Waterloo Recreation Area

Waterloo in Grass Lake is one of Southern Michigan’s premier riding destinations attracting riders from all over the state of Michigan, as well as, out of state guests. When visiting the park, get ready for some of the most gorgeous and rugged horse trails in Michigan that will take you through a variety of terrain. Rocks and hills are a plenty along the trails, as are sandy, rolling hill areas, grassy fields and large hardwood forests. Waterloo is a choose your own adventure recreation area with many destinations to visit as you traverse along the trails. Visit the Wet Socks river crossing and enjoy a bite of lunch, you will find plenty of picnic tables for you and your friends and hitching rails for the horses.

Don’t miss the unmistakable way the wind whispers through the Codyville pine stand, you can also picnic there to really take in the beauty of the trail. If BIG climbs are your thing, be sure Murder Mountain is included in your destinations, you will not find this kind of riding in many other places in Michigan. Those who enjoy easier riding have not been left out, there is a wonderful 2.5 mile kid’s loop immediately surrounding the campground. With its rolling hills, winding trails and beautiful scenery it is a favorite trail for many and you often will hear the Pileated Woodpeckers call as you wind your way through this loop. There is a picnic area overlooking a lake on this loop and another picnic table at post 22 on the far West side of the park.

Waterloo has two day-staging areas, one is located at the Horseman’s Campground on the east side of the park and the other is on Maute Road centrally located within the trails. The rustic Horseman’s Campground is located on Loveland Rd and has pit toilets, a solar pump for water and picket poles for high tying and corrals on site. Campsites are reservable on the DNR’s website or first come, first serve (if not already reserved) via a self-registration station located at the entrance. There is also a private campground, Farmlane, just north of the Horseman’s Campground, which offers both modern and rustic camping. Waterloo Horsemen Association have been very busy working on many projects. They erected a gorgeous pavilion with a matching grant from the DNR. New signage has been added to increase visitor’s directional confidence on the trail system. The new signage directs users to the many destinations along the trail and compliments the numbered signage used throughout the park. WHA continues to improve sections of trail and do a wonderful job keeping the trails open for all to enjoy. 2024 saw repairs made to the Switchback. Check out the new Ridge trail section for some more big climbs.

The Burns cabins available to rent by those camping with horses. They are adjacent to the Horseman’s campground, each with two 12×12 pens for your horses stay. Cabins are rustic but do have heat and solar lighting.

Visit Waterloo and pick your adventure today!