Parks - General Info

Picture of the Boulder Garden at Carpenter Lake with small pictures of the new shelter and restroom facility

Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve & The Boulder Garden are OPEN!

The Southfield Parks & Recreation Department is excited to celebrate the completion of renovations at Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve with a Reopening Ceremony on Thursday, August 1 at 11:00 a.m. Please join us as we celebrate not only the completion of renovations at the park but also the official opening of The Boulder Garden at Carpenter Lake. The Reopening Ceremony will feature remarks from several city officials including Mayor Kenson Siver, City Administrator Fred Zorn and Parks & Recreation Director Terry Fields as well as The Boulder Garden benefactor, Marshall Lasser. Light refreshments will be served, and the event is open to the public.

Exciting additions to the park include:
Expanded & improved parking lot now featuring 71 spaces
Year-round restroom facility (256 sq ft with 3 unisex stalls and drinking fountain)
Small shelter for shade & nature programming
ADA accessibility curb ramps with a marked crosswalk from the Boulder Garden to restroom/shelter area

Come visit and see the improvements for yourself!

The Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for 774 acres of park land and open space at 33 sites throughout the City. Carpenter Lake and Valley Woods Nature Preserves account for 333 acres of dedicated natural area within the city. The Department is also responsible for a number of historical properties including the Burgh Historical Park, the Miller Barn at Inglenook Park, the Historic Code House and the Mary Thompson Farm. 

Residents can enjoy Southfield's beautiful parks throughout the entire year, whether heading out for an impromptu picnic in the summer or taking a leisurely walk along one of the nature trails to enjoy the fall colors. Southfield also offers some of the most accessible play lots in the metro area, so get the whole family out and exercising together with a trip to one today! In addition, there are numerous parks throughout the City featuring amenities such as ballfields, tennis and basketball courts as well as sand volleyball courts and fitness/walking trails. Parks are open year-round from dawn to dusk and there are no park entrance fees.

For more information on individual parks, please call the Parks Services division at (248) 796-4630.

Help Maintain Southfield Parks

Although crews inspect Southfield’s park sites on a regular basis, damage or vandalism may occur between crew visits. If you notice broken playground equipment, unsafe conditions or vandalism, please contact us at (248) 796-4630.

Photo of a picnic shelter in a park

Sponsorship Opportunities

Your business or organization can contribute to the community by joining our Adopt-A-Park program. Please refer to the Sponsorship Opportunities section for more information on this program.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Park Rules

  • Parks open from dawn to dusk.
  • Alcoholic beverages prohibited.
  • All pets must be leashed and controlled.
  • Golf is prohibited in park areas.
  • No motorized vehicles are permitted beyond the parking lot.
  • Please place litter in receptacles provided.
  • No loitering.
  • Group use by permit only.
  • Pet droppings must be collected and removed by pet owner.
  • Remote or radio-controlled aircraft prohibited.
  • Feeding of wildlife prohibited.
  • Fire in grills only.
  • Fireworks prohibited.
  • Dumping of household trash prohibited.
  • Playing loud music will not be permitted.
  • Tents not authorized by Southfield Parks and Recreation prohibited.