The Lower Peninsula's biggest state park is right here

Waterloo Recreation Area is the largest state park in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. It covers more than 20,000 acres in Jackson and Washtenaw counties, between Jackson and Ann Arbor. Glaciers left a rolling landscape of woods, wetlands, ridges, and kettle lakes that feels far removed from the nearby freeway.

There is a lot packed into that space. The DNR lists 11 inland lakes, modern and rustic camping, backpack-only sites, equestrian camping, fishing, hunting, beaches, and trails for several kinds of users. The Waterloo-Pinckney Trail connects this park with Pinckney Recreation Area to the east. Other routes serve hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, skiers, and snowshoers.

The park is broad enough that no single entrance puts you near everything. The Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center at 17030 Bush Road in Chelsea is the easiest place to get oriented. Its exhibits explain the area’s Ice Age geology and present-day habitats, and several trails begin nearby. Campgrounds and day-use areas have their own approaches, so look at the DNR map before choosing an entrance. A Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry.