One of my favorite places in Detroit is Belle Isle. Every time someone out of State or even Country visits, I have to bring them there. I have seen the Isle throughout the seasons and made unforgettable memories year-round.

Belle Isle is managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (the Michigan DNR), which is why the Recreation Passport is required for entry. Before the state took over from the city of Detroit, the park was in a very desolate state. Since then, so many things have been changing for the better! Currently, the old Belle Isle Zoo is being demolished to make more space for wildlife and recreation, the bike path network is being expanded, and the fountain is being renovated.

During the winter, Belle Isle becomes a very calm park. I still recommend arriving early, as that is when there are the fewest people and the wildlife is more likely to be out. If you are early enough, you can head to the northern tip and enjoy a beautiful sunrise.

Scoping around Belle Isle

The fountain in the southwest of the island offers great opportunities to find rare gulls or visiting waterfowl—as long as the pond in front of the fountain is not frozen. Earlier this winter, I scoped Lesser Scaups, Ruddy Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, as well as plenty of Hooded Mergansers. There is usually a large flock of gulls on the west side of the pond. Sometimes, there are Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Bonaparte’s Gulls, or Iceland Gulls in the mix with the Herring and Ring-billed Gulls.

Another tip is to simply drive around the outer loop and look out for larger flocks of birds. You can often find big groups of Swans, Canada Geese, Redheads, and Canvasbacks on the river. Without a scope, it might be tough to identify the individual species. From the beach area, you can scope the buildings on the other side of the river and sometimes see Peregrine Falcons perched on the ledges.

Exploring the nature trails

In the northwestern part, Belle Isle offers several paved and unpaved hiking trails. One of them is the Ralph Wilson Gateway & Trail, a loop around a large wildflower meadow. In the winter, you can find foraging Snow Buntings and all sorts of raptors patrolling the area. When the river is frozen or partially frozen, it is definitely worth walking all the way to the tip to see the piled-up ice!

From the Belle Isle Athletic Shelter, you can enter the central trails, which consist of a more-or-less well-marked system of paths. The main trail is paved and follows the creek. This area is not just great for birds; you can find beavers, deer, and coyotes as well. At the end of the trail, the chances of seeing Bald Eagles are quite high, as they like to perch in the trees near the woodside shelters.

A Quick Bite and Local Beer at Atwater Brewery

After a morning out in the cold, it is time to warm up for a bit. When visiting Belle Isle, we tend to do one of two things afterward. One option is to visit Eastern Market, which offers locally sourced fruits and vegetables. In the winter, we lean more toward the second option: visiting one of the Detroit breweries.

In this case, it’s the Atwater Brewery, which is just a five-minute drive once you cross the bridge. Atwater is the largest Detroit-based brewery, and the Rivertown Detroit Tap House offers a wide variety of craft beers and American food.

I recommend their “BIG OL’ PRETZEL” (yes, I know, it is not really a pretzel from a German perspective!) as well as the loaded fries. As a beer to accompany my meal, the Pog’o’licious IPA is my go-to. If you would rather have something lighter, you should try their famous Dirty Blonde.

I appreciate you reading until here. If you liked this little guide, just leave a comment below and make sure to subscribe to my newsletter (I will not annoy you, I promise!). I am planning to expand this Belle Isle series to a year-round guide. So stay tuned!

Until then you can read my birding report for Pte. Mouillee SGA or maybe have a look in my recipe book! Planning to go to Lake St Clair Metropark? Find my guide here!