Black Creek Nature Sanctuary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black Creek Nature Sanctuary |
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 Black Creek Nature Sanctuary
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Upper Peninsula, Keweenaw County, Michigan USA |
| Nearest city | Calumet, Michigan |
| Area | 242 acres (98 ha) |
| Established | 1991 |
| Governing body | Michigan Nature Assoc. (non-profit) |
Black Creek Nature Sanctuary, often called Black Creek, is a special nature area in Keweenaw County, Michigan. It's about 242 acres (98 hectares) big. A group called the Michigan Nature Association takes care of it. This group is a non-profit, meaning they use money to help nature, not to make a profit. Black Creek is one of many beautiful places they protect in Keweenaw County.
This sanctuary has many different kinds of natural areas. You can find beaver ponds and sand dunes here. There are also tall white birch trees and mixed conifer trees. Conifers are trees like pines or spruces that usually stay green all year. You'll also see lowland hardwood trees. Hardwoods are trees that lose their leaves in the fall, like oak or maple. Plus, there's about 1,500 feet (457 meters) of shoreline along Lake Superior.
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How Black Creek Was Created
The Black Creek Nature Sanctuary was started in 1991. Local people began buying land to protect it. By 1992, they had bought about 241 acres (97.5 hectares). In 2006, more land along the Lake Superior shoreline was added. This made the sanctuary the size it is today, 242 acres (98 hectares).
Exploring the Sanctuary
You can visit the sanctuary by walking on a hiking trail. This trail is more than two miles (3 kilometers) long. As you walk, you'll see many different environments. The plants you might spot include blueberry bushes and trailing arbutus. You might also see beautiful wildflowers, like different kinds of orchids.
The trail leads you to a special place where two creeks meet. Hill Creek and Black Creek flow together here. They form a small lagoon before emptying into Lake Superior.
What is Stamp Sand?
As Hill Creek flows, it passes through several feet of old "stamp sand." This sand is a leftover from the 1860s. Back then, people mined copper in this area. They would crush, or "stamp," rocks to get the copper out. The leftover crushed rock is called stamp sand.
Finding the Entrance
To enter Black Creek Nature Sanctuary, look for a small footpath. It's located near the end of Sedar Road. Sedar Road is between the towns of Calumet and Allouez. The trail will guide you to the Lake Superior shoreline. You'll also see the beaver marshes, sand dunes, and conifer forests around the creeks.
