Wilderness State Park occupies a large stretch of northern Michigan’s Lake Michigan shore southwest of Mackinaw City, with extensive shoreline, wetlands, campgrounds, trails, and distinctive dune-and-swale terrain. The state began assembling the land in 1896, set it aside in 1922 as the Emmet State Game Refuge, and redesignated it in 1927 as a state park. Civilian Conservation Corps crews expanded facilities in the 1930s, and part of the park was dedicated as wilderness in 2006. Waugoshance Point, nearby islands, and offshore lighthouses link the landscape to Great Lakes navigation, while important wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and dark sky status make the park especially significant.