Mar 30 2008
Jackson CitPat: Wampler’s Lake - Jewel of a Lake
The Jackson Citizen Patriot’s Lake Living Magazine has a great article about Wampler’s Lake in Lenawee and Jackson County’s Irish Hills Area. Here are excerpts accompanied by some photos that I took last summer from Walter J. Hayes State Park:
The beautiful, natural lakes of the Irish Hills endure. None is larger or more scenic than Wamplers Lake, a 780-acre jewel southeast of Brooklyn.
White settlers first visited the lakes bordering the Sauk Trail in the 1820s, centuries after native tribes gathered fish, turtles and fur-bearing mammals from the lakes and connecting swamps. The Potawatomi were the last resident tribe, from 1700 to 1830.
Wamplers was developed in the 19th century, but not to the extent of nearby lakes Clark and Devils. Several large land owners controlled the lake for many years, limiting development.
Among them was the Hayes family, whose bequest had a lasting impact on life at Wamplers Lake. Cedar Hill State Park was dedicated on the northeast shore in the 1920s, making it among the oldest in the state park system, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
Today, Hayes State Park takes in 654 acres that include a sprawling beach and picnic area on Wamplers, and a campground on Round Lake, which is connected be a stream under M-124. The woodland park features towering maple, oak and hickory trees.
Taylor is also a good friend of Jerry Andonian, whose family owns Jerry’s Pub, a few doors east. Jerry’s has been known for good food, a relaxing view of the lake and a resort atmosphere for 30 years.
“Jerry’s is a wonderful watering hole,” said Mary Alice Kozenchak, a Realtor for Killarney Realty.
Jerry “B.J.” Andonian Jr. said the family business depends on the summer trade, including boaters who enter at the Irish Hills Marina or at the state launch.
“We added more docks for them to pull up for drinks or dinner. They see the tiki bar, the big deck and the smoke coming off the big grill,” Andonian said.
Jerry’s is the only restaurant on the lake and is a social hub where founder Jerry Andonian is known for belting out Frank Sinatra tunes. A specialty dish is crab cakes said to rival the originals along Chesapeake Bay.
Wamplers is excellent for swimming, fishing and boating. It features sandy, gravely swimming areas the length of the shoreline, with depths moving gradually to 30-40 feet at the center.
The DNR Fisheries Division reports good populations of bluegills, yellow perch, small-mouth and large-mouth bass, crappies, pike and walleyes, with walleyes stocked by local anglers and nearby Knutson’s Recreational Sales.
Wamplers is busy with personal watercraft, pontoons, sailboats and ski boats in warm months, and is popular all year among anglers. Connecting Round Lake, which has a no-wake rule, is quieter but the fishing is considered better on Wamplers.
St. Joseph’s Shrine, just south of Wamplers Lake on U.S. 12, epitomizes the Irish Hills. You do not have to be Catholic to stop and appreciate the history. Twenty Irish immigrants laid the first stones in the 1840s. The first Mass was in 1863.
The view of Iron Lake and the rolling terrain from the stations of the cross is stunning, especially in autumn. The hillside trail is sacred to many visitors and beautiful to all.
We are vacationing in Brooklyn in July. We were told there was a Wampler State Park nearby. Perhaps it’s Hayes? Is there an entrance fee? Is there bike rental? We were told you can bike around the lake. Is this true? Tell us about the Jerry’s Pub. Thanks
Hi Terry!
A portion of Wampler’s Lake is in Walter J. Hayes State Park. The daily entrance fee is $6 for MI residents and $8 for non-residents. Season passes are also available. I don’t know of any bike rental and I do not think that the park itself has bikes for rent. The park has several fishing piers and a solid, if unspectacular, beach.
Can you bike around the lake? Well, there are wide shoulders on M-124 between Walter J. Hayes and Brooklyn. It is a designated bike route. Most lakes in the area do not have complete circle routes. Wampler’s Lake does not have a circle route. That said, you can use M-124 as the backbone of a route and dive into some of the cottage communities along the way.
The Irish Hills area gets kind of a Jimmy Buffet vibe in the summertime, so places like Jerry’s Pub often have bands. I’ve heard some good ones at Jerry’s. Jerry’s has a small dance floor that is nice for some close, fun dancing. The place has a dock that boaters can tie up to from Wampler’s Lake. The food is decent, but not spectacular. I love the wintertime “steak nights.” There is a small “games” area with some arcade games and, I think, an air hockey table. It can be a very fun place with the lake vibe. Take M-50 to US-12 to Egan Highway from Brooklyn.
Another popular local establishment is the Beach Bar. It is located to the northwest of Brooklyn on Clarks Lake. The food is better than Jerry’s and it’s just a touch more upscale. Again, the place has entertainment and a beach vibe that is just excellent in the summer.
Really, the best place to be in the area is on the water. There are 50+ lakes in the area and many can be explored.
Who was Wamplers Lake named after? Is there ice sailing in the winter?