Living so close to the Waterloo Recreation Area makes for easy access to this wonderful array of hiking trails and other area of interest. Loops at the Gerald R. Eddy Discovery Center are easy hikes while the whole (~43 miles) of the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail is a challenging experience that should be undertaken in short day trips. Many pullouts on roads crossing the trail route make leaving cars at the start and finish of each leg a breeze. Water is not available so a few snacks and a canteen are recommended.

  Starting out at Sackrider Hill makes for some steep down and uphill climbs but is well worth the effort while the remainder of the trail holds many surprises.

  Horseback riding, Mountain Biking and organized Marathons are allowed on some segments of the trails. Though extremely rare, don't be to alarmed if you hear horses or a thundering herd of runners coming, down the trail, just be vigilant and prepared to step aside. You may also find bikers where they don't belong but that is to be expected.

  Topographic and other maps of the hiking areas can be had from the DNR in Lansing or other on-line services like TopoZone.com or National Geographic Topo.

  A new activity for enthusiastic hikers is Geocaching: GPS Search For "Hidden Treasures" which consists of following location clues to find objects hidden by other participants. There are active participants in both the Waterloo and Pinckey Recreation Areas.