Broad-winged Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and both Bald and Golden Eagles

The Detroit River runs from Lake Saint Clair in the north to Lake Erie in the south, forming part of the border between Michigan in the United States and Ontario in Canada. During the autumn months, the lower Detroit River becomes a corridor for the passage of migratory birds and has gained international recognition for the annual volume of birds of prey. Hundreds of thousands of migrating hawks, eagles, falcons, and vultures are concentrated at this location where it is possible to systematically count them each year.

A standardized monitoring program, the Detroit River Hawk Watch, is conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (DRIWR), and its friends group, the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance (IWRA), at the Lake Erie Metropark in Gibraltar, MI. Visitors are welcome at the Boat Launch and witness spectacular flights of Broad-winged Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and both Bald and Golden Eagles!

Located just a short drive from the city, three miles of captivating shoreline await you here at Lake Erie Metropark. Enjoy 1,607 acres of exceptional views that you’ll only find on a Great Lake, along with plenty of opportunities for recreation. With trails for hiking, paved trails for biking, 18 holes of regulation golf, the “Great Wave” pool, cross-country skiing and some of the best birding in Southeast Michigan, you’ll find great ways to move, learn and enjoy nature all year long.  

Cherry Island Trail, 1.25 miles,  is the most accessible trail in the park. The trail can be accessed by the Marshlands Museum by a paved walkway from the overflow gravel parking lot at the Boat Launch. The mostly flat trail loop is partially paved, with most of the trail being aggregate with long sections of boardwalk. This trail is adjacent to the hawk watch site.

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike on the Cherry Island Trail.