There are plenty of places throughout Michigan to discover the magic of tapping the trees for some sap! Below is our Ultimate Guide of Maple Syrup Events Near Metro Detroit. Certainly, March is the perfect time to make some Paczki-inspired pancakes and top them off with some locally-made syrup!
Additionally, you can check out the Michigan Maple Weekend Southern Lower Michigan: March 15th and 16th, Northern Lower Michigan: March 22nd and 23rd, and Upper Michigan April 5th and 6th. Trees will be tapped and sap will be flowing! In fact, you can see how it’s harvested, and then made into the delicious syrup you enjoy. You may also catch a glimpse of maple candy, maple cream, and maple sugar being made. Meet the sugar makers who work their maple magic and support these local businesses by purchasing some of their special sweet treats to enjoy at home.
If you’re looking for some locally-made syrup, Blue Jay’s Outdoors in Oxford and Loncar Sugarbush in Milford produce some of the best! For a map of Michigan’s Sugarbush locations, click here.
Maple Syrup Sugaring Festivals In Macomb County
Maple Sugaring at Wolcott Mill Metropark
Date & Time: Saturdays and Sundays in March, from 11 am until 2 pm (excluding the last weekend in March)
Location: Wolcott Mill Metropark, 65775 Wolcott Road, Ray, MI 48096
Cost: $3 per child, $5 per adult, children under 2 free
Description: Experience the process of making maple syrup from start to finish. Learn how to identify and tap maple trees, collect sap, and witness the boiling process that produces pure maple syrup. This program includes a guided tour and sweet maple treats.
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Maple Syrup Festival at Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center
Date & Time: March 2025 (Specific dates and times to be announced)
Location: Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center, 4101 River Bends Drive, Shelby Township, MI 48317
Cost: Free admission
Description: Join us for our annual Maple Syrup Festival! Discover the history and process of maple sugaring through demonstrations and hands-on activities. Enjoy family-friendly entertainment, crafts, and, of course, delicious maple syrup tastings.
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Oakland County Maple Syrup Events
Maple Sugaring at Kensington Metropark
Date & Time: Select Saturdays and Sundays in February and March
Multiple timeslots available, 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Tours begin every half hour)
Location: Kensington Metropark, Farm Center, 4570 Huron River Pkwy, Milford
Cost: $3 per child, $5 per adult, children under 2 free
Description: Take a guided walk through the Sugar Bush to learn about maple tree selection, tapping, and sap collection. Visit French and Native American camps to explore the evolution of sugaring techniques, then stop by the Sugar Shack to see and smell sap being boiled into pure maple sugar. Maple sugar products will be available for purchase at the Farm Center Office.
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Pancakes To Go at Kensington Metropark
Dates & Times: February 15, 16, 22, 23
March 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16
10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Kensington Metropark, Farm Center, Farm Grille 4570 Huron River Pkwy, Milford
Cost: $5 per child, $8 per adult
Description: Celebrate Maple Sugar season with a delicious Pancake Breakfast at Kensington Metropark’s Farm Center! Enjoy this ready-to-eat meal as part of the maple sugaring programs or simply stop by for breakfast. Meals include pancakes, sausage links, and a drink of your choice, with the option to enjoy a picnic in the park or use limited indoor seating at the Farm Grille.
🔹 Child’s Breakfast ($5): 2 pancakes, 2 sausage links, 1 drink
🔹 Adult Breakfast ($8): 3 pancakes, 2 sausage links, 1 drink
Pre-order required. Choose your preferred pick-up time when ordering.
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Maple Sugaring in Your Backyard
Dates & Time: March 2 & March 16, 2025 (Multiple timeslots available: 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m.)
Location: Heritage Park, 24915 Farmington Road, Farmington Hills
Cost: $7 per person (Children under 2 are free)
Description: Celebrate spring and learn the basics of making maple syrup from your own backyard! This hands-on experience will teach you how to identify and tap maple trees, collect sap, and boil it down to syrup over a cozy campfire. End the session with a pure maple syrup treat! Participants will have the exclusive opportunity to purchase Michigan maple syrup products and sugaring supplies.
Dress for the weather and register early—this program fills quickly!
