Chelsea – Parks & Recreation Areas
Border to Border Trail (B2B)
A 35-mile, ADA-accessible paved pathway currently consisting of six corridors, two of which are accessible from Chelsea. The 4.7-mile Chelsea-Stockbridge Corridor travels south from M-52 at North Territorial to Veterans Park, with access to the DTE Energy Foundation mountain bike trails along the way. The 2.1-mile Dexter-Chelsea Corridor runs along Dexter-Chelsea Rd. from the intersection with N. Parker west to N. Dancer.
Cavanaugh Lake County Park
33 Cavanaugh Lake Rd. • (734) 971–6337
Located on the south shore of the lake, this one-acre roadside picnic area features a picnic shelter, playground, and a shoreline fishing area. Not wheelchair accessible. Open year-round, dawn to dusk.
Chelsea Dog Park
680 McKinley
Dogs must be registered with the city of Chelsea. Registration tags are available from Chelsea City Offices (305 S. Main). $25 for Chelsea residents, $35 for nonresidents; renewed annually.
Chelsea State Game Area
Entrance on Dexter Chelsea Rd. • (517) 522–4097 (Waterloo DNR wildlife office)
803 acres around Four Mile Lake. Shore fishing, waterfowl hunting, small boat launch.
Federal Screw Works Property
500 S. Main
In Feb. 2024, the Main Street Park Alliance unveiled its design for this 2.6-acre park, featuring a pavilion with performing space, a universally accessible looped path, splash pad, sports courts, play structures, and a skate park. Groundbreaking begins in early fall 2024. mainstreetpark.org
Palmer Commons
304 S. Main
Hosts the Saturday farmers market and Sights & Sounds in summer. Available for public and private events.
Park Lyndon County Park
18801 North Territorial • (734) 971–6337
This 335-acre county park is home to over 500 species of plants in a wide variety of habitats: fens, marshes, bogs, ponds, forest, prairie, and the Embury Swamp Natural Area Preserve, the ecological gem of the county system. Two miles of nature trails wind through the hillsides, connecting to the state’s Waterloo-Pinckney Trail for a combined hiking experience of almost 50 miles. Open year-round, dawn to dusk.
Pierce Lake County Park
1175 S. Main • (734) 475–5858
18-hole championship golf course, plus a boardwalk and nature trails in a 26-acre park. See sandhill cranes, red foxes, and painted turtles. Cross-country skiing. Open year-round. No entry fee for park; see website for green fees. piercelakegolf.com, bit.ly/piercelake
Pierce Park
851 S. Main
Affectionately known as “the park with the big rock,” this 4.6-acre green space boasts a playground, picnic tables, a large pavilion, and yes, a big rock that locals paint for events and special occasions.
Pinckney State Recreation Area
8555 Silver Hill, Pinckney (headquarters) • (734) 426–4913 • Campground reservations: (800) 447–2757
This more than 11,000-acre park north of Chelsea is made up of 3 main sections: Silver Lake and Halfmoon Lake day use areas, and Bruin Lake Modern Campground. Has many lakes for swimming, boating, canoeing, and fishing (avoid-foam and do-not-eat fish consumption advisories are in effect for the Portage Lake chain of lakes and Huron River); modern and rustic campgrounds; hunting in season; and 40+ miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and birding. Halfmoon Lake open Apr. 1–Nov. 1. No alcoholic beverages allowed in park Apr. 1–Sept. 30. Recreation Passport required: state residents $14/year with license plate renewal, or $19/year at park gate; motorcycles $7 with license plate renewal, $12/year at park gate; nonresidents $11/day, $40/year. michigan.gov/pinckney V
Pinckney State Recreation Area
8555 Silver Hill, Pinckney (headquarters) • (734) 426–4913 • Campground reservations: (800) 447–2757
This more than 11,000-acre park north of Chelsea is made up of 3 main sections: Silver Lake and Halfmoon Lake day use areas, and Bruin Lake Modern Campground. Has many lakes for swimming, boating, canoeing, and fishing (avoid-foam and do-not-eat fish consumption advisories are in effect for the Portage Lake chain of lakes and Huron River); modern and rustic campgrounds; hunting in season; and 40+ miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and birding. Halfmoon Lake open Apr. 1–Nov. 1. No alcoholic beverages allowed in park Apr. 1–Sept. 30. Recreation Passport required: state residents $14/year with license plate renewal, or $19/year at park gate; motorcycles $7 with license plate renewal, $12/year at park gate; nonresidents $11/day, $40/year. michigan.gov/pinckney V
Potawatomi Trail
Along with the connecting Silver Lake and Crooked Lake trails, this 17-mile loop is hilly and picturesque for hiking and mountain biking. Since the trail contains exposed roots, rocks, and steps, it’s only open for cross-country skiing when there’s a 6-inch snow base. Maps at Pinckney State Recreation Area headquarters.
