Wilderness State Park: A Secluded Gem
Wilderness State Park
A little slice of heaven awaits for those who love quiet escapes, exploring, and star gazing. If you take a glance at the map of Michigan where Wilderness State Park is located, you will quickly realize what a spectacular and remote area this park is situated on.
Boasting an impressive 26 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, plus the beauty of Sturgeon Bay, creates some hidden gems and unique spots for anyone adventurous enough to wander off the beaten path.
Located only 15 minutes from Mackinaw City in the Lower Peninsula, it’s a prime location for easy day trips. Don’t confuse this park with Porcupine Wilderness State Park in the UP.
Now that your attention is peaked, here is a quick review of this beautiful state park.
Getting There
Due to its remote location there are only two ways to get to the park. Wilderness Park Drive is a narrow, curvy road with houses close to the road, this is tight especially for an RV. The easiest route is U.S. 31 to Gill Road and take a right on Cecil Bay Road to Wilderness Park Drive.
Highlights/ Overview
For those who prefer to avoid crowds, we found the campground sites were quiet since most people are off exploring the area or are on day trips. You will discover beauty and wildlife all around and hikers will appreciate over 20 miles of trails. There is also a swimming beach, with a designated pet friendly area and a variety of camping options. The two main draws to this park.
1. Prime location for visiting Mackinaw City and St. Ignace for the day.
2. Wilderness offers dozens of secluded areas. Drive West along the dirt road on Wilderness Park Drive toward the point for tons of “secret spots” you can discover and explore.
That Magical Moment Walking on Water at Wilderness State Park
Beach
Two beach Mobi Mats offer beach access close to the water’s edge for handicap accessibility. These mats are located next to the handicap sites in West Lakeshore Campground and the day use picnic area.
The beach is a mix of both sandy and rocky areas. After a storm we were able to find beach glass along the shoreline during our stay.
There is a designated beach area for dogs. Dogs must stay on a 6 feet leash. Rangers do monitor and enforce rules.
Sunsets, Stargazing & Exploring
Wilderness is a designated Dark Sky Area, which is allotted due to it’s distant location from any large cities. We thought it provided even better visibility than the Headlands Dark Sky Park. The designated area is by the day use area or head out by the point and find your own spot. If you’re lucky you might get to see the Northern Lights.
New Modern Playground
Recently completed in 2023, the modern playground is the newest addition to Wilderness State Park. Kids will love the multiple slides, swinging across the monkey bars and the additional features the playground provides. Parents will love the accessibility and ramp for littles or those with mobility issues.
Newly Completed Playground at Wilderness State Park
Programming
Park Rangers are very active at this park and patrolled often. A tiny visitor center offers weekly programming. During our stay some activities included: guided night hikes, an animal trivia quiz with prizes, and owl pellet dissection. Curious, here is a guide to dissecting owl pellets if you want to try it on your own.
The camp hosts were amazing! During our weeklong stay, Andy & Jimmy, were so helpful and engaging. There was coffee & hot chocolate, kickball, a bonfire with guitar music, and craft activities offered. Our favorite activity by far was decorating walking sticks!
Cell reception was good (Verizon). No Wifi available.
Boating & Fishing
A designated boat launch area is 1/4 mile past West Lakeshore campground. There is a fishing pond across the paved road by Pines Campground. Other recommendations include going out to the point and fish in the cut from shore.
We kayaked in the Sturgeon Bay area, the water was quite low during our stay which made for a unique experience, and the water was warm so we easily spent a half day playing in the low pools.
There are two access points to the water by small boat or kayak. One is on the north side just before the end of the gravel road. This can be rougher water since it is not protected and winds are predominately N/NW. The other access is to the south off of the same road. Follow the signs to Sturgeon Bay cabin. Right before the cabin is an access point to the water. Being protected by the point and islands makes it a calmer area. This area can be extremely shallow.
Other options include heading to Carp Lake to rent an outboard to go fishing on Paradise Lake.
Hiking Trails
Twenty miles of quiet trails intersect throughout the park, including parts of the North Country Trail. The trails feature thick forests and loops around inland lakes and near the Sturgeon Bay. Trail signs were well marked and easy to follow. Grab a detailed map at the visitor center, along with flyers at the kiosk with nearby attractions. Here is the Wilderness Online Trail Map. We hiked 6 miles of trails through the dense forest and saw only one other hiker during our time. Skiing, hiking and mountain biking are all great in this area.
Many trailheads start across the street from Pines Campground area.
Wildlife
There are a lot of wild animals in this area. We spotted beavers, rabbits, woodpeckers, and unfortunately the aftermath of raccoons. These bold scavengers broke into to our cooler at night. Bears have been sighted in this area so always hang food if in the back country sites.
Note during certain times there are restricted areas because of the Piping Plover nesting areas.
We had no issues with mosquitoes, ticks or flies during our stay in late August, but this is a heavily wooded area so you will find all the above and poison ivy off trails.
Campsites
A wide variety of options for campsites are available. Check out the full state campground map from shorelinevistorguide.com.
Camping options include over 250 modern campsites that are divided into two areas (Lakeshore and Pines), West Lake Shore is currently open, while East Lake shore has been under construction for some time. There are 18 full hook-up camping sites and also some of the best tent-only camping sites.
