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Map showing campground location near Tipton, Michigan
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FacilitiesMap showing campground location near Tipton, Michigan

W. J. Hayes State Park Campground

11 ReviewsAdd Review
SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

Shaded sites, lake access, and electric hookups in Michigan's Irish Hills put W. J. Hayes State Park Campground on the radar for families and RV travelers alike. The campground sits within Hayes State Park and runs two loops, with sites along the outer edges tending to have more tree cover and spacing than those closer to the interior. Some sites get full sun. Reviewers consistently point out that site spacing is tight, particularly in the west loop, and that a neighboring camper can make things feel cramped fast.

Water access drives a lot of the activity here. The campground borders Wamplers Lake, and there's also access to Round Lake, with a fishing pier, a boat launch with ample parking, and rentals available for kayaks, pedal boats, and canoes. The beach is on the smaller side, and at least one reviewer noted litter in the water and on the sand during a busy summer weekend. Rangers do walk the loops in the evenings, and as Beth H. noted, things "fell pretty quiet by midnight, after rangers walked through." Saturday nights in peak season can be loud.

Amenities are solid across the board. Every site has electric hookups, and full hookups with water and sewer are available for RVs up to 50 feet, though longer rigs should know that most sites won't accommodate them comfortably due to the tree line. Showers are private with hot water. Firewood runs $5 per bundle at the ranger station, which also stocks ice and park information. A dog run, a nature trail through one of the loops, volleyball courts, and horseshoes round out the on-site options.

Reservations are accepted and make sense for summer weekends, when the campground fills up. The nearby Ja Do Park Campground gives campers another option in the area. Michigan International Speedway is roughly ten minutes away, and the campground sees a notable uptick in visitors during race events, including day-use traffic from track campers using the dump station. Reviewers suggest sites 93 through 96 for more shade and separation from neighbors.

W. J. Hayes works best for families with kids, RV travelers who want hookups with lake access, and anyone using the Irish Hills as a base for events at MIS.

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Warning 1 Alert is In Effect

There is 1 alert for this campground. Camp safely!

Check in your campsite reservation and occupy your campsite no later than 3 p.m. one day after your scheduled arrival date to avoid being automatically cancelled. If you need to arrive later, you must adjust your arrival date by calling 1-800-44(PARKS) or by going on-line to www.midnrreservations.com . If you don't check in or update your arrival date, our system will automatically cancel your reservation and youll incur the loss of two nights' fees, the non-refundable reservation fee, $10 cancellation fee and the reduced-stay fee. Staff are unable to override this process.

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Map & DirectionsW. J. Hayes State Park Campground is located in Michigan near Tipton

Detail location of campground
Public Campground

Directions

Park entrance is located on US-12; 7 miles west of M-52 or 5 miles east of M-50; 25 miles east of Jackson; 70 miles southwest of Detroit.

Address

1220 Wamplers Lake Road
Onsted, MI 49265

Coordinates

42.06795661 N
84.1363154 W

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Connectivity

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  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 14 users
    Last on 7/27/26
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 2 users
    Last on 7/27/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T5G
    Excellent Coverage

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Presented byHershey's

Connectivity

Presented byT-MobileT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 14 users
    Last on 7/27/26
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 2 users
    Last on 7/27/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T5G
    Excellent Coverage

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group
  • Cabins

Features

For Campers

  • Market
  • ADA Access
  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Showers
  • Drinking Water
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Sewer Hookups
  • Water Hookups
  • Pull-Through Sites
  • 30 Amp Hookups
  • 50 Amp Hookups
  • Big Rig Friendly

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Reviews11 Camper Reviews - W. J. Hayes State Park Campground

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5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

27%
64%
9%
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4.0

out of 5

11 Reviews

Multiple campers commented on the excellent family amenities including lake access, activities, and reliable facilities. Guests commonly noted peaceful settings, though some weekend noise occurs. The campground offers good value with electric sites and hot showers.

SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile
Reviewed Jan. 4, 2026

Great first trip here

From check in to check out great experience plenty of fun activities and even a little library kids can check books out during our stay

Site93
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Sep. 28, 2024

Travel Trailers

If your longer than 40ft be aware most sites will not work for you here, they do have some but the wood line, privacy and nature is great. Lots of activities for the family by camp staff. Water sports and lots of trails

Site84
Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Jul. 15, 2024

Hayes State Park

We stayed in a tent on site 32, this was a very nice campground, peaceful, with trails and ample shade. Campsites were decently sized, fire pits were big, $5 per bundle of dry wood, showers were private with hot water, and there were activities and a beach/playground for kids. Checkin/out was simple, and coffee/hot coco was provided by the campsite each morning. Will be returning to this campsite again. I suggest sites 93-96 for more private/shaded sites.

Site32
Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Sep. 22, 2021

Nice area

Nice area in the Irish Hills. The campground has a couple of loops. Most sites around the outside are decently wooded. There’s a nice little mile nature trail through one of those loops.

There’s a nice dog run that we took advantage of.

There’s a couple of lakes where you can fish and kayak.

The day use area has a nice big grass picnic area. The beach is pretty small but it’s still a beach. Dogs are allowed at the day use area.

Update: we went camping at MIS for NASCAR and this state park is about a 10 minute drive from the track and the campgrounds at the track. We camped at the track but used the Lake here. I also noticed campers from the race using the dump station here at this park!

