|
|
|
|
|
West of Rome City in Noble County. From Fort Wayne travel north on I-69 to exit134 (US 6/Waterloo). Turn left (west) onto US 6, travel through Kendallville and Brimfield. Turn right (north) onto 100W, then left (west) onto 900N and almost immediately right (north) onto 125W. After crossing the bridge over Waldron Lake, the ACRES sign will be on you right and the William T. Malle Public Access Site parking lot will be on your left. Turn left into the parking lot and park, then walk across the road to the preserve. Canoes can be launched from this public access site to visit preserve property on other parts of Waldron Lake. Driving distance from I-69/I-469 to the preserve is 43 miles. [Alternative parking: continue on past the public access parking on 125W (north) and turn right (east) onto 1050N then right again (south) onto Eagle Island Road. Look for the ACRES parking lot on your right.] Land gifted by Art Hammer from 1986 to 2004 currently totals 373 acres for this preserve. 250 acres have been dedicated through IDNR's Division of Nature Preserves. Trails lead from the parking lot on North Eagle Island Road. A public access lot across from our N 125 W trail entrance allows canoe access to our properties along the Elkhart River and Waldron Lake. This is ACRES' largest preserve. It protects wetlands, swamp forest, a small lake and the shoreline of the Elkhart River. Wood ducks, blue herons, green herons, mallards and coots are seen along the river's edge. Cardinal flower, marsh marigolds, blue flag iris and marsh mallows are some of the beautiful wildflowers, with many kinds of ferns edging the small lake. Large cottonwood and sycamore trees grow in the wet lowlands with towering oaks and hickories in the upland woods. |
