland hardwoods, and 1500 feet (457.2 m) of Lake Superior shoreline.
Starting in 1991, local citizens began purchasing land for preservation, and by 1992, a total of 241 acres (97.5 ha) were acquired. In 2006, the land along the lake's shoreline was added for the present size of 242 acres (97.9 ha).
Access to the sanctuary is by a hiking trail of more than two miles (3 km) in length, and traverses a variety of environments. Vegetation includes blueberry
, trailing arbutus and wildflowers such as orchids. The trail ends at a lagoon formed by the convergence of Hill and Black creeks where they empty into Lake Superior
. Hill Creek flows through several feet of old stamp sand leftover from the copper
mining era in the 1860s. The rock bearing the copper was crushed, or "stamped" to remove the ore, hence the term "stamp sand".
A small footpath marks the entrance to Black Creek near the end of Sedar Road between Calumet and Allouez. The trail will take you to the 1300 feet of Lake Superior shoreline that MNA protects as well as the beaver marshes, dune habitat and conifers that surround the creeks in this 242 acre sanctuary.
See the lagoon where Black Creek and Hills Creek meet before entering Lake Superior. This area is especially rich in wildlife and scenic beauty.
Keweenaw County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,301 people, 998 households, and 604 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile . There were 2,327 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
. It is maintained and preserved by the non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
Michigan Nature Association
Michigan Nature Association
The Michigan Nature Association is an association in the U.S. state of Michigan which was established in 1952. It is a nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to protecting Michigan's exceptional natural habitats and extraordinary and endangered plants and animals...
, and is only one of many parks and sanctuaries maintained by the association in Keweenaw County. The Black Creek Nature Sanctuary provides varied landscapes, several beaver ponds, sand dunes fringed by giant white birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, mixed conifers, lowland hardwoods, and 1500 feet (457.2 m) of Lake Superior shoreline.
Starting in 1991, local citizens began purchasing land for preservation, and by 1992, a total of 241 acres (97.5 ha) were acquired. In 2006, the land along the lake's shoreline was added for the present size of 242 acres (97.9 ha).
Access to the sanctuary is by a hiking trail of more than two miles (3 km) in length, and traverses a variety of environments. Vegetation includes blueberry
Blueberry
Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...
, trailing arbutus and wildflowers such as orchids. The trail ends at a lagoon formed by the convergence of Hill and Black creeks where they empty into Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
. Hill Creek flows through several feet of old stamp sand leftover from the copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
mining era in the 1860s. The rock bearing the copper was crushed, or "stamped" to remove the ore, hence the term "stamp sand".
A small footpath marks the entrance to Black Creek near the end of Sedar Road between Calumet and Allouez. The trail will take you to the 1300 feet of Lake Superior shoreline that MNA protects as well as the beaver marshes, dune habitat and conifers that surround the creeks in this 242 acre sanctuary.
See the lagoon where Black Creek and Hills Creek meet before entering Lake Superior. This area is especially rich in wildlife and scenic beauty.