The Agnes Andreae Nature Preserve
This Preserve is named after Agnes S. Andreae who donated the cabin and 27 acres of land to the Little Traverse Conservancy in 1983 so that the peaceful wilderness experience that it offers could be protected for future generations. Today, the size of the Preserve has grown to 181 acres with 1.35 miles of frontage on the Pigeon River. The Preserve contains a cabin, a footbridge that crosses the River, and a one mile-long hiking trail.
The cabin, built in 1908, measures 29' X 24' and has four bedrooms with 16 bunk beds, a kitchen, a large dining room, and a screened porch overlooking the River. The cabin has electricity, lights, refrigerator, 4-burner cook top, microwave oven, and a wood-burning stove. There is no indoor running water. A pit toilet is located nearby.
The Preserve is open to the public for recreational use such as hiking, birdwatching, and fishing. Hunting is not allowed (although some LTC Preserves are open to hunting). Additionally, the cabin is available for overnight use by organized community groups such as scouts, churches, school classes, and 4-H clubs. Adult supervision is required for youth groups. There is no fee for usage, however, monetary contributions to the Conservancy are gratefully accepted. In addition, stewardship projects around the cabin or Preserve are periodically needed, and cabin users are encouraged to participate (inquire about the current project list).
The major habitat types found within the Preserve include the River, the riparian zone (the area where forest and water meet), the mixed hardwood/conifer forests that lie on either side of the River, and jack pine forests on the uplands further away from the River’s edge. A diversity of wildlife including songbirds, game birds (grouse, turkey, woodcock, and waterfowl), raptors (hawks, eagles, and owls), deer, elk, bear, bobcat, otter, mink, coyote, fox raccoon, and a numerous other animals utilize these habitats form time-to-time. The forested lands along the River provide an important travel corridor for wildlife.
The Pigeon River originates in Otsego County only a few miles from the city of Gaylord. The mainstream of the River is 42 miles long from is headwaters to its mouth at the south end of Mullett Lake, which is only three miles downstream from the Andreae Cabin.
The River drops 545 feet over this length, for an average gradient of 13 feet per mile. However, the gradient is steeper in the vicinity of the Andreae Preserve, resulting in a swift current and even small rapids. On the Preserve and in adjacent areas the swift-flowing River has cut down through glacial deposits creating high, steep bluffs.
The watershed of the Pigeon River drains an area of about 140 square miles. Numerous tributaries throughout the watershed bring the total length of all the streams in this system to about 80 miles. About 40% of the land in the watershed and 30% of the stream frontage is in public ownership, principally in the Pigeon River Country State Forest. Little Traverse Conservancy has protected more than 13 miles of frontage on the Pigeon River and its tributaries through both nature preserves and conservation easements.
The Pigeon River is a legendary trout stream. Its waters are home to steelhead (lake-run rainbow trout), brown trout, brook trout, and various other fish species. Throughout much of the year, anglers can be seen wading the stream throughout the Preserve.