Table of Contents
- Wilderness State Park Quick Facts
- Camping at Wilderness State Park: From Modern Sites to Rustic Escapes
- Hiking the Trails: Picking Your Battles
- Michigan Wildlife and Birding: Warblers, Wrens, and Plovers
- Exploring Nearby Coastal Cities: Breweries and Eats
- The Verdict
Wilderness State Park is located just a few miles west of the Mackinac Bridge. It offers miles of nice beaches and shoreline and an extensive network of trails. Furthermore, the park is a designated dark sky preserve and is known for its incredible stargazing opportunities. For us, the campground serves as the perfect base camp for hikes, brewery adventures, and birding.
Wilderness State Park Quick Facts
| Location | Just west of Mackinaw city |
| Entry Fee | Recreation Passport required ($20 per vehicle at the park per year, $15 when renewing license plate tab). Camping can be from $25 to $60+ a night. |
| Park Hours | Campsite: Check-in for camping arrivals start at 3 p.m. and checkout is 1 p.m. Overnight lodging: Check-in for overnight lodging arrivals start at 4 p.m. and checkout is noon. |
| Target Birds | Piping Plover, Summer Warblers, Common Raven |
| Best Time to Visit | For Hikes Spring and Fall, for Birding and Mosquitos Summer |
| Terrain | Plenty of paved and unpaved trails, bike trails, cross-country skiing trails in the winter |
| Facilities | Modern showers and restrooms, outhouses, playground |
Camping at Wilderness State Park: From Modern Sites to Rustic Escapes
The campground offers plenty of modern campsites for all sizes of trailers, rustic tent sites, and a mix of modern and not-so-modern amenities. Recently, they added a newly built playground. There are also some rustic cabins and bunkhouses, as well as group campsites—so, something for every need. While there are many campsites in the park, it is definitely recommended to book as early as possible. The campsites are usually sold out only minutes after they come online.
Why the Rustic Tent Sites Are the Ultimate Highlight
To us, the rustic tent sites are the true highlight. Some of them do have a truly “Great” lake view (pun intended) and you will fall asleep and wake up to the sounds of the waves of Lake Michigan. Some of them are true walk-in tent sites, where you even have to walk a few hundred feet, but most of them are literally just a few yards from your car to the site. As the name rustic says, there is not much luxury available: No power, and only an outhouse for your basic needs. The closest shower is at the East Lakeshore Modern Campground, and better reached by car.
A Must-Stop: Cecil Trading Post
Before arriving at the campground, be sure to buy some local firewood at the closeby Cecil Trading Post. Next to wood, they do sell all campers’ needs, rent out electric bikes, and will recognize if you have a German accent. Last time, in the summer of ’26, I only had to say one sentence and they already identified me as a German. Also, good ice cream! They are only open during the main camping season, which is from somewhere in April to late October.
Hiking the Trails: Picking Your Battles
Wilderness State Park has 20+ miles of trails, of which 5.5 are part of the North Country Trail. Having visited the park three times, I highly recommend picking your battles.
The Swamp Line Trail in July is definitely not recommended. You will be eaten alive out there: Not by bears, coyotes, or other bigger wildlife, no—by mosquitoes and other bugs. If you try going out there, bring a lot of bug spray or even some of those full face covers. Last time we went there, it was the worst! But, after we came back to camp, we laughed it off and were happy that we did the probably worst exercise in a while.
In the fall, that same hike is much more enjoyable thanks to far fewer bugs and cooler temperatures—which is true for just about all the trails here. For the summertime, you can use the extensive shoreline to either have a beach hike, or just sunbathe or waterbathe. The year-round relatively cold Lake Michigan serves as a good medium for cooling down.
Michigan Wildlife and Birding: Warblers, Wrens, and Plovers
Now to my favorite part: Wildlife. Like on every campground, you will find plenty of tame squirrels and chipmunks. The biggest highlight so far is the 13-lined ground squirrel, which calls the sandy coast of Western Michigan (especially the dunes) its home. Ali and I never saw one before we went there in summer 2026. Every once in a while there are reports of bear sightings, but it is not a common thing.
Summer Birdwatching “Up North”
One big advantage of being “up north” is that you can find all kinds of Warblers which you would only see during migration. While they might not be quite as abundant as they are at a smaller migrant trap like Red Oaks Park, or at Magee Marsh in mid-May, you can still easily find them. On my last trip here in July 2026, I found Ovenbirds, Canada, Chestnut-Sided, Yellow, Black and White, Magnolia, and Nashville Warblers. That plus Winter Wrens, Veeries, and Hermit Thrushes.
Another thing is Common Ravens. You will find them nearly as often as American Crows. They will just sit by the road or be visible from the beach.
Spotting the Endangered Piping Plover
The Sturgeon Bay is also known as one of the few breeding habitats for the Piping Plover. The endangered Great Lakes population is heavily protected and there are ongoing conservation efforts. When you are lucky enough, you can see or hear them anywhere by the water. I was not, so far. Please just be respectful when there are actually blocked off areas around their breeding sites.
Exploring Nearby Coastal Cities: Breweries and Eats
While Ali and I love the camping experience, we also love exploring the little coastal Michigan cities. When staying at the Wilderness Campground, there are three nearby cities worth visiting. East of the park, you’ll find Mackinaw City—home to the famous Mackinac Bridge—as well as Cheboygan, which to me is known for the Cheboygan Brewing Co. and its charming little lighthouse. To the south, you will find Petoskey.
Where to Eat and Drink in Mackinaw City
If you ever find yourself in Mackinaw City, we highly recommend a visit to Bière de Mac. This slightly over 10-year-old brewery specializes in French and Belgian beer styles. They have a small food menu, but every single item sounds incredible, and the two sandwiches we tried (I had the pulled pork) were amazing! If you are more in a BBQ mood, you can head over to The Rusted Spoke, which is only 5 minutes away from Bière de Mac.
Cruising South to Petoskey
About 45 minutes south of the campground is Petoskey, which is about as touristy as it gets on the Michigan Great Lakes coast. Before entering the downtown area, you definitely want to stop at Petoskey Brewing. They have a nice selection of beers, including a really good Hefeweizen. We drove down there right after our mosquito-plagued hike, and needless to say, the beer and food tasted even better after that ordeal.
Another place worth mentioning in Petoskey is The Backlot Beer Garden. This spot features several different food trucks and offers a wide variety of beers and cocktails. If you cannot decide what food or drink you are in the mood for, this place will give you all the options.
The Verdict
Overall, Wilderness State Park is definitely always worth a trip, despite the mosquitos at times. The park offers everything the outdoor enthusiast could ask for: hikes, water, wildlife combined with a rustic camping experience. The proximity to other lakeshore cities makes it the perfect starting point for your “Up North” adventure.
Have you ever been in that area? What was your experience with the mosquitoes and the breweries? Let me know in the comments below. 🥨🦉
For a little bit closer birding adventure, check out my post about the Pointe Mouille State Game Area just south of Detroit.
Summertime means Shorebirds. Come visit the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area and get greeted by the Black-necked Stilt’s distinctive call.
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