Get Wild at Wilderness State Park

Sept. 25, 2015

One of the most incredible nature destinations in Emmet County may also be one of the most overlooked. Unlike its cousin, the popular Petoskey State Park, its location isn’t obvious. It’s also not as showy as its other relation, historical Fort Michilimackinac State Park.

But, tucked quietly in the far north of the county and boasting 26 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, Wilderness has plenty of amazing attributes to offer.

WOODSY OFFICE 

Lead Park Ranger Dave Goheen, second in command under the park supervisor, oversees the work in the park and makes sure campers and other visitors are kept happy.

Goheen arrives at the park at 7:30am to start his 8am shift. His office looks directly into the woods; in the winter, he watches ruffed grouse rummaging around the trees looking for food.

He runs the flag up the pole, starts up his computer, looks over the daily schedule and then rounds up his staff to discuss the game plan for the day. Then, the best part of his job begins.

"I get out of the office and go oversee what’s actually going on in the park," he said.

ACRES OF NATURE 

What’s going on is a lot more than you might expect. With more than 10,500 acres and 26 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline within park boundaries, there’s plenty to do and enjoy, including 20-plus miles of hiking trails, 8 miles of which are groomed for cross-country skiing in winter.

"In the summertime, the main activity is camping, plus hiking and fishing," Goheen said. "You can rent our cabins and bunkhouses year round and about half of our campers are returns. Some are even second and third generation."

Wilderness, Goheen explained, began as a federal game preserve and became a state park and camping destination in the mid-1930s.

"There was also a CCC camp here," he added.

CABIN CORPS 

The CCC, or Civilian Conservation Corps, was a program implemented by President Roosevelt to put people back to work during the Great Depression. It ran from 1933 to 1942.

"There were camps all over the U.S.," Goheen said. "The camp here built three rustic log cabins and three rustic bunkhouses for the park, and those are the same ones we still rent out today. The CCC also started the stoneworks on our dining hall, but the CCC was dissolved when the war broke out."

The WPA (Works Projects Administration) took over many of the CCC's projects and they returned to Wilderness after the war.

"They actually completed the work on the dining hall," Goheen said. "It was one of the few projects started before the war that got completed after the war."

The park rangers eventually added three more cabins and Wilderness became even more welcoming than before.

FLORA AND FAUNA 

The park’s remote location creates a safe haven for a wide range of animals and birds. It’s also distinctive in its differences from the rest of the region.

"Our whole ecosystem is unique," Goheen said. "It’s actually more like the U.P. than the Lower Peninsula. The flora and fauna are more similar to what you’d see across the bridge."

The Dwarf Iris, Showy Lady’s Slipper and Calypso Orchid, which only grows in northern climates, are among the flora standouts.

"Plus lots of endangered and threatened species of weeds, grasses and plants," Goheen said f you keep your eyes open, you might spot a black bear, bobcat, fisher, deer or squirrel on the park grounds.

"We’re also one of the few nesting places for the Great Lakes Piping Plover, an endangered shorebird," Goheen pointed out. "There are only about 2,000 of those left."

CIVILIZED SECLUSION 

Different environments abound within the park itself, too. Forested areas offer the crunch of pine needles and small branches underfoot, while the campground and picnic areas bustle with campers and the scent of barbecue.

Sturgeon Bay is all sand dunes and wild beach, while the lakefront itself can be calm and quiet one day or busy with windsurfers and beachcombers the next. In the winter, cross-country skiers can be seen sharing the park with snowshoers. It’s an environment that's constantly changing to showcase, and enjoy, nature’s best.

"I like the fact that the park is kind of secluded and set apart, but not where you can’t get back to civilization in 20 minutes or so," Goheen said. "I especially love Waugoshance Point and the islands (Temperance Island and Waugoshance Island). You hardly ever see another person, but you’re liable to see lots of eagles and other wildlife."

"This is a beautiful place to work. I'm blessed to be here."

Wilderness State Park is located at 903 Wilderness Park Drive in Carp Lake. For more information, call (231) 436-5381 or visit them online at michigan.gov/dnr.