Kensington Metropark

Great place to bike whether you’re going on a leisurely ride on the trails or hitting it hard on the (steep) hills on Huron River Parkway/​Maple Beach Drive/​Highridge Drive. Also connects to Island Lake to make for a longer ride. Also easy to get in without getting a 35 dollar park pass (no one is present at the toll booth). Only downpoint is the potholes on Maple Beach drive and the inaccessibility of the two beaches and Maple Beach is never open to swim.

Kent Lake is the place to be in the summer. I like this park during every season. It’s the best spot to bring my dog, a lab mix, to run free. Don’t worry, I put him on a leash. It’s not as quiet as it used to be many years ago, but that is a sacrifice that comes with progress and change. It’s still a good park for hiking and biking. The trails are great. I like to run here and break a sweat and bring my dog to get some exercise. He needs the exercise as much as I do, maybe more. Since I live in a rental with no yard, this is the best spot to bring him.

Will always be my home away from home. I noticed today how much busier and «diverse» it is becoming here. The little local secret has now attracted way too many outsiders. Many were bothering the birds on the water with their chicks. Still lovely here though.

Even on a chilly January day, this place is lovely. Dog walkers, families with strollers, and runners and bikers — it’s always safe and great for scenery, walks and runs. The water makes it even more gorgeous. The paved hiking/​biking trail is fantastic and you can really get a workout and nature feeling without being anywhere near cars or noise. It’s the best.

Golf course review:
I have had the worst experiences with this golf course. I swore off going here over 2 years ago because they did such a horrible job of spacing and booking tee times. I was waiting over 30 minutes on each hole and when I called the clubhouse to ask for a ranger to try and speed things up they did nothing.
Against my better judgement I decided to try and book a tee time with them recently and the customer service I received was horrendous. I talked to two different people that were insanely rude. I ended up hanging up and deciding the golfing experience wasn’t worth it.
I hope this review at least impacts one person’s decision to golf here because this place doesn’t deserve business.

After some research I found out they are one of the Metroparks to use hunting for «deer population control».
Disappointed in them.
Never going back.
Spreading the word.
Preserve nature, don’t destroy it.
Until there’s a deer in every parking space, I don’t think you need «population control» in your park.
Tell that to the excited 3 year olds anxious to spot a mama deer and her babies.

there’s lots to do at this park.
we biked along the beautiful paved 8mile path that surrounds the lake. there are plenty of bathrooms (real bathrooms not port-​a-​potties!) and tons of parking. the park is so large it doesn’t feel congested. you can rent kayaks, paddleboats etc and go out on the lake or even go for a swim. unfortunately there is no bike rental but it’s hard to complain when you have just about everything else. there’s a small place to eat at the farm. the farm animals are fun to look at. we are looking forward to exploring the nature center and hiking paths next time.
in summary– great place to spend the day with family and friends!

This is a great park! There is a lot to do! Whenever I come here I always find my self having a great time. There disc golf course is awesome, I go there with my dog regularly! I love to go on walks as well with my dog and there scenery is very well kept up.
Only downfall, is there is a lot of geese poop in the lake, but I will say there water park is clean and family oriented.

Great day with my extended family. Kids rented paddle boards. We also went swimming at the beach and had lunch. I really enjoyed myself. the park is beutiful and very well maintained.

if i lived here, i’d be a regular. i only had a couple hours so i walked a few miles on the bike path and then hiked the deer run trail around the nature center. beautiful birding, the lake was serene, and bikers were courteous (listen for «on your left» as they pass). it’s mid-​may and there’s lots of new life around — goslings, a baby crane, and i even picked up a tiny painted turtle hatchling trying to cross the bike path! ample modern facilities, boats for rent — the other reviews have summed the place up well. i particularly enjoyed the boardwalk across the swamp near the nature center, and the way the cranes walked among the visitors. apparently you can feed the birds if they come to you; i met a girl who does this every weekend. pretty sweet. so – just come, spend a few hours, unwind, enjoy yourself. this place is a treasure.

Beautiful park! They have a little bit of everything… From horse back riding to fishing, you can do anything in this beautiful park.
I came for the Brain Tumor Walk in May, 2015 and therefore only got to experience some of the walking paths, but enjoyed my time. The grounds were well kept, there were plenty of restrooms, water fountains, and maps along the way.
They also have plenty of picnic areas and playground equipment that keeps everyone occupied.
I can’t wait to come back, again!

Nature center with indoor bathrooms and lots to look at. Farm display to explore (with live animals!). Grass maze. Tons of hiking, biking and walking paths. Water galore. Animals. Lots of parking. Many picnic areas with grills and tables (and some pavilions). Totally worth the price of admission.

