Overshadowed by Portage Lake, Clear Lake in Waterloo Gets Its Due

One of Jackson County’s swimming lakes just doesn’t seem to get much press at all, even though it gets a fair share of swimmers every summer.

Even though we preferred all the excitement that was found at nearby Portage Lake, whenever we wanted to just swim and enjoy more peace and quiet than Portage offered, we went to Clear Lake. Besides, there was no park fee to get in...another good reason.

Although quite a few people picnicked and swam at Clear Lake, it never seemed to be overcrowded like Portage Lake. Another perk I loved about it was the big wooden dock we could swim out to and dive off. That was great.

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It wasn’t just the swimming beach that we enjoyed, but the area surrounding Clear Lake had some points of interest that were cool.

Two miles north is the historic little village of Waterloo. There are a couple of old stores still there and it feels like you’ve traveled to some quaint little place in Vermont or New Hampshire. A little ways below that is the Sugarloaf Lake Campground.

Not far from Sugarloaf is the Hatt Cemetery. I remember discovering this then-unknown, tiny cemetery over 50 years ago while visiting Clear Lake. There were no headstones, except for a couple of vandalized ones. Now it looks like there may be a few that have been either salvaged or replaced...if you blink, you’ll miss it...on the dirt road corner of Loveland and Beeman Roads.

Approximately five miles southeast of Clear Lake is Sackrider Hill, with many hiking trails.

Clear Lake is less than one mile from the Washtenaw County line and twelve miles from Jackson. When Clear Lake was mapped in 1944, the Michigan Department of Conservation called it "the most scenic lake in Jackson County." In 1936, the lake had a few resorts and boat liveries; now there is no boat launching area and aside from the county swimming beach, the lake is 75% covered with homes and cottages.

So yeah – I'm giving Clear Lake its due - and from what I understand, it still lures in many people each summer.