W. J. Hayes State Park

06/01/2026

Link for registration is in the comments! 🚣‍♀️⚓️

05/27/2026

Have you seen this in our park? 🤔🍂
We’re curious—what do you call it?

Let us know in the comments! 👇

05/18/2026

Two of our rangers had the pleasure of participating in a career fair at the Hillsdale Area Career Center, where they spoke with students about opportunities within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks Division.

Are you looking to feature outdoor careers at your career fair or host a guest speaker? The rangers from Lake Hudson Recreation Area and W.J. Hayes State Park would be happy to connect with our surrounding communities to share what we do, the importance of our parks, and the many career opportunities available in outdoor recreation and natural resources.

05/16/2026

Hayes campers, following DNR Parks and Recreation Policy, campsites must be occupied within 24 hours of your arrival date, and if not checked in by 3 PM the next day, your campsite will be automatically moved to “No-show”, canceling your stay.

Please plan accordingly, and make modifications to your booking if you are not able to arrive on your arrival date.

This policy will be enforced consistently across all State Parks.

05/11/2026

We would like to give a huge THANK YOU to the group of Master Rain Gardener students from the Natural Resources class at the LISD TECH Center! These high school kids recently took a field trip to our park to install a beautiful new rain garden in our day-use area for all of our visitors to enjoy!

This wonderful addition will help support local wildlife, improve water quality, and add even more natural beauty to the park. If you’re visiting us this summer, make sure to stop by and check it out!

04/22/2026

Today’s the day—camping season is officially here! 🌲⛺️

Ready to unwind, explore, and take in the beauty of the Irish Hills at W.J. Hayes State Park? Check out the link in the comments for all the details and start planning your outdoor getaway today!

04/14/2026

Over the weekend, our rangers helped install two brand-new handmade wood duck boxes, generously donated to Watkins State Park and County Preserve by the park’s Friends Group (FoWL). We’d like to give a huge thank you to them for their continued support and conservation efforts!

Next time you’re visiting the park, be sure to keep an eye out for these new additions.

The Friends Group will also be hosting an Earth Day event this weekend on April 19th for anyone interested in exploring the park or meeting the group. Check out their page (linked in the comments below) and checkout our pages story for the event poster!

04/04/2026

Curious about bringing pets to Michigan state parks? 🐾 Check out the link in the comments for more details!

03/18/2026

03/04/2026

The guessing game is… over!

Hayes Haunting is an event exclusively for our campers, and now it’s time to start planning for this year’s event.

The theme has not been determined yet, so we want to hear from you!
Comment below with a theme you’d love to see for Hayes Haunting this year.🎃