Visitor’s guide and images for River Bends Park. A 600-acre park in Shelby Township, divided by the Clinton River. Host to a disc golf course, several play structures, Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, trails, and more.
Whether you are looking for a place to run, walk or ride your bike, have a picnic, or just reconnect with nature, River Bends Park in Shelby Township has it. This gorgeous nature park at Ryan and Hamlin roads could take a few visits to fully explore. We have been there several times and still find cool new things, like the awesome disc golf course.
River Bends Park Amenities
The Clinton River runs through this 600-acre park. There are places to wade and kayak as well. River Bends provides its guests with restrooms, trash cans, and several play structures, mostly for kids 3-12. None of the play areas are fenced in, so if you have runners or wanderers, keep a close eye.
The park is also home to the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, which has events. There is also a shooting range (trap and archery) so you might hear shots. If you like to bike, run or walk, then you will enjoy the miles of paved and unpaved trails. And while we haven’t done them, thereare highly regarded mountain biking trails (single and double track) in the park.
On a recent sunny afternoon, we had fun walking along the trails and watching the disc golfers. We also checked out the playgrounds and picked up a few geocaches (the park has a few; however, some have not been maintained).
We saw families picnicking and relaxing; there are picnic shelters you can rent and volleyball and horseshoe pits as well.
We also saw a few people fishing and according to the park’s website that’s perfectly OK as long as you have a proper license. Sporting goods stores sell them, as does Meijer. If you want to spend a fun day reconnecting with nature you can do that here; you can also be pretty active. Like another park in Shelby Township, we recently visited (Mae Stecker) River Bends Park truly does have something for everyone.
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Other Parks in Shelby Township
- Barrier-Free Playground: located on 22 Mile road. The park offers several structures for children of all abilities.
- Chief Gene Shepherd Park: located on 23 mile Road. The park offers playgrounds as well as a splash pad. Additionally, there are several sports fields, sledding hill, trails, and picnic facilities.
- Ford Field Central Park: on 23 Mile. Offers Baseball diamonds, a soccer field, as well as a playground.
- Heritage Garden: located on Van Dyke Avenue. Offers fishing, a gazebo as well as a walking trail.
- Holland Ponds: on Ryan Road. This park hosts walking trails, fishing, and picnic facilities together with restrooms.
- Lombardo Park: on 22 Mile Road. Guests can enjoy the playground as well as walking trails and picnic facilities. Additionally, the park is home to baseball diamonds.
- Mae Stecker Park: 24 Mile Road. Features several sports courts together with a playground, walking trails, and picnic facilities.
- River Bends Park: on River Bends Drive. Some of this park’s amenities include the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, 18 hole disc golf course, walking trails, as well as a barrier-free playground. The site also offers fishing, picnic facilities, and several sports opportunities.
- Whispering Woods Kiwanis Park: located on 21 Mile Road. This park hosts several sports opportunities together with a playground, walking trail, and restroom.
- Woodall Neighborhood Park: located on River Bends Drive. This park hosts sports activities together with a skate park, sledding hill, playground, and walking trails.
Author: Korie Wilkins
Korie is a work at home mom to an energetic boy and a sweet todder girl. She loves big books, chocolate, writing, crochet and her Peloton. A recovering former journalist, Korie is also a wife, cook and allergy mama. Follow her on Twitter at @koriemw.
Korie is a work at home mom to an energetic boy and a sweet todder girl. She loves big books, chocolate, writing, crochet and her Peloton. A recovering former journalist, Korie is also a wife, cook and allergy mama. Follow her on Twitter at @koriemw.