This is another beautiful MI park. We enjoyed kayaking (paid by the hr) as well as a petting zoo, and a rented pavilion for a family reunion. They had so much to offer: beaches, splash pads, boat rental, bike trails, and sledding trails. Would DEFINITELY visit again!
Must pay per car for a day pass if not local, but totally worth it as you’ll spend all day here.

During the week in the summer the place is pretty empty, other than the golf course. Most users seem to be cyclists and it is a really nice 8.5 mile tour round the lake. But the lake is filling in with waterlillies, algae, and generally looks unpleasant. Facilities looking worn and aged. So it occurs to me maybe those are the reasons it’s not so visited and nice and quiet, which on the other hand makes it good for a visit. The noise from I 96 is annoying but you can find quiet spots.
No idea how busy it gets weekends, but of the two beaches, Maple Beach was only open fourth July weekend, per the sign.

This park is just awesome! There’s a lot to see and do here, and we just scratched the surface yesterday when we did the Walk 4 Hearing. The trails were nice, and the views of the lake were spectacular. It’s just a perfect place to bring your family for a relaxing escape. I’d really like to go back and check out the disc golf course.

Kensington Park is the definition of relaxation. This sprawling 4,500 acre metropark has everything you need to get out and enjoy nature. During the summertime, you can enjoy the warm waters of Kent Lake (itself 1,200 acres). You can fish, kayak/​canoe, or go for a swim (the water has been cleaned up dramatically over the years). There is also a large water park with slides and splash pads (additional charge to enter the water park).
There is a nice paved trail for walking/​biking that circles the lake. It is a hilly 8 miles with beautiful scenery the whole way around. They also have 7 miles hiking trails. There is a well maintained golf course, disc golf course, nature preserve/​bird watching, horse trails, baseball, basketball, and multiple play areas for the kids. The farm at Kensington is a family favorite. It is clean and well maintained with friendly staff, a café, and hay rides on the weekends. They have many animals for viewing/​petting and there always seem to be babies popping up.
During the colder months, Kensington has a great network of cross country skiing trails. Not sure if they allow ice skating on the lake though…
$ 30 will get you an annual pass to all 13 metroparks, which is a bargain. Get out and enjoy nature at Kensington!

This park has something for everyone. I use it primarily to walk or bike the 8 mile loop around the lake. They have several picnic areas, two beaches, things to rent (paddle boats, canoes, kayaks), fishing areas, nature center, disc golf, concessions… well, you get it right? There’s a lot to do!
I like the new addition of trial that starts at GM Road that gives an additional 3 miles of trail to walk or ride that runs into the loop. I always love watching the wildlife, especially the swans. At dusk I have spotted several deer on my rides.
I’m sure this place is busy during the weekends so I usually come out on my weekday mornings off. Very peaceful and not too crowded.

The park is very well maintained and nature is alive all around you no matter what the season is. I can’t imagine a better place to come and get away from the daily busyness of the city.
Activities such as sledding, cross country skiing, boating, canoeing, walking, running, swimming, fishing and there are trails everywhere to explore.

What a beautiful park! And it is huge! There were a lot of people out and about on this gorgeous summer day but it was still possible to find peaceful and serene places at Kensington.
We loved walking around the farm with our little one. Adorable goats, pigs, donkeys, bunnies, cows, chickens & horses. Nice barn with some interactive and educational displays.
Took a walk in the woods on the Aspen Trail … saw wild turkeys, deer and cranes. Nice trails. Definitely want to go back and hike some of the different loops!
Brought a picnic and found a great spot in the shade and by the water to enjoy our lunch while watching the geese and kayakers.
There is so much to do here. Totally worth the $ 5 day pass!

When I need a change from the busy city life that I live in, I come here! Can’t hear the busy honking traffic and planes flying above lining up on their flight route to land.
As you approach the park from Milford Rd you’ve just encountered at that moment what nature looks and feels like. On the right you’ll see Kent Lake filled with at least 100+ white swans sitting with some black swans and sandhill cranes. All those birds together make it sound like there’s an orchestra being performed naturally and but loudly.
We make our way to the farmhouse and the staff there are always friendly and willing to assist us when needed. Lots of the areas are locked up due to it being closed for the season hours, which changes often. So get there early to take advantage of all what they have to offer. Such as the hay wagon ride, feeding the animals for lunch, observing the chicken laying eggs and being shown how to make maple syrup from the forest. There is so much more that I can continue to write more but that would take for ever. (Stay tune for reviews to come). Just remember to bring some wild bird seeds for your bird and chipmunk trail walk, they eat it right out of your hand.
This is my first choice in the Southeast Michigan area to come to first. If your looking for fun, romance, picnic, skating, horseback riding, skiing, love, sledding, bike riding, etc… I can go on, but this place is the heavenly place you’ll find near you. Give it a try and let me know what you went looking for!