Pinckney State Recreation Area
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Overview
Pinckney State Recreation Area is a large, sprawling area of forests, lakes, and wetlands located approximately 20km northwest of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The park is composed of largely reclaimed farmland and second-growth forest, but has been "wild" long enough that there's few traces left of its past occupants, unless you look closely.
The park is cut through with numerous roads, which often contain a parking space or two near trail crossings. Parking is also available at trailheads, campgrounds, and boat launches.
Activities
The park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, although you may have trouble seeing them from the Potawatomi Trail if it's crowded. Most of the park's trails are well-established and well-marked, with dozens of miles of hiking trails, as well as eight miles of equestrian trails and seventeen miles of category:mountain biking trails. The mail trailhead, at Silver lake, also contains the largest beach in the park, allowing for a relaxing swim after a long hike or ride.
Trails
Hiking Trails
Silver Lake Area Trails
Silver Lake is the main trailhead for the hiking and mountain biking trails of Pinckney State Recreation Area. To minimize problems, hikers on shared mountain biking/hiking trails begin in the northwest corner of the Silver Lake parking lot, while mountain bikers begin in the southwest corner, allowing them to travel, more or less, in opposite directions. This is enforced for mountain bikers, and encouraged for hikers, especially on busy weekends.
All main intersections contain subway maps, giving you the ability to travel this somewhat complex trail system without getting lost. Filterable water is plentiful along the trail, but without a filter, water is available only at Silver Lake and designated backcountry campsites.
Backcountry camping is available in the park, but permits are required.
- Crooked Lake Trail: Five miles. Hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing.
- Silver Lake Trail: Two miles. Hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing.
- Potawatomi Trail: 17 miles. Hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing.
- Pinckney-Waterloo Trail: 35 miles. Hiking and cross country skiing. This trail begins on the Potawatomi trail, then heads west into Waterloo State Recreation Area. It's one of the few overnight hikes available in southeast Michigan.
- Losee Lake Trail: 3.3 miles. Begins in the northeast corner of the Silver Lake parking lot. A loop trail with options to cut the trail to or two miles by taking marked shortcuts across the loop.
Other Trails
Equestrian trails, shared with hikers and cross country skiers, are located in the far northeast corner of the park, just north of Hell, Michigan. There is no trail connection between the equestrian area and the rest of the park, although the distance is only about a mile, if you want to hike down the road.
- Equestrian Trail: 8 miles of well-marked trails. Horse rentals are available along the perimeter of the park.
Canoe/Kayak routes
The park offers a large, chain of interconnected lakes, held behind the dam in Hell. A combination of recreational and wild lakes, canoeing and sea kayaking are popular, although the larger lakes sometimes become choked with jet skis.
Maps
- Silver Lake Trail, Crooked Lake Trail, Potawatomi Trail official map
- Losee Lake Trail official map
- Pinckney-Waterloo Trail official map
- Overall area trail and waterway official map
Official Web Site
http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=484&type=SPRK
Fees
A Michigan State Park permit is required. Annual permits, as of 2008, cost $24 and are available from any ranger. Daily permits are $6. Both are good in any Michigan State Park. If you don't find a ranger, your car may be ticketed, but the cost of the ticket is the same as the cost of a permit, daily or annual, your choice, with annuals mailed to you.
Additional Web Sites
Add any relates sites in this section, including frends of the park, mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding group sites
