whiting forest

Navigator48614

Sister park to DOW Gardens. Not as many people make it here which is too bad because it is a neat treat. But small crowds allow a more personal adventure. Several diverse woodlands and ponds. Nice hiking trails. An Observation Tower is available for a bird's eye view. Plenty of benches. A neat visitor's center where you start and end your trip. A great deal at $5 per day or an annual pass for $10 get's you in to both DOW Garden's and Whiting Forest.

tymetraveler222

Having never been to this park, I was very curious about it, since we have visited Midland parks for years, always being happy with our time spent in them. This was a quick 10 minutes from the mall area and I had my lunch with me. I ate my lunch in my car, as I didn't see any picnic tables at all here. I then went for a walk in the woods; there is a $5 entry fee to do so, but I was not charged-I only intended to spend about 20 minutes and for whatever reason, got in free. If I had paid $5, I would not have been real happy. A path thru the woods with lots of street noise, not that I expected any different. It was a beautiful early Fall day and it was enjoyable to be outside, in the woods. But there isn't much to see or experience here. And I would never pay $5 per person to visit, though as others have stated, the price also gets you into Dow Gardens, which is worth every penny. Large parking. I recommend the Rail Trail in town.

Lynne096

when you buy a ticket for Dow Gardens ($5.00) it also lets you into Whiting Forest that is a 5 minute drive - - well groomed trails and interesting things along the trails for kids, i.e. a tower to climb to look over the city

TheInternationalLine

This is a small section of woods with trails through it, and some small "forts" scattered around for kids to discover and play in. It's pretty close to a busy road, so you'll never really feel like you're in the wilderness, but the trails are well-maintained and there are some beautiful ponds and mature trees.As others have stated, the $5 entry fee is rediculous; however, if you're going to Dow Gardens anyway, Whiting Forest is probably worth a visit. In a city that's debatably starved for attractions and things to do, this is one more option.

Fiveball

My wife and i found ourselves away from home for some time and needed to burn part of our day so decided to come here. The admittance fee was 5$ per person which i was reluctant to pay. But we were bored so went inside. There's not much to describe here except to say its the woods. Paying 5$ to walk through some woods is not something that gets me excited as ive grown up around them. If i were an inner city person who sat in a cubicle for weeks on end this might be something you'd enjoy paying to walk through.-Pros-Pretty empty when we visited.Small 'wildlife'TreesInside of the city 5$ entry fee applies to Dow Gardens on the same day-Cons-You can hear the road no matter where you are. There is a fence and cemetary you can see on the far side.5$ entry fee is ridiculous.

preppygirl56

i have been to this facility many times for meetings and the location and view is perfect. i enjoy the large stone fireplace and the great ambiance of the view of the woods. this is a perfect place for a luncheon or a business meeting.

dew-s02

Whiting forest has a very large, open area for a dinner. The kitchen is very large but with no cooking facilities. There is a hugh freezer and refrig plus a great warming oven. They have the tables and chairs but you will need to bring in all the food, serving items, table cloths, etc.... The open area and windows overlooking the forest with the fireplace in the middle is a very nice area to decorate. We had a lovely rehersal dinner there for 35 people.

LeslieD942

The various varieties of trees, bushes, and flowers are clearly labeled. This was different than the Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids. It was more natural, less flowers and smaller sculptures, which surprisingly I liked.

KittyPurrMeow

It's a forest. What more can I say?!?!! Not that exciting. I grew up in the country and have explored many forests. Don't see why people should come here and pay for it

AFM33

Hosted a graduation party here and received rave reviews. Rates are extremely reasonable, includes all table & chairs (and setup) and space accomodated our large group easily. The building also has a large deck so you have that additional space. Lots to look at and do for all ages so no one feels they have to just sit around. Easy walking trails with many forts (and maps with information are provided), ponds, frogs. Working beehive display indoors, nice clean restrooms, a nearly full function catering kitchen (fridge, freezer, sinks, serving counter and prep area. Note - have a warming rack, but no ovens). Check the walls too - sections of walls are different wood types and are all marked so you can learn about that as well.When you visit (when not part of rental/party), admission gets you into Whiting Forest and neighboring Dow Gardens as well so you really should plan to do both to appreciate the cost.

ChrisKierkus

The Whiting Forest is a pleasant enough stroll ... but it's really nothing special. Despite the fences, restrictive hours and controlled access, it's really no more interesting than many nature areas that one can hike for free.

Ruatha24

My husband and I visited in late May and enjoyed wandering through the forest on a hot day. There are wooden structures you can find that kids can play in (including a "no boys only" fort!) and some ponds that really look like reflecting pools. Overall, it was scenic, quiet and didn't take a long time to see everything. Staff was helpful and admission was free with admission into the Dow Gardens.Overall: Good for stroll and to relax. If you need activity though, this isn't the place for you.

ccmkeri

This is a gem of a place where you will learn about a local woodland setting without every realizing it. Great for kids and families. The building is also available for special parties.

zuke

A great place to take kids for a romp in the woods and learn about nature. The meeting area is very nice for informal parties. They have a nice kitchen area but you can use local caterers. Very reasonable and also helpful. Really nice people to work with and very clean facilities.

Elaine5715

The building is beautiful, the trails are fabulous and the staff are wonderful