Brian Manzullo

Detroit Free Press

Staring into Michigan's night sky can provoke a sense of wonder - but not if you're living around Detroit.

Thankfully, there are a handful of parks and wildernesses Up North that are suitable for just that.

In fact, the Headlands International Dark Sky Park, a 600-acre, wooded preserve along the Lake Michigan shoreline near Mackinaw City, was the sixth park in the United States designated for its night sky by the International Dark Sky Association in 2011.

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"It's about protecting the human imagination," said Mary Stewart Adams, Headlands' program director, who helped spearhead the effort to achieve the designation.

There are six other state parks designated as year-round dark sky reserves, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources - including one on the south side of the state - to protect the parks from light pollution.

The full list:

Headlands International Dark Sky Park

Address: 15675 Headlands Rd, Mackinaw City

Website:midarkskypark.org

The skinny: The park is free and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. It's located about two miles west of downtown Mackinaw City. From its website: "The park contains approximately 550 acres of pristine woodlands, more than two miles of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline and many species of rare and endangered plant life. Visitors to the Headlands may experience sightings of the many wild animals native to the area including: bald eagles, osprey, white tail deer, wild turkeys, coyotes and occasionally a black bear. Marked nature trails guide hikers, bicyclists, cross-country skiers, and nature photographers to experience the park throughout the changing seasons."

Lake Hudson Recreation Area

Address: 5505 Morey Highway, Clayton

Website:Michigan.org page

The skinny: Near the Michigan-Ohio border, this park offers dark sky observation for those looking to stargaze toward the southern part of the state. "Skies are generally dark, but skyglow is frequently a problem toward the east, and sometimes in other diretions," according to the Michigan DNR. "Local astronomical observers setting up at Lake Hudson usually use the Picnic or Beach parking areas, as there generally is less night activity there." For more information, look here.

Negwegon State Park

Address: Ossineke, MI 49766

Website:Michigan DNR page

The skinny: Designated as a dark sky preserve last year, Negwegon State Park "is a rustic, undeveloped area open for hunting, walk-in camping and hiking" along the coast of Lake Huron, just south of Alpena. For more information, call 989-724-5126.

Port Crescent State Park

Address: 1775 Port Austin Rd, Port Austin

Website:Michigan.org page

The skinny: Near the tip of Michigan's thumb along Saginaw Bay, this park has "565 acres of woods, offer excellent hunting opportunities, wet lands and the best sand dunes and beaches on the eastern side of the state," according to Michigan.org. For more information, call 989-738-8663.

Rockport State Park

Address: Alpena, MI 49707

Website:Michigan.org page

The skinny: Like Negwegon State Park, Rockport was designated a dark sky preserve in 2016 after being founded as a state park just four years earlier. Former Free Press travel writer Ellen Creager called it "the strangest park" in Michigan when she wrote about it last year. "The park features virgin pines, a bat cave, deep-water pier, sinkholes and beautiful Lake Huron beaches," she wrote.

Thompson's Harbor State Park

Address: Posen, MI 49776

Website:Friends of Thompson's Harbor website

The skinny: Another park based along the Port Huron coastline (about seven-and-a-half miles of it), Thompson's Harbor is undeveloped and "provides a rustic retreat for hikers exploring the park's six miles of trails," according to Michigan.org. The park is supported by nonprofit Friends of Thompson's Harbor. For more information, call 989-734-2543.

Wilderness State Park

Address: 903 Wilderness Park Dr., Carp Lake

Website:Michigan DNR page

The skinny: Wilderness State Park is massive. It "offers visitors a variety of year-round recreational activities within it's over 10,000 acres including 26 miles of beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline, numerous trails, six rustic cabins, three rustic bunkhouses and over 250 modern campsites," according to Michigan.org. It's to the west of Headlands International Dark Sky Park, past Trails End Bay. For more information, call 231-436-5381.

Keith Matheny contributed.

Contact Brian Manzullo: bmanzullo@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianManzullo.

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