Top Ten Outdoor Events near Detroit throughout April 2025
- Dan Cooke
- Apr 2
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 4
April means spring, and spring means the return of prime time in Detroit's outdoors! As our trails, campgrounds, and waterways reopen for the masses, these "Top Ten Outdoor Events" will serve as your guide for navigating this month's super-bloom of recreation opportunities.
Congratulations! If you're reading this, then you've successfully survived March, the purgatory of outdoor recreation in the Detroit region. Not quite winter. Not quite spring. Just...March.
A turn of the calendar may not feel like much, but for the majority of outdoor enthusiasts in the Great Lakes, April 1st marks "Opening Day" for the great migration back to our trails. Hiking, trail running, backpacking, cycling, mountain biking, paddling, canoe camping...even hunting is back on the agenda for April. Yes, you should probably acquire some rain gear and waterproof boots. But our wild places will be fully-open for business again this month, which is absolutely worth celebrating.
In anticipation of the new world of outdoor opportunities opening up tomorrow, we sifted through the deluge of experiences to curate this list of the "Top Ten Outdoor Events near Detroit" for April. We can't wait to see you all again on the trails this spring!
1. Experience the Best of "April in the D" at the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center
Throughout April | Outdoor Adventure Center, Detroit, Michigan
This is NOT an April Fool's joke: spring has FINALLY arrived in the Detroit region, and there's no better way to experience the very best of "April in the D" than at the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center!
In honor of the OAC's 10th anniversary, the Detroit Riverfront staple is hosting a litany of outdoor recreation-related events this month. Here's a breakdown of our favorites:
April 4th: "Explore Archery" program that will give participants the opportunity to learn to safely handle a bow, learn proper stance and shoot several arrows.
April 10th: "Pheasant Day" exhibit and guided walk along Milliken State Park in search of "the unofficial city bird of Detroit."
April 12th: "Walleye Clinic" where participants will learn about selecting equipment, setting up poles, techniques for shore fishing, walleye fishing regulations, and time fishing along the Detroit River.
April 26th: "Trails Expo" featuring local experts in hiking, biking, paddling and more. Learn tips and tricks for hitting the trails, then test out your skills in hands-on workshops.
2. Seize the Day - and Night - at the Carpe Diem/Noctem Trail Race
April 5th | Proud Lake State Recreation Area | 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The ice has thawed. The trails are (eventually) drying. The birds, blooms, and beauty of spring in Michigan's state parks and recreation areas are starting to return to full strength. Now is the PERFECT time to run Proud Lake's famous trails that you've missed all winter long!
So perfect that you should run them twice...in the same day...as your first trail race of the season.
That's the hypothesis of the "Carpe Diem - Noctem" 10K and half-marathon trail race events, and we absolutely dig it. This dual time/multiple event extravaganza offers a variety of racing options for runners looking to burn up Proud Lake's loops for both their morning and evening runs. Plus, finishers will get to add one of the most unique medals that we've ever seen to their collection. Yeah, we're sold.
EXPLORE PROUD LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA WITH EXPEDITION DETROIT
3. Discover a Seasonal Wonder at Stony Creek
April 6th | Proud Lake State Recreation Area | 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Blink and they're gone. That's how we feel about the Detroit region's "Vernal Pools" - seasonal bodies of water that remain flooded for ~two months that provide a unique habitat for select non-fish species. These pools are found throughout our regional parks along the glacial Jackson Interlobate Range, including Stony Creek Metropark which is hosting a special "Vernal Pool Discovery" experience!
Head over to Stony Creek to explore the full wonder of springtime in the park's vernal pools. You will experience frogs calling, salamanders migrating, and "fairy shrimp" swimming. The experiences includes a guided 1-2 mile rustic hike to explore the sights and sounds of the vernal pools up close. Pre-registration is required by 4 p.m. one day before the program.
4. Run Out of this World at the Martian Invasion of Races
April 12th | Dearborn, Michigan | 7:15 a.m.
Once a year, Dearborn literally becomes the center of the universe: the destination for an intergalactic coalition of Earthlings and Martians. Each jumping to hyperspeed for cosmic journeys of 5K to full marathon-length expeditions. Regardless of whether you will be embarking on that all-important "one small step" for your fitness journey, or a "giant leap" towards conquering your distance running goals, the Martian Invasion of Races has an event for every outdoor - and outer space - enthusiast.
5. Fight Back Against Invasive Species at a DNR Volunteer Workday
April 12th | Bald Mountain State Recreation Area | 9:00 a.m.
Winter provides a double-edged sword when it comes to the beautification of our favorite outdoor spaces. On one hand, the clean slate of a fresh blanket of snow provides postcard-worthy images of untainted beauty. On the other hand, that deep powder covers a vast ecosystem of invasive plant species, which wait patiently until spring's revival to renew their assault on our wild spaces.
