Bailey Nature Preserve (formerly known as Metcalf Lake) is a 160-acre forested parcel located in Assyria Township. It surrounds a 35-acre lake.
The lake and property were donated to the City of Battle Creek in 1998, and then transferred to Barry County Parks and Recreation during the first half of 2024. Barry County Parks and Recreation Commission will manage the property and help preserve the area’s natural state for future generations, the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy will hold a conservation easement on the property. This fund has been established to support the preserve’s reopening and to establish a permanent endowment for the ongoing maintenance and management of the Bailey Nature Preserve.
