Okemos: Nature, Culture, and Hotels

Okemos offers a range of options for planning your trip: nature along the Red Cedar River, opportunities to learn about Anishinaabe culture, and local history. There are also nature trails in Central Park and an outdoor ice rink at the Marketplace on the Green Pavilion; seasonal availability and opening hours may change. If you’re looking for a hotel in Okemos, these themes can help you plan your trip around your interests.

Nature along the Red Cedar River

The Harris Nature Center is located on the banks of the Red Cedar River and is surrounded by 200 acres of woods and meadows. Its trail network includes six miles of trails through woods, meadows, and wetlands, as well as along the river. The trails are suitable for walking, biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. This gives you a choice of activities when planning your trip; winter conditions may vary.

The Nature Center offers guided walks, campfire programs, and classes to the public year-round. These programs complement the trails with guided and educational activities. If a particular walk, campfire program, or class is part of your trip plans, check the current schedule: individual program schedules may change.

Anishinaabe Culture and Local History

The Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving the history, art, culture, and language of the Anishinaabe—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations. It does so through programs, exhibitions, educational activities, and special events. The Center offers tour programs year-round for groups of two to more than 60 people; site tours are also available for larger groups. Smaller groups regularly receive gallery tours and presentations. Because booking details may change, confirm the latest details about group size and programs in advance.

Meridian Historical Village comprises carefully restored historic buildings. The Village also includes its grounds and surrounding trails. This gives it a different focus from the Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center: here, the focus is on the restored buildings, while the Center focuses on preserving and sharing Anishinaabe history and culture. The town’s name also points to its history: Okemos is named after Chief Okemos. His people called him Ogemaa, a term meaning “leader” or “teacher.”

Nature Trails, Pond, and Ice Rink

Central Park has nature trails, a regularly stocked fishing pond, and a fishing pier. Along with its trails, the park offers these two specifically mentioned features. Together with the Harris Nature Center trail network, this gives you a choice of different natural areas and activities to plan around, without requiring you to choose a particular trail or program.

At the Marketplace on the Green Pavilion, there is a 40 × 92-foot outdoor artificial ice rink. The Pavilion is accessible to people who use mobility aids. The rink’s seasonal availability and opening hours may change, so check this information before planning your visit.

For the broader travel overview: Meridian Charter Township.