Crystal Lake is an all-sports spring-fed lake in the Township of Crystal, Michigan, near Carson…read moreCity. It is 724 acres in size and 70 feet deep at the deepest point. It is approximately eight miles around by walking or driving. Our daughter-in-law's parents have invited us often to join them at their cottage on Crystal Lake. It is great for boating, kayaking, water skiing, jet skiing, swimming, fishing, and more. Sometimes it gets almost too busy but early mornings are always calm and the best time to sit out and enjoy a cup of coffee. Over the years we have had fierce debates over whether there are actually fish in the lake but some fish have been pulled out once in a while...sometimes even keepers! It is only about an hour from Lansing and two hours from Detroit; a relatively short drive compared to the similar lakes much farther up north. Now back to my nothing box (google it) to stare at the lake.

One of the best parks I've been to where I don't have to drive a long distance. My husband and I…read moreused to go during the mornings for a nice peaceful walk or run. It has never been busy, which I love. I'm from So-Cal and all the hiking and trail parks were always packed with people. I used to hate it when people would hike with their speakers on full blast, so annoying. This park is a complete 180, so peaceful. Another perk is you can bring your dogs on a leash. One thing I wish they had more of are trashcans to dispose of poop bags instead of having to carry the bags until you are back in the picnic areas. I wouldn't go into the trails during the winter since there are a lot of roots sticking up and could be dangerous. Highly recommend during the summer and fall, gorgeous.

A smaller park, but still super cute! Not much terrain to it, but definitely the changing scenery…read morekeeps things interesting. We did the biggest loop around the park which clocked in at about 3.7 miles and it was very doable for all skill levels. At the back of the park as we started looping back, we came across a punch of telephone poles which was a bit disorienting, but it happens. Dog friendly as well.

I give this lake 5 stars because it fulfils all I require from a laking experience. Some folks like…read morea mini jobie nooner every weekend, I like to chill. I don't want to hear other people's children "playing" or whatever it is they do that's so loud. I don't want to vie for space on the sand bar. I don't want to hear other people's music, or see them dancing. You get the point, I'm not into the social scene that can be typical of Michigan lakes. You might be saying "why don't you get your own lake then you anti social jerk?". Well, that's basically what Orchard Lake is. It's amazing. There is literally like, no one on this lake 99% of the time. If you're lucky enough to be able to boat during the weekdays, you can often be the ONLY person on the water. You could totally lay out nude and no one would even be around to see you. The busy weekends don't really seem busy, and I have yet to feel crowded or annoyed. It's silent, peacful, serene and relaxing. Perfect. This is a VERY clean lake, and I believe it's the second or third largest in Oakland County. The water is clear and sparkling in most areas except for the very deepest parts. There is only seaweed in a few spots but these are not the chill areas and are easy to avoid. I love the variety of wildlife that can be seen on this lake including egrets, swallows, hawks, ducks, swans and lots of cute little fish that seem happy to hang out by the humans. The sandbar is spotless, probaly due to the "no drinking" poloicy that we, of course, follow to a T. LOL. The no drinking policy is most likely what keeps this lake fairly empty, and it works for me.

This is a small regional nature preserve that was recently established between Platte and Little…read morePlatte Lake. It has two trails from the parking lot, each about 1/3 of a mile long. One goes uphill to the top of Mount Minnie (a small hill between the lakes), and the other goes down to the lake and has a park bench from which to enjoy the sunrise (faces east). The parking lot is not large but is well marked. There are a couple of private roads nearby but the sign is right next to the entrance to the parking.

First time kayaking here and it was amazing - everyone is SUPER helpful and willing to give you a…read morelittle push. You're able to park on the side while you unload your kayak or unload right into the water if you have a boat. During the holiday week - there were barely alot of people there which is awesome. My friend and I just wanted some where to float and chat. She repeated like 15 times while we were on the lake.... "I really like this spot". Bathroom were clean and didn't smell any odor - definitely a plus in my book. Please note - recreation passport is required; it's a honor system if you don't have one. There's a pay drop off there - it's bright yellow. Happy travels!!!

Sleepy Hollow state park what a beautiful park. Many acres to romp around. Lots of parking, has a…read moreboat launch for Lake Ovid (Trolling motors only). Sleepy Hollow has plenty of camping for RV's , tents , and a couple of cabins to rent. Sleepy Hollow has a great beach/picnic areas with bathrooms the Park is very well maintained. There is plenty to do here at this state park : boating,fishing, swimming, hiking, Disc golf.

Good play ground equipment for the kids. Plenty of space for cook outs. Nice trail for walking,…read more running or cycling. All around good park

I love this park! There is no entrance fee, which is great since many of the county parks do have…read morea fee. They have very nice, newly built play equipment for kids, but it is separated between young children (toddlers) and older kids (up to 12). There is a man-made lake with a sandy beach. It's nice to be able to stop here in the summer for a quick dip without fighting huge crowds. There are some baseball diamonds as well as picnic shelters. My favorite part though is the trail system. They have a well maintained system through the woods and around the lake, and it's never really busy so if you like to take peaceful, quiet hikes this is your place!

what a beautiful and well kept park! the trails are very wide and there was plenty of shade. I love…read morethat it can take me to so many parts of Lansing. Bike, stroller, running, and walking friendly!

Such a fun park to tube at! You are never too old to sled- my group of friends in their mid…read moretwenties had a ball here. The park does a great job organizing time slots so the hill doesn't get too busy. Multiple lanes to sled from and the conveyer belt saves so much time and energy of exhausting yourself just on the trip up. The track is fun for racing and group tubing for all ages. Highly recommend for a fun day outing!