Just Outside Mackinaw City Is Michigan's Underrated Peninsula State Park With Pet-Friendly Beaches And Swimming

Michigan has an untold number of places that don't get the recognition they deserve. With thousands of miles of shoreline on four of the five Great Lakes, millions of acres of national forest, and over 100 state parks, it's only natural that things fly under the radar. At the northern tip of Michigan's mitten, four hours from Detroit, is Wilderness State Park, a 10,000-acre lakeside oasis that doesn't quite make it into the top 10 on Tripadvisor's list of Michigan state parks.

No matter the rankings, Wilderness State Park is a premier natural destination, only 15 minutes from Mackinaw City, a Victorian-era waterfront village. The park covers an entire peninsula and has 26 miles of untouched Lake Michigan shoreline, perfect for swimming, rock-picking, or long walks. One visitor writes on Google, "The beach stretches for miles, and the water was very clean. It was a very nice beach to sunbathe, swim, and relax."

Animal lovers will be happy to know the park is super pet-friendly, and two sections of beach are dedicated to our four-legged friends. As a whole, the park leans in a more rustic direction, but there are multiple campgrounds, rental cabins, and a park store. Hikers can enjoy over 20 miles of trails through diverse landscapes, with many miles running along the lakeshore. It's also a designated dark sky preserve, meaning there's minimal light pollution and otherworldly stargazing. It all makes Wilderness an ideal place for a beachy camping weekend — lying on the sand with your dog by day, cooling off in the crisp Lake Michigan waters, and kicking back to watch the stars at night.

Most of the park's infrastructure is around the headquarters on the eastern end, along the shore of Big Stone Bay. There, you can find a long beach with the forest on one side and the clean waters of Lake Michigan on the other. There are two buoyed swimming sections on this stretch of shore, each with an adjacent dog-friendly area. One is down a little path from the parking lot, and another swimming area with dog access is down the shore by the campgrounds. These beaches are convenient for day trips, and standard Michigan state park fees apply for entrance with a vehicle. 

It's a popular park for bringing canine friends, and reviews contain many adorable action shots of dogs on the beach, on hiking trails, or hanging out at the site. As one visitor writes, "Seems like there were as many dogs as people at this campground." During the summer, pets on the beach are limited to the designated areas to protect the habitat of the endangered piping plover, but the entire shore is open to dogs from September through March. 

For more beach-day vibes, in the southwest of the park are Sturgeon Bay Beach and the Sturgeon Bay Dunes. With untouched sandy waterfront, visitors mention the remoteness, clear waters, and searching the shore for rare stones. But it's in the other corner of the park, so it's a bit of a jaunt from the main area. You can get there on foot via the North Country Trail, although the hike is more than two and a half hours across the peninsula. An easier option is to hop in the car and utilize the roadside parking with beach access. While this area may not be as scenic as Empire Beach at Michigan's popular Sleeping Bear Dunes, there are sure to be less crowds. 

As a massive and well-cared-for park, there are a variety of camping options scattered throughout. Most sites are on the eastern side, a stone's throw from the beach. Near the water, there are two modern campgrounds with electrical hookups and shower buildings, while the third, called the Wilderness Pines Modern Campground, is a short walk from the lake. These are all RV-friendly spots, and on the outskirts of the campgrounds are walk-in, tent-only sites for more rustic vibes. On top of those bring-your-lodging sites, there are numerous log cabins from the Civilian Conservation Corps era that can be booked online. Most are a short hike out on the peninsula from the campgrounds and are perfect for small groups. 

Off the shore, the park is criss-crossed with miles of hiking trails. A Google reviewer writes, "I've been all over the U.S. camping and hiking and this place is seriously in my top three state parks in America. Incredibly well-maintained and a true gem." The dog-friendly Red Pine Trail is a popular hour-long loop that starts at the campground and winds through the forest. And others, like the 3-mile stroll along the shore at the tip of the peninsula or the large 3.5-hour loop that covers much of the park, highlight the park's dunes, hemlock forests, wetland biospheres, and diversity of landscapes. 

However you spend your day, Wilderness State Park's dark-sky-preserve status is a unique feature. So when night falls, step away from the fire and look up. With luck, you might catch the Northern Lights. If you're continuing on a Michigan beach tour, try Sand Dunes Beach up north, just past the town of St. Ignace, one of Michigan's best-kept secrets.