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It's park vs. park in this January showdown, and you decide the winner! The State Park Madness tournament, running Jan. 1-31, is intended to promote Michigan state parks and recreation opportunities.
2026 marks a fresh start for the competition. Past winners have been excluded from the list, and all other parks and recreation areas have been added back in! We have randomly drawn the 2026 participants – 32 parks will compete, and the winners will be announced at noon on the final day of each round.
Round 1: Jan. 1-6
Round 2: Jan. 7-11
Round 3: Jan. 12-18
Round 4: Jan. 19-25
Championship Round: Jan. 26-31
Winners will receive the official State Parks Madness trophy and bragging rights for a full year.
How to play
Fill out your 2026 bracket! Will your favorite park advance to the finals?
To vote on Facebook, react to the uploaded photo of the competing parks. Use either a heart symbol or a care symbol to show which park you support.
New in 2026! Vote with Microsoft Forms! Use the following links to vote:
- Round 1, Jan. 1-6.
- Round 2, Jan. 7-11.
- Round 3, Jan. 12-18.
- Round 4, Jan. 19-25.
- Championship Round, Jan. 26-31.
To play in person, visit us at the Outdoor Adventure Center beginning Jan. 2 and cast your ballot. Ballots are located on the first floor near the gift shop. Staff will combine physical ballots with voting on social media for a final result in each round.
Don't forget to vote in every round!
2026 parks
Aloha State Park
Baraga State Park
Brighton Recreation Area
Brimley State Park
Charles Mears State Park
Coldwater Lake State Park
Craig Lake State Park
Fisherman's Island State Park
Fort Custer Recreation Area
Fort Wilkins Historic State Park
Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park
Harrisville State Park
Interlochen State Park
Ionia State Recreation Area
Island Lake Recreation Area
JW Wells State Park
Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park
Lake Hudson Recreation Area
Lakeport State Park
Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area
Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park
Muskallonge Lake State Park
Negwegon State Park
Newaygo State Park
Petoskey State Park
P.J. Hoffmaster State Park
South Higgins Lake State Park
Tippy Dam Recreation Area
Van Buren Trail State Park
Waterloo Recreation Area
William Mitchell State Park
William G. Milliken State Park
Previous winners include
Tahquamenon Falls State Park (2018)
Bald Mountain Recreation Area (2019)
Port Crescent State Park (2021)
Holland State Park (2023)
WJ Hayes State Park (2024)
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (2025)
(The competition was not held in 2020 or 2022.)