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Making Maple Syrup: A Backyard Guide for Beginners
Date & Time: Saturday, March 1, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. & 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Location: Bloomer Park, 345 John R Road, Rochester, MI 48307
Cost: Varies (pre-registration required)
Description: Travel through various stations in Bloomer Park with Outdoor Engagement staff to learn the first steps of making your own maple syrup. From identifying different maple tree species to tapping trees and setting up a sap boiling system, this hands-on experience will equip you with the knowledge to produce your own syrup at home. Participants also have the option to purchase a starter kit with a spile, tubing, bucket, and filter for tree tapping.
This program runs rain or shine, so dress accordingly and be prepared for a walk through the woods. Recommended for ages 12+. Children 12-15 must purchase a ticket and be accompanied by a paid adult. Participants will meet at the Hilltop Shelter, and program content starts promptly, with groups venturing out into the park. As a courtesy to wildlife and other participants, pets are not allowed. Additional details and maps will be sent via email before the event.
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Sap-To-Syrup Pancake Breakfast
Date & Time: Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 9:00 AM
Location: Bloomer Park, Rochester Hills, MI
Cost: $7.00
Description: Join us for a delightful morning at Bloomer Park to experience the journey from sap to syrup. Enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast complete with sausage, juice, and coffee, all served with real maple syrup. This family-friendly event offers a tasty way to learn about the maple syrup-making process. Pre-registration is required, and all ages are welcome.
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Maple Tapping and Pancake Feast at MSU Tollgate Farm
Date & Time: March 8–9, 2025, with hourly timeslots from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Location: MSU Tollgate Farm and Education Center, 28115 Meadowbrook Road, Novi, MI 48377
Cost: $18 per person (ages 2 and under free); $20 at the door
Description: Visitors can experience the magic of maple syrup season at MSU Tollgate Farm. This hands-on program teaches the process of transforming sap into syrup, from identifying and tapping maple trees to exploring a working sugar shack. Guests can enjoy a wagon ride, sample fresh sap and syrup, and take part in maple-themed activities. The event also features an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast with sausage and pure maple syrup in a historic barn. Additional farm activities, a greenhouse gift shop, and an animal barn add to the fun. Outdoor attire is recommended.
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Maple Magic at Wint Nature Center
Date & Time: Saturday, February 22, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location: Wint Nature Center, 9501 Sashabaw Road, Clarkston, MI
Cost: $5 per person
Description: Learn the science and history behind maple sap, syrup, and sugar, and why they are so important to this region. Tap a log with a brace and bit, and sample a sweet treat while discovering sugaring techniques through the ages. Suitable for all ages.
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Maple’s Sweet Story at Red Oaks Nature Center
Date & Time: Saturday, March 1, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Red Oaks Nature Center, 30300 Hales Street, Madison Heights, MI
Cost: $5 per person
Description: Learn about the sugaring process, tap a tree in the sugar bush, and hike the storybook trail to read a maple story. Sample some maple treats and take home maple recipes. Suitable for all ages.
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Sap to Syrup at Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve
Date & Time: Saturday, March 1, 2025, with sessions at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m.
Location: Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve, 333 North Hill Circle, Rochester, MI 48307
Cost: $6 per person ($4 for members); $15 per family ($12 for member families)
Description: Join us for a maple syrup boil over the campfire. We’ll walk along the trail identifying different types of maple trees, taste sap straight from the trees, and discuss the process of making sap into syrup, candy, and sugar. Enjoy a taste of some maple products.
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Maple Sugaring at Johnson Nature Center
Dates & Time: March 2, 8, and 15, 2025; self-guided tours starting every half hour from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Johnson Nature Center, 3325 Franklin Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Cost: $12 per person (ages 2 and older); children under 2 are free
Description: Experience the maple sugaring process firsthand at Johnson Nature Center’s “Sap Happy” event. Participants will learn to identify and tap sugar maple trees, explore the history of sugaring, and tour the Sugar Shack and Log Cabin to observe syrup production. Activities include tree identification, tapping demonstrations, and more, guided by staff and volunteers. Pre-registration is required, with timed entries every half hour. Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.
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Maple Syrup Time at Stage Nature Center
Dates & Time: Saturdays, March 2, 9, and 16, 2025; tours starting every 15 minutes between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Location: Stage Nature Center, 6685 Coolidge Highway, Troy, MI 48098
Cost: Teens & Adults: $10; Children ages 4-12: $7; TNS & THS Members: $7; Children under 4: Free
Description: Join Stage Nature Center for an interactive hike through their sugar bush to discover how maple trees produce sap and how it’s harvested to make syrup. The program includes insights into the natural and local history of maple sugaring, demonstrations of historical and modern syrup processing, and a visit to the Sugar Shed to see a wood-stoked evaporator in action. Participants can sample maple syrup and cream, take home a children’s craft, and purchase Michigan-made maple products from the Troy Historic Village. Tours last approximately 1.25 hours. Pre-registration is required, with specific time slots available for selection.
