The 100 acre Bundy Hill Preserve protects the highest point in Isabella County and a surrounding buffer of hardwood forest. The preserve was purchased in 2016 from the family of Wakelin and Kathleen McNeel who had owned the property since the 1950s.
Approximately 1.67 miles of hiking trails were constructed 2018. From the trailhead, two trails lead to the summit of Bundy Hill where a U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey marker (dated 1932) is located. The summit of Bundy Hill is 1,270 feet above sea level, approximately 500 feet higher than the nearby city of Mt. Pleasant. The trail ascends a total of 170 feet from the trailhead to the summit.
Although the actual summit is surrounded by trees and provides no view of the surrounding landscape, an overlook on the connecting Ridge Trail offers a view of as far as fifteen miles to the northeast. During winter, other glimpses of the surrounding terrain can be seen through the barren canopy.
Bundy Hill is part of a larger glacial moraine. The preserve is dotted with large boulders known as glacial erratics. The largest known boulder on the site is a large, 40-foot circumference granite boulder located just north of the summit. This boulder has historically been a popular location for visitor photos.
The preserve is located on the south side of W. River Road in Isabella County’s Broomfield Township. The trailhead and a small parking lot are located approximately .2 mile west of the intersection of River Road and Wyman Road.
Bundy Hill is the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy’s most visited preserve with an estimated 9,000 annual visitors. The property is especially popular in the fall for viewing fall colors. This preserve is open to the public year round for activities such as hiking, birding, nature photography, and mushroom hunting. As on all of our preserves, bicycles and horseback riding are prohibited. Dogs are welcome but must be controlled on a leash at all times.
Bundy Hill Trail Map PDF (for printing)
New Bundy Hill Map