We stayed at Wilderness State Park the end of July. It was our second time camping at the the Pines Campground. There are two other camping options in the park, the East and West Lakeshore campgrounds, but the Pines sites are very nice and just a short bike ride away from the beach areas.
This time of year (summer/July), the campgrounds are completely booked on the weekends, but of you're looking for a site for a night or two, I recommend you keep checking the DNR for cancellations or camp during the weekdays.
The Pines Campground has spacious 20/30 amp sites, but no full hookups available. Each site looked pretty level with room for a tent or popup and plenty of extra room for a screen room. There were a lot of big RVs in the campground, but not a lot of room to move around them. I was surprised to see what some folks were comfortable driving in there.
There are several short trails for hiking and biking. The Pondside trail is about a quarter mile with benches to relax and view wildlife around the pond. My dog liked taking a dip there every day while I enjoyed some photography.
The shower house and bathrooms get pretty crowded with all those sites full of people and only one facility to accommodate them all. Expect a wait if you plan to shower just before quiet time.
Don't miss your chance to spend time on the beach while you're there. My kids and I always find a nice selection of fossils along the shore. The beach isn't very wide, so you may want to take chairs or a thick blanket to sit on in the grassy areas.
If you want a good meal in the area, Darrow's and Pancake Chef are two family friendly restaurants with good prices and a great selection. My son was celebrating his 12th birthday the day we left Wilderness SP for the UP and we stopped in Pancake Chef after packing for breakfast. When our server heard it was his birthday, she brought him a 6" cake with a candle to celebrate later. We thought that was pretty cool because he wouldn't have gotten a birthday cake otherwise.
Overall, Wilderness SP is one of our favorite campgrounds and we plan to visit every year possible. There is a lot to do in the city, like shopping and touristy stuff, if you're into that sort of thing, but if you're looking for relaxation, stay in the park and enjoy yourself.
