Most people have their favorite park or harbor area. But, sometimes, they may not be able to travel the distance or reservations are full. We would like to introduce you to a few of our hidden gems just waiting to be discovered. Perhaps it will inspire you to go exploring to find a new favorite or two.

There is so much to tell about the Waterloo Recreation Area near Chelsea it is hard to know where to begin. Let's start with the stats:  more than 20,000 acres; four campgrounds (two modern, one equestrian, one rustic) offering a total of 350 campsites; a beautiful swimming beach; two picnic shelters (one overlooking Portage Lake); several out of the way, quiet picnic sites; 11 excellent fishing lakes, eight boat launches; 12 miles of interpretive nature trails that connect with 35 miles of hiking trails, three rustic cabins, two overlooks and the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center.

One of the best things about Waterloo is the opportunity to go wandering. Waterloo is a great place to look for morel mushrooms, wild blueberries and black raspberries. On one trip through the woods in search of mushrooms I stumbled across a strange grouping of shrubs and flowers and realized there had been an old homestead in that location many years ago. 

An old cemetery near the Crooked Lake access site is almost impossible to find. The Hickory Hills Trail leads to Crooked Lake and on the way you can see the old well house that once was part of a golf course. Discover the old dam foundation located near what used to be trout ponds where the water seems to come from nowhere as it falls down the rocky slope to disappear again.

Don't try to hike the main trail in one day. You won't have time to stop to see all the things along the way.   Wandering off the main trail to follow a deer path can lead to new surprises.  Mill Creek Bridge is a great place to get your feet wet and watch the fish. The Baldwin Dam flooding area is a fantastic spot to watch birds.

Actually the entire recreation area is great for bird watching. In spring, seeing sandhill cranes perform their mating dance is an unforgettable sight. Bald eagles also can be spotted near Mill Lake as they make their way north for the summer. I remember once watching a female woodcock bob back and forth as she made her way across the road followed by a clutch of young ones. She didn't seem to mind that I had stopped to watch this delightful parade.

The Eddy Discovery Center offers a special treat for the kids, featuring hands-on exploration of the fascinating World of Geology including touch-screen games, mineral displays, exploring fossils and more. The center is surrounded by 12 miles of looped hiking trails. Check out the rock that looks like a huge round ball?  The Beach Wood Bog Trail will take you to a boardwalk that is surrounded by tamarack trees, high bush blueberry, pitcher plants and a few rare species including pink lady's slippers. If you bounce on the trail near the boardwalk you can feel the earth move.

The area around the Discovery Center is closed to hunting but most of the rest of the recreation area is open to hunting during designated hunting seasons. Close to the Discovery Center is Cedar and Doyle Lakes.  It is not unusual to see deer drinking at the shoreline around Doyle.  And the area known as "Little Cedar" is part of the bog area.  Green, blue herons, and other birds use this rich area for feeding and nesting.  Turtles can be seen on logs in many of the road side swamps. 

Although many people enjoy Waterloo's great hiking trails in summer, I think the best time is in the fall when the undergrowth begins to die down. You can see more and the fall colors are spectacular. Murder Mountain, the scene of conflict between the Indians and settlers offers a much better view in the fall or in the spring before leaf out.

Sackrider Hill also has a spectacular view in the fall but it's a great place to visit anytime. Once I discovered an old fire circle that was built out of rock cemented together about 30 feet in circumference about four feet high. You could sit on the rock walls and imagine the groups that had met there in the past.

If you camp at Sugarloaf, rent a rowboat or canoe and get a different perspective on the world as you let the boat slowly drift on the lake. Green Lake is a rustic campground that has beautiful campsites overlooking the lake, which must be good for fishing as I've seen anglers out there every time I drive past. Or rent the rustic Southfork cabin that offers accommodations for up to eight people. Hidden out of the way in the woods, it is hard to believe this cabin was actually two cabins built back in the 1930s and moved to its present location from 10 miles away.

Whether you discover the peace and quiet of the point at Crooked Lake picnic site or enjoy the noise of the water falling off Mud Lake dam, there are places for you to visit and new places for you to explore.  Start with Waterloo.

Or tell us about something off the beaten path that you may have discovered at one of our hidden gems. Please send feedback to: DNR-RecreationFeedback@michigan.gov