With everything going on, we just needed to get away & unplug! The Nan Weston Preserve was perfect…read more It was a nice & easy drive to get to this beautiful preserve. For my fellow SoCal folks -- this is NOT a Los Angeles hike. You can tell where the trail is, but wear some hiking shoes (was a little muddy) and.BRING SO MUCH BUG SPRAY. I REPEAT, bring/wear/lather. alllllll. the. bug. spray. Some of the trail has a raised wooden planks, but other parts are just dirt (but still easy to see the path) & through some grassy terrain. So...wear pants! It was so lush and beautiful, but it got warm rather quickly! I didn't see any wildlife though - just lots of bugs! But I'd imagine that this place is teeming with wildlife when there isn't a human making lots of noise /flailing around to avoid the flying bugs! Ha.

I like coming here because its has relatively convenient parking. The paths aren't usually too…read morebusy. I have had many enjoyable experiences traversing the preserve.

This was the second year that our group did an end of the school year campout at Sugarloaf Lake…read moreCampground. The kids loved spending time at the Gaga ball pit and the fishing dock. The kids also road the bikes around the sites and up and down the main hill. Our campsites were close to the park and beach, which was nice. The bathroom facilities were good, but the showers are dated and the lights would turn off and on randomly. We did get warnings from the park ranger for noise, I guess our neighbors weren't fans of our karaoke. It was before quite hours so me and my group were bummed. I do wish there was more activities, like a basketball court, at the site.

So, after daytripping Waterloo for years I finally camped there. Met some family for a…read moremini-reunion at the Sugarloaf Lake campground. I didn't have high expectations, but came away with a very favorable impression. What I liked most? Probably the quiet. Yes, there are times of the day that got a little noisy due to kids playing and dogs barking, but you're going to get that in any state park campground, and I gotten it much worse. Little to no road noise and generally pleasant neighbors. Bathrooms are fairly clean though in need of an update. Hot water never ran short in the showers. What I didn't like? My site. I picked what had to be the spot least shaded in the hottest parts of the day. Fortunately the rest of my family had shadier spaces and we hung out with them. Avoid site 92 unless you're camping early or late in the season. Generally, the camping area is fairly open, though a lot of it has at least fair shade most of the time. Our sites were on the far edge of the campground loop--it seemed like things were generally busier and louder close to the driveway into the camping area. Ice and firewood are available at the check in station and both are reasonably priced. Great for a chill weekend getaway without driving too far from urban southeast Michigan.

This park/nature area is made for hiking. I wouldn't start here if you're a beginner hiker because…read morealthough the area is relatively small, the trails are steep and narrow! Great for a workout, especially if you live nearby. Speaking of living nearby, I wish there was a better-drawn map of the trails. There is a map on the A2 Parks and Rec website, but sometimes, the trails led you to the nearby culdesac. One trail also leads you to the basketball court.

A nice and remote state park but no frills other than a walking trail and a few historic relics. I…read morewent here on a cold October day, and the ambiance was very nice. The walking trails aren't exhaustive at all, and I was in and out in less than an hour. There are absolutely no amenities. Leave your horse, bike, and kids at home. I've been to a lot of state parks, and this one was unique in its simplicity. It's in the middle of nowhere but only about 10 minutes off of US-127 and worth the quick stop. There is no camping, no definining environmental features, a dirt parking lot, and no restroom.

Amazing park for riding, running or bicycling. Trails are well kept and great sceneryread more

Gorgeous park along the Huron river between Ann Arbor and Dexter. Tons of amenities including an…read more18-hole golf course, disc golf course, picnic areas, playgrounds, baseball diamonds, biking and hiking trails, nature trails, river fishing, and boat launches for canoes and kayaks. My husband and I brought our pups here for a little outdoor time during social distancing and despite it being a gorgeous Saturday early-evening we didn't run into any one else on any of the trails we explored. So it's a really great spot to enjoy some outdoor adventures without worrying about getting too close to other people. Beautifully maintained, tons of parking and pup friendly! Just remember bug spray if you get into the woods/near the river. I forgot and got eaten up quite a bit!

