Plan Your Visit
Our location
1715 Hillburn Ave NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Admission fee
Non-members: $3 per person
Members: FREE
Our hours
Visitor Center: Open Monday-Saturday from 9am-5pm
Trails: Open daily from dawn to dusk
Accessibility Information
Blandford’s ADA accessible walking path connects the parking lot at The Highlands with the Visitor Center parking lot at Blandford Nature Center! The trail is 10 feet wide and paved with asphalt, covering a distance of about 1 mile.
We have Accessibility Equipment that can be checked out on a first-come, first-served basis for free. The following items are included:
- 2 walkers
- 1 electric mobility scooter
- 1 adult wheelchair
- 1 children’s all-terrain wheelchair (GRIT)
- Purchased thanks to a generous grant from Mary Free Bed Guild!
The process to check an item out is as follows:
- Blandford staff will explain some basic elements of the equipment and provide a “Quick Start Guide” to the borrower.
- Borrowers must give a set of keys to staff to hold for the duration of equipment use. The keys will be placed in an envelope with the borrower’s name and held in the safe.
- As the borrower, you must review and sign the Release Agreement prior to leaving the Visitor Center. Please note that if the person using the equipment is under the age of 18 or not their own guardian, the signature of either a parent or legal guardian over the age of 18 is required.
Virtual Map
This interactive and mobile-friendly map allows you to learn about our property in a fun and green way. With this new way of exploring our trails, there are no downloads or signups required, and having a digital map will help conserve natural resources by reducing the waste from printing paper maps. One of our favorite features is the “blue dot” GPS capability that can be turned on when using the map on your mobile phone, so you can roam all 264 acres knowing exactly where you are.
We also have videos, photos, and more information highlighting some of our favorite points of interest including our Wildlife Trail, Children’s Garden, and The Highlands so you can learn about these popular spots. Our informational videos will change quarterly and will include closed captions in English and Spanish – this means you’ll have opportunities to learn about different topics here at Blandford during every season!
If you would like to share your feedback about our virtual map, please fill out this brief survey. We’d like to send a big thank you to the experts at Cynthia Kay & Company for their help putting this resource together!
Upcoming events
Community CalendarCancelled: Guided Shinrin-yoku: Relax & Reconnect in Nature Series
1715 Hillburn Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI
SOLD OUT | Blacksmith 101
1715 Hillburn Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI
Blandford Farm
The Blandford Farm is a short walk west of the Visitor Center. We raise healthy farm animals and grow local, sustainable produce. With 2.5 acres of land, our farm has been growing over 200 different varieties of vegetables and educating families on local agriculture through farm-related programming since 2010.
Land Conservancy of West Michigan and The Highlands
Blandford Nature Center and the Land Conservancy of West Michigan collaborated on the purchase of the 121-acre former Highlands Golf Club in Grand Rapids in the winter of 2017 with a vision to transform the property into a natural area for community recreation, nature preservation, and land conservation.
Learning Lab
In 1986, the former General Store is modeled after old-fashioned general stores of the 19th & 20th centuries and was built with the help of staff and volunteers. In 2012, it was renamed the Learning Lab after being converted to classroom space to accommodate the growing need for educational programming.
Trail Maps
Blandford is a place where people of all ages can discover nature. See all that Blandford has to offer with this digital map of our trails, buildings and more.
