Waterloo-Pinckney Trail and Waterloo Hiking Trails: A Guide for Campers

Waterloo Recreation Area has more than 50 miles of trails, and three trail systems matter most to hikers: the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail, the short nature loops at the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center, and the 22-mile DTE Energy Foundation Trail. The Oaks Campground sits right next to the recreation area, so you can camp with us and pick a different Waterloo hike each day, from a one-mile loop with the kids to a full day on the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail.

This guide is written for campers: which trail to choose, where it starts, how long it is, and what to know before you go. A Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry at Waterloo’s trailheads.

Waterloo hiking trails at a glance

The Waterloo-Pinckney Trail

The Waterloo-Pinckney Trail is the area’s best-known hike. It runs about 35 to 36 miles from Big Portage Lake in Waterloo east to Silver Lake in Pinckney Recreation Area, through glacial hills, kettle lakes, wetlands, old farm fields and oak and pine woods. The DNR measures its trail mileage from the Big Portage Lake end, which is the end closest to The Oaks.

Good sections for a day hike from camp:

• Big Portage Lake to Mount Hope Road, about 5.8 miles one way. Trail guides note the climb to Sackrider Hill, about 200 feet above Big Portage Lake, which has a viewing platform (trees block much of the view these days). Plan a car shuttle or turn around partway.
• The Eddy Discovery Center stretch. The trail shares part of the Oak Woods path near the center, so you can walk a short piece of it with kids and loop back.

Know before you go:

• It’s a hiking trail. The DNR’s trail map says it is closed to bikes west of the Potawatomi Trail junction in Pinckney, which includes the whole Waterloo end.
• The trail is open to hunting during established seasons, so wear bright colors in the fall.
• Thru-hikers can stay one night at the Pines hike-in campground near the 10-mile mark. Campfires aren’t allowed there, camping is permitted only in designated areas, and permits are required. Most people hiking from The Oaks simply return to their site each night.

Eddy Discovery Center loops

For younger kids, start at the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center, about 35 minutes from The Oaks. Several short loops begin near the building: Old Field (about 0.8 mile), Spring Pond (about 1 mile), Lowland (about 1.1 miles), Oak Woods (about 1.3 miles, with views of Mill Lake), the Bog Trail (about 1.5 miles) and Lakeview (about 1.5 miles, from its own trailhead on McClure Road). Pair a loop with the exhibits and live animals inside the center and you have an easy morning.

The DTE Energy Foundation Trail

This 22-mile single-track was built for mountain biking, but the DNR also opens it to hiking, running and cross-country skiing. It’s made of four loops:

• Green Lake Loop, 5.2 miles (the gentlest)
• Big Kame Loop, 4.8 miles
• Winn Loop, 8 miles
• Sugar Loop, 4 miles (the most challenging)

Bikes change direction by the day of the week, and people on foot travel the opposite way from bikes, so you’ll always see riders coming. Check the direction posted at the trailhead before you start. Parking is at the M-52 lot (17819 Stockbridge Chelsea Road), the Cassidy Road lot and the McClure Road lot.

Hiking right from your campsite

You don’t have to drive to hike. The Oaks has about 120 acres of trails behind the campground, mostly forest with some open grassland, in several loops. A campground employee describes it this way: one loop heads toward the wetlands that border the Haehnle Bird Sanctuary, where sandhill cranes are common, and others run through miles of woods where you’ll spot deer before they head out to the farm fields in the evening.

A few things to know about our trails:

• They’re shared with bikes, golf carts and the occasional horse, so stay aware on the wider paths.
• Dogs may run off leash on the back trails. In the campground itself they stay leashed.
• Golf carts can’t go into Haehnle, but you can hike from our back trails to the back side of the sanctuary. To visit the sanctuary’s viewing area, drive out the front of the park and around a couple of corners.
• Kids and bikes should be back at the site by dusk.

See Trails at The Oaks for the full trail system, and our Michigan campgrounds with hiking trails article for other places to camp and hike.

A three-day hiking plan from The Oaks

• Day 1: Arrive, set up, and walk the forest loops at The Oaks before dinner.
• Day 2: Drive to Big Portage Lake for an out-and-back on the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail toward Sackrider Hill. Afternoon at our sand beach.
• Day 3: The Eddy Discovery Center and one or two short loops, then lunch in Chelsea on the way home.

Waterloo trail tips for campers

• Recreation Passport. Required for vehicle entry at Waterloo, including trailhead lots.
• Dogs in the state park. State park rules require dogs to be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
• Water. Carry your own. Trailheads are spread out and services are limited.
• Best seasons. Late spring and September are comfortable. October brings fall color, with our season running to October 20.

Where to stay for Waterloo hiking

Waterloo’s own campgrounds put you inside the park and are a fine choice if you want simple camping close to the trailheads; our Waterloo campgrounds guide compares them. The Oaks is the nature-first private option next door: big sites (about 35 by 65 feet up to 55 by 120), water and electric for RVs (50 amp on short-term sites), wooded tent sites, bathhouses with showers and laundry, and a beach to come back to. Rates vary by date and site; see The Oaks rates page to book your site, or start at The Oaks Campground.

Questions