Site83
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Alex H., September 22, 2021
  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Alex H., September 22, 2021
  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Alex H., September 22, 2021
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2021

Nice place to camp

2 lakes with good fishing, some sites are full sun. Many have great shade. Close to MIS racetrack

Site76
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Sep. 3, 2019

Nice place

Take the kids there and they love it. Nice little fishing pier and access to Round lake and Wamplers lake. Decent beach and park.

  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Gary R., September 3, 2019
  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Gary R., September 3, 2019
Reviewed Jun. 16, 2019

Great state park in the Irish Hills

Hayes State Park is a great little spot in the Irish Hills. It rained the whole time we were there (boo!) but we tried to make the best of it. Our site was the perfect spot for two tents and a hammock, and I loved the fire pit and table being next to the driveway. There’s electric at every site, and a paved driveway for RVs. One thing is that the sites in the east loop, while a little more spaced out than the west loop, are still real close together. If there had been someone in the spot to our left, it would’ve felt really cramped. The ranger office was nice, clean, and had lots of information ready! Firewood and ice are available there as well for reasonable prices. The bathroom building was right in the center of our loop, and had warm showers that were great after a day of cold mist. They aren’t the cleanest, but with how many people were there it was well kept and stocked. This is obviously a campground geared towards families, with tons to do from the beach, to volleyball courts and horseshoes. The main attraction is of course Wamplers Lake, and you can rent kayaks, pedal boats and canoes to go explore around the lake. Overall, this is a great campsite if you are a family, or attending an event at MIS right down the road. If you enjoy more secluded campsites, this isn’t the spot for you.

  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Emma W., June 16, 2019
  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Emma W., June 16, 2019
  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Emma W., June 16, 2019
  • (13) View All
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2018

overcrowded

Huge beach, large boat dock and lots of campsite spaces w power. The beach and water is full of litter. Boat launch was big with plenty of parking. We launched kayaks and paddled over to the swim area. Dogs and cigarette butts all over the beach. Walking to the restroom, it was a long walk and I could not locate any trash cans. Family friendly picnic areas with tables are spaced along the beach. Campsites are small and mostly dirt. Saturday night was packed with partying campers. Lots of dogs of all varieties, and temperaments. Unless you had a camper with a fan to drown out noise, then getting our kids to sleep would have been very difficult. Barking dogs, teenagers running through and past campsites until around 11pm. All fell pretty quiet by midnight, after rangers walked through. Dirt lots but paved camper pads.

  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Beth H., August 5, 2018
  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Beth H., August 5, 2018
  • Review photo of W. J. Hayes State Park Campground by Beth H., August 5, 2018
Reviewed Jun. 13, 2018

Quiet and relaxing

I’ve always loved going to this campground growing up. It has access to Wamplers Lake and there are several other lakes near by. The area is quiet and clean.

Month of VisitMay
Reviewed Apr. 17, 2018

Nice spot in Irish Hills

Needed a quick weekend getaway, and found this place. Very nice, lots to do in surrounding area. Lake is pretty. Nearby MIS. Hidden Lake Gardens are absolutely beautiful to wander around.

Month of VisitSeptember
Showing results 1-11 of 11 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

What amenities and facilities are available at Hayes State Park Campground?

W.J. Hayes State Park Campground offers electric hookups at every site, spacious campsites with fire pits and tables positioned conveniently next to the driveways. The campground features clean shower facilities with hot water and private shower stalls. Additional amenities include a fishing pier, a dog run for pets, a playground for children, and organized activities run by camp staff. Firewood is available for purchase at $5 per bundle. The campground also has restrooms, though some campers note they can be a bit of a walk from certain sites.

What activities can I enjoy at Wamplers Lake in Hayes State Park?

Wamplers Lake offers numerous recreational opportunities including swimming at the large beach area, boating with access via a spacious boat dock and launch area with ample parking, fishing from the pier or shoreline, and paddling activities like kayaking. The lake provides a scenic setting for water sports and relaxation. Additionally, there's a playground near the beach for children. The park connects to Round Lake as well, providing even more fishing and water recreation options.

How do I make reservations at Hayes State Park Campground?

Reservations for W.J. Hayes State Park Campground can be made through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources reservation system. The check-in and check-out process is straightforward and efficient. For the most current availability and to secure your spot, visit the Michigan DNR website or call their reservation line. It's advisable to book well in advance, especially for summer weekends and holidays when the campground fills quickly.

What's the difference between the East and West loops at Hayes State Park Campground?

The campground features multiple loops with distinct characteristics. The outer sites in the loops tend to be more wooded with good shade coverage, while some inner sites are in full sun. One loop contains a nice mile-long nature trail, perfect for short hikes. Site sizes and privacy levels vary between loops, with the outer perimeter generally offering more seclusion and tree coverage. Larger RVs (over 40 feet) may find limited suitable sites, so it's important to check site specifications when booking if you have a larger rig.

Are there cabins available at Hayes State Park?

Hayes State Park primarily offers traditional camping sites rather than cabins. The park focuses on tent and RV camping with electric hookups available at sites. For those seeking indoor accommodations, you might need to look at nearby private campgrounds in the Irish Hills area that offer cabin rentals. If cabin camping is your preference, contact the Michigan DNR to inquire about other state parks in the region that do provide cabin options.

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