Hayes State Park: Onsted, Michigan
Modern Campsites, Wamplers Lake, Michigan International Speedway
Walter J. Hayes State Park in the heart of Michigan's Irish Hills offers a large selection of nearby attractions, activities, restaurants and camp amenities.
Location, Directions and Park Specifics
Located in Southern Michigan 25 miles SE of Jackson and 70 miles SW of Detroit, Hayes State Park is off of US-12, 4 miles E of M-50, with M-124 cutting directly through the park. Rand McNally offers a quality map of the area and customizable driving directions. 1220 Wamplers Lake Road, Onsted, MI 49265 (517)467-7401 or for reservations (800)447-2757. Check in begins at 3pm and check out is 1pm at the latest.
Motor Vehicle Permits (MVP) are required for access to the park and campground. Permits are available annually or daily for Michigan residents or non-residents. Other permits are required for towed vehicles, commercial busses and vans, boat launching, and off road vehicles. Prices range from $6 to $29 and are available at the park or through Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources. Licenses are also needed for hunting and fishing and are available through the DNR as well.
Two vehicles are allowed at each campsite, including guests. Guests are allowed, but need to leave the campground between 10pm and 8am. Quiet hours for Hayes are between 11pm and 8am. Because of Emerald Ash Borer problems, wood needs to be purchased locally and should not be brought in from outside areas. Pets are permitted in the park, but should never be left unattended and need to be on a leash no longer than 6ft.
Park Amenities
With 654 scenic acres, Hayes offers 185 modern campsites and 2 mini-cabins for reservation through the end of October. While camping isn’t available through the winter months, the park is still open to visitors. Hayes State Park is surrounded by many inland lakes, but has direct access to 2: Round Lake, a no wake lake, and Wamplers Lake and beach, an all sport lake.
Hayes campground is in Michigan’s modern category, meaning electric hook-ups, modern toilets and showers, wheelchair handicap accessible features, sanitation stations and pull-through sites are available.
Other Amenities Include:
- Payphone
- Drinking water
- Picnic table
- Picnic area
- Picnic shelter
- Fire ring
- Boat launch
- Fishing pier
- Playground
- Flush toilets
- Enclosed showers
Available Park Activities
- Beaches
- Biking
- Boating
- Canoeing
- Fishing (bluegill, crappie, muskie, sunfish, pike, small mouth bass, large mouth bass)
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Mountain biking
- ORV routes
- Snowmobiling
- Swimming
- Wildlife viewing
- Bird watching
- Volleyball
- Horseshoes
Area Attractions
Many different types of attractions are available within 15 miles of the park in small communities around Onsted. Brooklyn, Tipton, Adrian, Manchester, Hudson, Clayton, Cement City, Bridgewater, Manitou Beach, and Cambridge Junction are all surrounding villages offering a variety of activities.
- Amusement and Water Parks: Stagecoach Stop USA in Onsted, is a western themed amusement park and popular family friendly tourist attraction. Others in the area include: Irish Hills Fun Center, War Zone and Adrian State Park.
- Farms and Mills: Manchester and Brooklyn offer Arend Tree Farm, Alber's Orchard and Cider Mill, Feldkamp's Tree Farm, Fusillier Family Farm and Greenhouse.
- Historic Sites: 7 Historical locations surround the area, including Cherry Creek Old Schoolhouse, Winery and Fudgery in Cement City.
- Kid Destinations: Tipton and Manchester provide child friendly Port to Port Adventure Golf, Carr Park, Chi-Bro Park and Kirk Park.
- Antique, Art and Collectible Shows: Brooklyn-Irish Hills Annual Arts and Crafts Show is held in the month of October.
- Cultural and Heritage Festivals: Attend the Oh These Irish Hills! Festival in September.
- Exhibits and Expos: Plan your trip to attend Fright at the Fairgrounds in Adrian from the end of September through Halloween.
- Outdoor Activities: All of the activities listed above, as well as additional locations for each are available in the area.
- Parks and Preserves: Hayes State Park is located in a very scenic area of Michigan's Irish Hills, and therefore offers a large number of parks and preserves to visit.
- Racetracks: Michigan International Speedway is a destination drawing large numbers of tourists to the area. Reservations need to be made well in advance for summer Nascar races. Hayes State Park is 10 minutes from MIS, and for fans not able to attend the race, car engines can be heard at Wamplers Lake Beach!
- Shopping: Located on M-50, just off of US-23, Cabela's in Dundee, Michigan is conveniently located within reasonable distance for all of your outdoor needs. In addition to Cabela's, the park's surrounding area is home to 11 antique stores plus additional art galleries, craft shops, farmer's and flea markets. Brooklyn, Michigan, the home of MIS, has a quaint village downtown district only minutes away from Hayes State Park.
- Casual and Fine Dining: 27 locally owned restaurants are available within the 15 mile surrounding area of the park. These restaurants are in addition to chain/franchised restaurants, such as nearby Frisch's Big Boy.
- Golf: 9 courses are available within 15 miles of the Park.
- Driving Tours: Irish Hills Hub District of Motor Cities Tour, is a Heritage Tour available to learn about the history of the area.
For additional in-depth city information for Onsted and surrounding areas as well as links to all of the area destinations, visit Michigan.org.
