Anyone hike Waterloo Pinckney area?

[unicornv007]

Kids have asked to hike to "Hell and Back" (literally, for those that don't know... its a Hell, Michigan).

Not sure how to make that happen but trying to figure out the trails and where to hike it.

[michigandave]

Lots of great trails in the Waerloo and Pinckney Recreation area. I usually hit Pinckney a couple times a year and do the overnight at Blind Lake rustic walk in campsite, then finish up the loop the next day. There's options on whether to make it a long or short loop and you can get up to 18 miles if you do the long loop. Trails are all easy to follow and well maintained, but you do have to walk it in a specific direction due to sometimes heavy mountain bike use.

The trails at Waterloo rec area, IMO, aren't as nice and easy to follow as Pinckney, but they do have an overnight rustic site that's fairly new. I did the 38 mile Waterloo to Pinckney point to point hike (3 days, 2 night) 2 years ago in July just because it's the only place in Southeastern Michigan where you can get a multi day overnight hike. There's a long and detailed trip report that posted in the forum.

[Mofolio]

Yeah that is my home trail, I could probably answer most questions that michigandave didn't address. I will say that if you have kids or anybody who isn't used to backpacking then maybe skip the very beginning as it is the steepest with a few switchbacks before Sackrider hill(the big cross near mt hope road from I-94) there is a parking lot at Sackrider hill and it would chop off maybe 7-9 miles. You can also park at Baldwin Flooding where the new hike in campground that michigandave referred to, its called The Pines.(please dont tell everyone about this, lol!). you could also park at Green Lake outside of Chelsea and that is a great overnighter from there to Silver lake, just stop at Blind lake and camp for the night and its a short walk to the parking lot at Silver lake if you don't do the POTO loop.