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Maple Syrup Events in Wayne County
Maple Sugaring Programs at Oakwoods Metropark Nature Center
Date & Time: March 2025 (Various dates and times)
Location: Oakwoods Metropark Nature Center 28700 Oakwood, Flat Rock
Cost: Varies by program
Description: Celebrate Maple Sugaring Month with the Huron-Clinton Metroparks! Throughout March, various Metroparks will offer programs that take you into the sugar bush to learn the history and process of making maple syrup. Activities may include tree tapping, sap collection, and syrup production demonstrations.
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Maple Syrup Tours at Maybury Farm
Dates & Time: Saturdays and Sundays, March 8–30, 2025; tours depart at 12:30 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.
Location: Maybury Farm, 50165 Eight Mile Road, Northville, MI 48167
Cost: $14 per person ($12 if booked online at least 48 hours in advance); $8 for members; children under 2 free (must sit on a lap during the wagon ride)
Description: Experience the maple syrup-making process at Maybury Farm. The tour begins with a wagon ride to the sugar bush, where participants learn about maple tree tapping and sap collection. Visitors then proceed to the Sugar Shack to observe the transformation of sap into syrup and enjoy a sample of the final product. After the tour, guests can warm up in the General Store, where hot drinks, snacks, and Michigan-made maple syrup are available for purchase. Dressing appropriately for the weather is recommended, as many activities are outdoors.
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Maple Tree Tapping at the Environmental Interpretive Center
Date & Time: Saturday, February 15, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Environmental Interpretive Center, University of Michigan-Dearborn, 4901 Evergreen Rd, Dearborn, MI 48128
Cost: Free
Description: Join the Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn for their annual maple tree tapping event. Participants will venture into the sugarbush to continue the tradition of maple sugaring, learning how to tap maple trees and collect sap. This family-friendly event is open to everyone. Dress appropriately for outdoor activities. For more information, contact Mike Solomon at 734-395-3396
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How is Maple Syrup Made?
Find The Right Tree
The best maple trees are often marked in the fall, which makes them easy to spot when it’s time to collect the sap in winter, when the trees have no leaves. Know your maple trees and where they are. Have the necessary equipment prepped and ready to go. Weather must warm to above freezing temperatures for sap to flow. A very rapid rise in temperature (from 25°F to 45°F) will enhance sap flow considerably.
While temperatures remain above freezing, sap will flow at a steadily declining rate for approximately 8 to 15 hours. When it refreezes at night and thaws again the next day, the sap flow will resume at the peak rate and slowly diminish to nearly no flow by the end of the 8 to 15 hour period. Intermittent flow periods will continue for as long as the freeze/thaw cycle lasts.
Tap The Tree
Maple trees are tapped using tools such as a spile or spout. These are placed on the south side of the tree to maximize the tree’s potential sap yield. Sap is collected daily as conditions permit.
Collect The Sap
Collection containers are hung from spiles to gather up all the dripping sap. Because the sap that falls into these containers is 98% water and 2% sugar, 40 gallons of sap only makes one gallon of syrup, so the key is to collect as much sap as possible. Once the weather stays above freezing and trees begin to bud, the sap flow changes composition and is no longer usable. This signals the end of maple production for the season
Boil It Down
Now that the sap has been harvested, the process of transforming the sap into syrup can begin. Water must be removed until the desired concentration of sugar remains. The sap is cooked over a stovetop or fire where the water from the sap is boiled out, leaving behind the sweet sticky sugary syrup we know and love.
Store It Safely
After that, maple syrup is packaged while it’s still hot, then stored at room temperature in a cool, dark space. This ensures the syrup will last for as long as possible.
Eat It Up
Enjoy maple syrup on any number of breakfast foods, like pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Maple syrup may be used as is, of course, or it may be converted into other highly desirable products. Maple sugar, maple candy and maple fudge are just a few of the many other maple products. Basically, these are made by concentrating finished syrup to a greater density and stirring the highly concentrated syrup. Recipes for a variety of maple products may be obtained by contacting the local county Extension office or by writing to the Department of Forestry at Michigan State University.