Important Announcement
Hidden Lake Gardens is moving into the next phase of its re-opening beginning Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Limitations and restrictions will remain in place as to comply with six-foot physical distancing and closed indoor public gathering spaces. Our grounds and trails will be open for visitors on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9 am to 4 pm. Walking, hiking, biking, and driving through are permitted. All buildings will be closed. The Restroom Building will be closed; however, outhouse-style restrooms are available. No professional photography is permitted. Physical distancing of 6 feet must be practiced at all times. Face coverings must be worn if physical distancing cannot be maintained. No food, picnics, or tailgating is permitted. Any refuse generated by visitors including pet waste must be removed from the premises. Please help us to keep Hidden Lake Gardens open by following these guidelines to keep you, other visitors, and our staff safe. Thank you.
Hidden Lake Gardens is owned and operated through Michigan State University. While executive orders continue to lighten as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, HLG must also comply with policies and guidelines from MSU as well as the Lenawee County Health Department. Currently very limited HLG staff are able report for work. Also, we are unable to utilize our wonderful and very helpful HLG volunteers.
While HLG has park-like qualities and benefits, it is not a park. It is a public botanical garden, arboretum, and conservatory. We have three nationally significant plant collections: the Harper Collection of Dwarf and Rare Conifers, the Benedict Hosta Hillside, and the MacCready Bonsai Collection. Public gardens with plant collection policies, accessioned plant inventories, and educational programs are considered part of the public museum network, and hence, so is HLG. A quick online search will reveal that many public gardens and museums are currently open to the public with limitations and restrictions for visitors. A few gardens and arboreta have re-opened with very limited access (some for members only, others by appointment only). MSU and HLG continue to study current public garden trends and benchmarks in an effort to remain contemporary with other public gardens in providing visitor access during this incredibly challenging time.
Hidden Lake Gardens is unique in that most of our operating budget is funded through various endowments as well as revenue from gate admissions, membership dues, gift shop sales, education programs, and donations. Very little HLG revenue is funded through the MSU operating budget. With the expansion of hours starting September 9, we will be returning to our $5 per person admission fee (children free admission at this time; HLG members free admission).
We appreciate your continued patience, understanding, and support during these continually evolving pandemic times. Our hope is to make Hidden Lake Gardens accessible to the public for respite from all of the uncertainties by connecting with nature.
For a broader perspective of MSU’s ongoing response to COVID-19, visit MSU Coronavirus Latest Updates and Keep MSU Working.
Reach For The Sky
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Reach For The Sky project has been paused. We look forward to continuing fundraising and designing the project soon with the hope of constructing the 700-foot long tree canopy walk sometime in 2021. Reach For The Sky will also include construction of a 10-story, ADA-accessible tree top tower which will begin the design and implementation phase once the tree canopy walk is up and running. This one-of-a-kind contemporary attraction will appeal to both local residents and traveling tourists while contributing to the cultural setting of the Lenawee, Jackson, Hillsdale and Washtenaw County communities. You can support the project by clicking on the donate tab below.
Watch an animated video of the Canopy Walk experience