Home › Michigan › Chelsea › Waterloo State Recreation Area
Waterloo State Recreation Area
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,868 Google reviews · Running trail in Chelsea, Michigan · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Waterloo State Recreation Area's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Park with campgrounds, beaches, picnic sites, fishing lakes & 47 miles of multi-use trails.
What runners say about Waterloo State Recreation Area
“Large sites, lots of trees, very clean restrooms, great beach, 2 kids playgrounds boat launch, new fishing pier.”
“The lake is beautiful, the play area for the kids is great, and the boat launch is nice and has ample parking.”
“Quiet time after 10 pm and all of the campers adhered to that.”
We camped for 2 nights at the Mill Lake Rustic cabins inside Waterloo State Recreation Area. The area was really natural, lots of trees, dirt roads. You definitely need to make sure that you are prepared. There was a water pump within walking distance of the cabin.
Close to I-94. Easy check in. We did not have a reservation but the park wasn’t full since it was a week day in mid May. Nice lake with a beach and swimming available. Very nice shower and restroom facilities. The park was very clean. Decent cell signal so we were able to stream our shows at night.
Very nice with 2 camping areas. Open year round but only on weekends in winter. Beauty trail system and nice sand beach on a fully recreation lake. Boat slip and canoes available. Bathrooms and showers top notch. Check out the site but you can't go wrong staying here.
Great park. Headquarters was super friendly and helpful. Really great place for small loop hikes. I would personally park and start at the discovery center. Nothing more than 5 miles unless you continue on the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail. Very nice trail by the way.
Trail conditions & character
“I think if we camp at Waterloo again I would like to be near modern bathrooms and a shower, because we have 4 kids.”
“The lake is beautiful, the play area for the kids is great, and the boat launch is nice and has ample parking.”
“Quiet time after 10 pm and all of the campers adhered to that.”
“We camped at Portage campground which has a short paved trail to a playground near the beach.”
“The lake is beautiful, the play area for the kids is great, and the boat launch is nice and has ample parking.”
“The cabin was well lit, with plenty of room to accommodate our family of 6.”
“Mill lake was accessible on foot via a short trail walk.”
Plan your run at Waterloo State Recreation Area
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- LightingRunners report lights on the path — useful for pre-dawn and after-work miles. Lighting and opening hours are separate things, so check both.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitemichigan.gov
- Phone(734) 475-8307
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–10 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–10 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 8 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | 8 AM–10 PM |
Running trails near Chelsea
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Lakelands Trail State Park - Stockbridge
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Meridian-Baseline Historic State Park
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Pinckney Recreation Area
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Hudson Mills Metropark
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