TimberTown Park
Sibley west of N. Main
Named for its iconic, vast, and volunteer-built wooden play structure, this 19-acre park was recently named an official B2B trailhead. It’s also home to a pavilion, six pickleball courts, volleyball courts, hiking trails, a community garden, and a mosaic, Pathway to Renewal, slated for restoration in fall 2025. timbertownchelsea.org
Veterans Park
5825 Sibley
Features a black marble memorial tribute to veterans, as well as a wooden ship play structure, picnic tables, and two ball diamonds.
Waterloo Recreation Area
(734) 475–8307 • Campground reservations: (800) 447–2757
At 20,500 acres, this state park is the largest in the Lower Peninsula and is great for birding, boating, cross-country skiing, fishing, hunting, hiking, swimming, mountain biking, and camping. It has 11 lakes; modern, rustic, backpack-only, and equestrian campgrounds; trails; and a visitor center. Track chair available, allowing users to explore areas of the parks where traditional wheelchairs might not work. Horse-N Around Stables (734–637–4457, texting recommended; 12891 Trist Rd., Grass Lake) offers trail rides in the park. The Eddy Discovery Center (734–475–3170, 17030 Bush, Chelsea) has hands-on exhibits, natural history programs, park information, and displays of local ecology, wildlife, and Michigan rocks and minerals. Discovery Center hours: Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m, Sun. noon–5 p.m., with reduced hours during the rest of the year. Recreation Passport required: state residents $14/year with license plate renewal, $19/year at park gate; motorcycles $7 with license plate renewal, $12/year at park gate; nonresidents $11/day, $40/year. michigan.gov/waterloo
Waterloo-Pinckney Trail
This 33.9-mile hiking trail links the Waterloo and Pinckney recreation areas, passing pine plantations, open meadows, marshes, kettle bogs, forests, and 14 lakes. Good for cross-country skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. Camping in designated areas; overnight lodging available along the trail (reservations: 800–447–2757, midnrreservations.com). Search michigan.gov/dnr for Waterloo-Pinckney Trail
Watkins Lake State Park & Preserve
14801 Arnold, Brooklyn • (517) 467–7401
1,122-acre state park with 5.8 miles of trails through its high ridges, deciduous forests, meadows, and wetlands, and with views of 144-acre Watkins Lake. Birdwatching, especially waterfowl. To protect important bird habitat, the lake and surrounding park property is a designated waterfowl refuge and is closed Feb. 15–May 15 and Sept. 1–Jan. 1; however, wildlife viewing is available year-round along Arnold Rd. washtenaw.org (search Watkins Lake State Park)
West Lake Preserve
21598 Waterloo Rd.
This tranquil, 217-acre county property has 2.22 miles of natural and undeveloped trails with upland mature oak and hickory trees, wetland, open water shoreline, and open fields. The diverse habitats bring sandhill cranes, wild turkeys, belted kingfishers, eastern bluebirds, and the state-protected Blanding’s turtle. No fishing or boating access. parks@washtenaw.org, washtenaw.org/336/nature-preserves
