Wilderness State Park: hunting and access
Wilderness State Park is 11,165 acres in Emmet County, 2 miles from Cross Village, listed by the DNR as "Open" for hunting and trapping. Hunters reported 1,158 deer in Emmet County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's state parks hunting data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR reported deer harvest, 2022 to 2025.
State game and wildlife areasState forest and other DNR landState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Wilderness State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 11,165 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Emmet County |
| Deer harvest unit | Emmet County |
| Hunting and trapping (DNR) | Open |
| Early goose season (DNR) | Open, Day After Labor Day - 9/15 |
| DNR parks district | Gaylord |
| Nearest towns | Cross Village (2 mi), Mackinaw City (5 mi) and Carp Lake (5 mi) |
What are the rules on Wilderness State Park?
The DNR's map of state parks open to hunting lists Wilderness State Park as "Open" for hunting and trapping.
Open for the early goose season (Day After Labor Day - 9/15), by the DNR's map.
The DNR's note: Standard 450' Safety Zones apply around occupied buildings (not shown).
How many deer are taken around Wilderness State Park?
Wilderness State Park lies in Emmet County. Hunters reported 1,158 deer in Emmet County in 2025, against 1,292 in 2024.
| County | Wilderness State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmet County | 10,791 | 1,158 | 1,292 | 1,072 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the park alone: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
How do you get to Wilderness State Park?
Nearest towns: Cross Village (2 miles), Mackinaw City (5 miles), Carp Lake (5 miles) and Levering (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 31 and M 119.
What other public land is near Wilderness State Park?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- O'Neal Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 1,251 acres, next to it
- French Farm Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 2,950 acres, 2.4 miles away
- Dingman Marsh Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 4,866 acres, 6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Wilderness State Park
Counting Wilderness State Park itself, 16,441 of the 101,307 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (16.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State parks and recreation areas | 8,157 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 7,651 |
| State game and wildlife areas | 499 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 120 |
| County, city and regional land | 14 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Wilderness State Park?
In Emmet County, 2 miles from Cross Village.
Can you hunt in Wilderness State Park?
The DNR's map lists it as "Open" for hunting and trapping.
How much public land is around Wilderness State Park?
16,441 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Wilderness State Park included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is O'Neal Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area (next to it).
Get a Michigan hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Michigan included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: Michigan DNR wildlife property project areas.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's land ownership records (state forest).
- Deer harvest: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
FilledTag is not part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.