MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Outdoor enthusiasts and water lovers can enjoy a unique experience offered in Mid-Michigan.

The Red Cedar Water Trail is a 23 mile, 14-hour trail that stretches from Livingston County to Lansing.

"A lot of people who live here don't realize how beautiful it is to go down the Red Cedar right in their own backyard," said Jane Greenway, Meridian Township Parks and Land Management Coordinator. "So by us making signs and maps and encouraging people to get out there, we think thats a great way to provide outdoor recreation. "

With six different canoe launching locations along this trail, enthusiasts get to choose a range of destinations to begin their journey.

Currently, there are two locations in Meridian Township for canoe launches located at Ferguson Park and Harris Nature Center.

According to Jeff Potter, owner of Out Your Backdoor and the Red Cedar River user, the Red Cedar Roadside Park in Okemos is the proposed site for a new canoe launch.

"This is a really under-used park with just a muddy bank for a canoe launch," said Potter. "This is a place we propose to make a really nice looking canoe launch that all the people traveling on the Grand River over pass here will be able to see and realize 'Hey we can come down here and use this river.'"

In order to improve the current and future canoe launch locations, Potter believes that there needs to be consistent and professional signage to let the public know about this resource.

Potter and a few other people are planning to make an application to the Ingham County Trail Millage in order to receive funds to start installing and improving canoe launches.