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we're entering the latter of those two circumstances now.
Fortunately for all outdoor enthusiasts, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has organized an official "Volunteer Stewardship Workday" to remove garlic mustard that threatens to take over Bald Mountain State Recreation Area's valuable woodland. Long-sleeve shirts, long pants and closed-toed shoes are recommended. Register by emailing Emily Leslie at LeslieE1@Michigan.gov.
6. Get in the Woods for Opening Day of Turkey Season
April 19th | Throughout Michigan
Turkeys in April...? For non-hunters, this inclusion likely strikes you as an out-of-place callback to fall foliage, unavoidable family arguments, and the Lions' push towards a playoff berth (this season for sure). For hunters, April is primetime to get back into the woods for spring turkey season. In the Detroit region, opening day officially kicks off at 6:10 a.m. on the 19th.
Beyond the recreational enjoyment and plentiful harvest that turkey season entails, we also wanted to highlight the immense conservation value of regulated turkey hunting - often dubbed the "Greatest Conservation Success Story." When the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded in 1973, only 1.3 million wild turkeys remained in the continent. Now, after 50+ years of careful conservation and management, there are approximately 7 million wild turkeys throughout North America.
Science-backed conservation works, and we at Expedition Detroit are proud to support it. Both by getting in the woods and through our direct involvement with the Michigan Wildlife Council. We hope that join us in conserving Michigan's cherished wildlife this spring!
Learn More about the Michigan Wildlife Council
7. Celebrate Spring in the Mitten at the Michigan Made Half Marathon
April 26th | Milford, Michigan | 8 a.m.
Michigan - the "Great Trails State" - is built for runners. From paved routes to backcountry trails, our state has been reimagined as a logistical paradise for runners of all genres. Especially right here in the Detroit region, where our network of interconnected trails continues to flourish like wildflowers in spring.
Sounds like something worth celebrating, right? Our #ExpeditionPartner Running Venture agrees - and has designed the perfect racing event for celebrating the art of running Michigan's trails.
This month don't miss Running Venture's "Michigan Made" Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K event! Celebrating "all things Michigan," the races start at Central Park in Milford and run the paved Milford/Kensington Trail, as well as the dirt back roads in Milford before finishing back at Central Park. All participants will receive a custom race shirt, finisher medal, and complimentary refreshments.
SAVE 25% ON YOUR RACE REGISTRATION WITH CODE "EXPDET25"!
8. Kick Off Trail Racing Season at THE Trail Race Event
April 26th | Pinckney State Recreation Area | 8:00 a.m.
In full transparency, this may be the single event that we're most looking forward to this month for a few very subjective reasons. First, the "Road End 5-Mile" event was the first trail race that I ever completed and fundamentally changed my love, appreciation, and understanding of trail running. Second, "Trail" formally kicks off RF Events' "GOAT Trail Series," a season-long trail running series where runners collect points to compete for a prestigious "GOAT" (Greatest Of All Time) title. Our trail running team has a ton of fun - and found some extra running motivation - while participating in the past three series. We'll see you all at the official starting line of the 2025 trail season!
EXPLORE PINCKNEY STATE RECREATION AREA WITH EXPEDITION DETROIT
9. Gaze into the Cosmos at a Dark Sky Preserve
April 26th | Point Pelee National Park | 7:30 p.m.
The days may finally be getting lighter, but the stars at Point Pelee National Park - the single best stargazing destination in the Detroit region - are still shining as bright as ever! Point Pelee's "Dark Sky Nights" are especially catered towards star-gazing tourists willing to brave near-freezing temperatures at night, with amenities including extended visitor hours, seasonal star charts, and the combined natural beauty of the park and the cosmos.
10. Close Out April at a Backwater Bonfire
April 26th | Oakwoods Metropark | 7 p.m.
Most of the Detroit region's critters come out at night. We're talking mammals, amphibians, insects, birds - and, if adventurous enough, even humans. For such intrepid outdoor enthusiasts, the Huron-Clinton Metroparks invite you to hang out around a bonfire, make some s’mores, and learn about some of our regional nocturnal animals!
The "Backwater Bonfire" program will be entirely outdoors, lasting approximately 90 minutes around a massive bonfire pit at Oakwoods Metropark. The planned path surface to the bonfire area is sloped and asphalt. Pre-registration is required by 4 p.m. the day before the program.
JOIN EXPEDITION DETROIT ON A TOP-RATED NIGHT HIKING ADVENTURE
Do you host an upcoming outdoor event that you would like to be featured in a future article? If yes, then we would love to hear from you! Please contact us at info@expeditiondetroit.com to discuss Expedition Detroit feature opportunities.