| OUR MISSION: To protect, restore, and promote a natural, environmentally healthy, and culturally vibrant Rouge Park that engages the community for the benefit and enjoyment of all.
PROTECT. RESTORE. PROMOTE. |
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Upcoming Events: 5th Annual Rouge Park Winterfest, Feb. 7, 12-4pm, Sledding Hill Animal Tracks & Scat Id, Feb. 21, 10am, Scout Hollow Trailhead Monthly Meetup, Feb. 22, 12pm, Stonebridge Nature Trailhead Annual Membership Meeting, Mar. 17, 6-8pm, Brennan Poolhouse Winter Workdays: Mar. 14, 21, 28, Stonebridge Nature Trailhead
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Join Friends of Rouge Park and our partner organizations: SOS Outreach, Detroit Outdoors and We Fixin to Fish and more to participate in some WINTER FUN!
Bundle up and be ready to move! Meet at the Rouge Park Sledding Hill (map). Register here
If you are able to volunteer to support setup/teardown, registration table, or lead an activity, please email [email protected]. |
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Register here
This event is still on with a NEW DATE due to the extreme polar vortex in January.
Calling all animal-enthusiasts! Lets uncover the mysteries of wildlife activity by looking for animal tracks and scat by the river in Rouge Park! No experience necessary! All levels of knowledge and all ages are welcome! Meet at the Scout Hollow Trailhead (map). |
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Register here
It’s likely that the Detroit Sugarbush Project will start tapping the Sugar Maples in Rouge Park around this time. So for this month’s meetup, we’ll be spending some time in the Rouge Park Sugarbush! Come see the process of tapping sugar maple trees and stay for a bonfire! The Sugarbush entrance is technically on Outer Drive but as that is not clearly marked yet, enter from the Stonebridge Nature Trailhead and follow the signs! More details including accessibility is available on our eventbrite. (map). |
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Register here!
Friends of Rouge Park's Annual Membership Meeting is set for Tuesday March 17 at 6pm at the historic Brennan Poolhouse in the park. We’ll be sharing food and fellowship as we provide updates, and recognize Best Friend and Best Partner awardees. This is also the time of year we elect our board of directors. We are always looking for people willing to serve on the board that guides the organization. If you are interested, check out the Board Job Description and fill out the Online Application. |
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Nature Benefits from Real Winters |
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In places like Rouge Park, snow and sustained cold insulate soils, protect native plant roots, and set the stage for healthy spring growth while helping seeds and ecosystems reset. Cold winters also slow invasive insects, reduce tick populations, and support balanced wildlife interactions. As climate change brings warmer, less predictable winters, the benefits of snow and cold isn’t nostalgia—it’s essential to the resilience of forests, prairies, and the Rouge River itself. Check out more on our stewardship blog! |
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Group Winter Hike Was a Blast! January Monthly Meet Up |
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Shoutout to everyone who braved the cold and showed up to the first Discover Rouge Park Monthly Meetup! We hiked the Ma’iingan Wildwood Trail, saw a lot of animal tracks, sipped on spicy chai and didn’t get lost because the trail is so well marked! We love to share the winter wonderland vibes with y’all! |
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Park Updates from the City |
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Mark your calendar for the first public engagement meeting for the Rouge Park Master Plan for Thursday March 5 at 6 pm at Brennan Poolhouse. |
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A Warm Farewell to Detroit Chief Parks Planner |
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We are sad to report that Chief Parks Planner Theresa McArleton has left the City of Detroit for the neighboring community of Dearborn Heights. Theresa led the team through an intense period of planning for parks including the first Master Plans for individual parks including Rouge Park. Thank you, Theresa, and we hope to continue to work with you as you will be right next door.
Deputy Chief Parks Planner Juliana Fulton will step in as they find a replacement for Theresa and lead the Master Planning process for Rouge Park. |
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Help MDARD add Invasive Plants to Statewide List |
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The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is inviting Michigan stakeholders to provide comments on the proposed addition of six invasive plant species to the list of regulated plants in Michigan. These are plants that could harm Michigan’s environmental, economic, and/or human health. If added to the list, it will be illegal to introduce, import, transplant, sell, or intentionally possess them in Michigan.
Proposed species: Common buckthorn Glossy buckthorn Callery pear Japanese barberry Water hyacinth Water lettuce
Common buckthorn is a huge problem in Rouge Park, as our stewardship volunteers know, degrading our precious forests with a monoculture. They also ask about cultivars which can be engineered to be infertile but often become fertile over time so making exceptions for cultivars can lead to the same problem.
If you want buckthorn and others added, please fill out this online survey by 11:59 pm EST on Monday, February 9, 2026. For more information about invasive plants, visit https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/id-report/plants. |
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Click here to see the Edison Branch's February events. Edison Branch is now open on Saturdays but closed on Fridays. Hours: Mon. & Wed. 12-8pm, Tues., Thurs., & Sat. 10am-6pm
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We would LOVE your help in supporting the future of Rouge Park! |
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