The best time to view the peony is end of May and begin of June. This blooming only happens on the…read moreshort duration of time. We were lucky to visit arboretum during this time on our trip to Ann Arbor. The peony garden can be reached in two locations. The best parking is near Ronald McDonald House of Charity Ann Arbor. That parking lot gets you direct access to the garden. The other parking near Nichols Drive and go the entrance by taking the first right trail to the top and reach the garden. The garden has 28 bed of flower beds. Each bed has the name of flower indicated. During the blooming time, there are a lot of visitors. Parking may be full. The flower is beautiful and the pedal open wide and bright. I got my peony moment during my visit. Some flower has fragrances smell. So don't forget to smell the flowers during your visit.

The first time I came here in April and there were no flowers or green and everything was brown!…read more I came back on the last day of May with my husband and it looked completely different!! There is a lot of green everywhere and soo many different flowers (especially the peonies before they were vandalized)!! We parked in the back where it is about a 15-20 min walk to the peonies. It was a nice and mostly shaded walk. We even saw a new bird (Great Crested Flycatcher)! I think it's only worth coming for the peonies but otherwise, it's free (unless you park in the front and then you have to pay).

A very large park built around 2 lakes. Over 11000 acres with over 40 miles of trails…read more This area offers camping,fishing,boating just to name a few of the many activities offered. Trails are marked but are unpaved and hilly and they can get muddy and slippery when wet so bring hiking gear. Some trails are also used for mountain biking. Plenty of parking is available .

Love these trails in the fall--when the mosquitoes are not bad. Many trails have good hills--but…read morebe careful because there are lots of rocks and roots, and fall leaves make them less visible. Dogs love it here, too. There are endless possible routes...we often do Crooked Lake.

What an absolutely wonderful nature center! There are so many nooks & crannies to this space and…read morejust so much educational learning to be had here. I came here in the winter and really loved walking the trails throughout the center. It helped that one of my friends, Dan, manages the programs here and would point out all the cool trees, plants, and general history as we walked along. He truly made my first time at Woldumar so memorable and his passion for this nature center truly shines through in everything he does - even when he's off the clock just showing boring ol' me around! I've heard so much of all the work Dan has put into this place over the years and he truly makes Woldumar shine bright for all those who come and visit, whether for an afternoon or for a summer-long program! I imagine this place overrun with kids and adults alike when the weather is great and can only imagine how much fun it would be to experience this place in the summertime. There is truly something for everyone here and definitely recommend this if you're looking for a low-key place where not a ton of people will be with some majorly high-key fun and exploration!

Well aside from the time I was stalked by the headless child-bride of Woldumar, I must say that…read moreI've had wonderful experiences here at every season of the year. Nah, I'm just pulling your chain. No headless spirits in these woods, but it got your attention, didn't it? Now for some facts: miles of enjoyable, non-challenging trails through a surprising variety of landscapes. Decent visitors center with restrooms. Free; donations accepted. Fair chance for sighting small wildlife, especially waterfowl. Occasional music or craft events may require a fee.

This County Park is a hidden gem! Well maintained, great trails and play structures, lovely beach…read more A great outdoor experience including easy access to the Blue Heron water park and Independence Lake boat/canoe launch. A true GEM!

Check the county website or facebook page before you go!! Recently, the beach at Independence Lake…read morehas had to be shut down several times for high e coli levels. One of the posts said that this is because of the amount of geese that have been frequenting the lake this year or because of runoff from rain. We went once before we knew about the e coli issues and actually had a great time. The beach (we thought) appeared clean and the water was the perfect cool temperature on a hot summer day. The swimming area went deep enough that we could float away from the littles on the shoreline. There were two life guards on duty. They have really amazing facilities where a get together was being held under the pavilion. They have a snack station, but we brought our own chips and sodas. They also have a splash pad with water slides. This area was closed when we went, and you have to pay a little more to access this area. They also have some cool trails and a frisbee golf course. You can bring dogs, but not to the designated swimming area. I hope they figure out the e coli issues because we would love to go back.