| Waterloo State Recreation Area | |
|---|---|
 Markla Lake access walking path | |
  Location within the state of Michigan  Waterloo State Recreation Area (the United States) | |
| Location | Jackson / Washtenaw counties, Michigan, USA |
| Nearest city | Chelsea, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 42°21′41″N 84°11′27″W / 42.36139°N 84.19083°W |
| Area | 21,000 acres (85 km2) |
| Governing body | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Official website |
Waterloo State Recreation Area is the third-largest park in Michigan, encompassing over 21,000 acres (85 km2) of forest, lakes and wetlands. Located in northeast Jackson County and parts of Washtenaw County, the park is the largest in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and features 4 campgrounds, 11 lakes, a nature center, and over 50 miles (80 km) of trails - some for horses, bicycles, hiking and cross-country skiing. Waterloo SRA includes the Black Spruce Bog Natural Area, a National Natural Landmark and borders the 11,000-acre (45 km2) Pinckney Recreation Area on the east and the 950-acre (3.8 km2) Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Audubon Sanctuary to the west. The land preserved by the park is not all contiguous and numerous private landholdings and roads run through the park area. The area is characterized by moraines, kettle lakes, swamps and bogs left by retreating glaciers after the last ice age. The park was created by the federal government during the Great Depression and is long-term leased to the state.