Overview
A bur oak grove lies west of the lake. Within the woodlands, a variety of trees including shagbark hickory, aspen, black walnut, basswood, black cherry trees, and red, white, and bur oaks. The strong branches on these trees provide favorable nesting places for larger birds such as red-tailed hawks and great horned owls, while the hollows and holes in the trees provide habitat for smaller wildlife like woodpeckers, screech owls and flying squirrels. Coyote, deer, raccoons, groundhogs, grey squirrels and opossums also live here and their tracks can often be seen along the banks of the pond and creek.
Rush Creek offers 2.5 miles of looped nature trails. A short interpretive loop meanders through 1.5 miles of woodland and wetland. A self-guided interpretive trail guide can be found at the visitor sign. The numbered posts on the trail correspond to the “natural narratives” found in the guide. A longer hiking loop travels further into the woodlands then rejoins with the shorter loop for a 2.75 mile trek. Wildlife is active in the woods and visitors are sure to catch a glimpse of numerous birds, as well as frogs and turtles enjoying the seclusion of the ephemeral ponds.