For reference our family of six camped for 7 days at Wilderness State Park. We camped in a 27 foot trailer. Concurrently my daughter and I tent camped 2 days at a back country hike in site.
PINE LOOP (electric)
We stayed in the Pine Loop site 532, which is on the outer loop. It is tucked in the woods with decent shade and ample space. It backed up to a steep hill and had three sturdy trees ideal for hammocks.
Pines Campground Site 532
sites are tighter in the inner loop. This year they cut some larger trees down for safety, which effected certain site’s shade.
Back Country Sites (RUSTIC HIKE IN)
During our stay, we reserved East Boundary site, where my daughter and I backpacked in with our tent and gear. There are 2 back country hike in sites at $20 a night. This was my daughters first time backpacking overnight and it was a memorable experience, despite experiencing thunderstorms and rain all night long. It was a sandy site with a fire area and a beautiful view of the inland lake. We were lucky enough to get a closeup sighting of a beaver. Two options to hike in, we got dropped off and choose the longer route on the way there 2.5 miles ( trail markers 7 to 11 to 14) and took the the shorter 0 .6 mile hike (14 to 13) to exit, due to the rain. Hanging our food was a must since there are bears, raccoons and squirrels in the area.
West Lake Campground (Electric)
The prime sites at West Lake, with views of Lake Michigan, go quickly. Pictured is site 433 and the handicap site 431. Depending on the weather, winds can be strong so monitor your awning and be aware in late fall it can get chilly. The center sites are close together. The ADA sites are large and right on the beach with a lovely view of the lake and next to the mobi beach access pad.
Rustic Bunkhouse at Wilderness State Park
East Lakeshore Campground * As of Summer 2022 a big renovation is in process that reworked all the sites for East Lakeshore campground, which is situated on the water, plus building a new restroom. The plans include a future playground, but there is no set date for when it will be completed.
Cabins Six rustic cabins are available with no electricity or running water, there is also one bunkhouse that sleeps 12 with electric. Each cabin has a wood-burning stove with precut wood available and a well hand-pump.
Walk In Tent Sites have great privacy and are located along the lake with beautiful views of Lake Michigan’s shoreline. They also include a fire ring.
Tent Site
Full Hook Ups There are 18 full hook up sites, which are spacious with some vegetation between sites and partial Lake Michigan views.
Amenities/ Nearby Stores
Grocery Shopping
There is no camp store at Wilderness State Park and not many grocery stores nearby. If you’re like us, we stop en route to our destination. Stop at Meijer in Petoskey or Walmart in Cheboygan for a larger grocery store with decent prices. Cecil Bay Camp store is the closer little grocery store, about 6 miles from the campground. There are also some small stores in Mackinaw City, but prices may be higher.
Bathrooms/ Showers
Although the bathrooms were decent in the Pines loop and they were cleaned regularly. One downside is that the water pressure and temperature continually fluctuated in the shower.
* renovations are in progress at East Lakeshore Campground Loop.
The West Lakeshore loop did have a outdoor sink for dishwashing and had completed recent renovations of the bathrooms. Bathrooms generally close for the season the 2nd week of October, this year it will be on Oct 17, 2022.
Pro/ Cons
Here is a quick list of pros and cons to help you decide if this park is the right fit for you.
Creek near Tent Sites
CONS
No Wifi, difficult to get lake view sites, main road ( Wilderness State Park Dr.) is not ideal for young children on bikes. Usually in June the flies can be bad.
PROS
Remote location, brand new modern playground, good programming & camp hosts, dark sky area for stargazing & beautiful sunsets, and miles of trails.
Nearby Attractions
Tunnel of Trees - During the Fall, drive through the tunnel of trees on M-119 up from Harbor Springs all the way to Mackinaw City for stunning colors.
McGulpin Lighthouse - Nice tour and good view of the bridge at the Rock.
Mackinaw City - Only a 15 minute drive, you can easily spend the day exploring, eating, shopping and playing in this popular tourist spot. Here is a list of Top Things to Do Near Mackinaw City: Free & Paid Activities
Headlands International Dark Sky Park - Grab a red filter flashlight and head on over for stargazing. There is often an opportunity to look through the large telescope. Check their Facebook page for programming throughout the year.
Mackinaw Island - Take the Ferry to Mackinaw where you can bike around the beautiful island for an 8 mile loop for one of the loveliest & scenic rides you will ever experience! Explore the quaint shops, hike to Arch Rock, grab some delicious fudge, learn about Fort Mackinac and visit the butterfly houses during your stay. Here is a Guide to Visiting Mackinaw Island
Darrows -A delicious restaurant in Mackinaw City, known for their large portions and amazing pies. We loved their breakfast menu. Although there is no kids menu, we ordered full stacks of French toast and pancakes and split them between the kids. They especially loved the delicious blueberry & strawberry syrup.
Hope you discover a new trail or secret spot when you visit this beautiful Michigan State Park. We love hearing about others experience, so leave a comment or any helpful tips. Follow Discovering Anew and pin and save this for later as you plan your next summer vacation.
Venture into a magical fairy tale hike that will remind you of the beloved story of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The Bush Bay Hiking Trail in Cedarville, Michigan, also known as the Narnia Trail, is only 30 minutes from St. Ignace and Mackinaw in the Upper Peninsula. Large moss covered boulders, sheltered coves, colorful mushrooms and a lamppost are just some of the unique features you'll find on the trail.