Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: A Must-See Michigan Destination

In June 2009, we stayed in Glen Arbor, Michigan with the intent to see Sleeping Bear Dunes one day. It turned out that almost everywhere you drive in this area, you are surrounded by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. We even had a great view of it from our hotel at The Homestead Resort.

Sleeping Bear Dunes is a national park that was shaped by glaciers. The area is made up of lakes, forest areas and, of course, lots of dunes. A dune is basically a large pile of sand, but unlike most beaches, the sand is clean and not full of debris. The dunes cover 35 miles of Lake Michigan's coastline. For only $10, you can get a one week pass to visit any area of the dunes.

While there are many things to be done in this national park, we only had time for a few. If you only have a few hours to visit the dunes, these are the activities you shouldn't miss!

Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive

The scenic drive takes you along a winding road with 12 stops along the way. While some of the stops are just "drive by" opportunities, a lot of the stops are definitely worth parking for. You won't want to miss the following stops, especially if you like beautiful scenery or taking lots of pictures.

The Glen Lake Overlook is the first good stop on the route and here you will see just a small overlook out to Glen Lake as well as the surrounding trees and plants. Next up, you have to stop at the Dune Overlook where you will get a unique view of the dunes. This is one of the tallest dunes you will be standing on at around 200 feet high. This stop gives you a 180 view of the dunes, Glen Lake, South and North Manitou islands, and more. While this may not be the prettiest stop on the tour, it definitely is the most interesting.The Beach Maple Forest is actually a nice place to stop at because it's a very green and pretty forest. You may think it's just trees and there's no reason to stop, but if you pull over for a few minutes you'll get a few nice pictures and a chance to be out of the sun.

Next up, the Lake Michigan Overlook is where most visitors spend the majority of their time. This overlook consists of a dune that goes straight down into Lake Michigan. While you can climb part of the dunes in this area, signs will strongly advise you NOT to take th long climb down to the lake since it is very steep and very hard to come back up. Some brave souls can be seen climbing up the side of this massive steep dune, but we listened to the warnings and stayed in the safe area up top. In addition to sitting in the sand, there is also a wooden overlook that takes you even closer to Lake Michigan. From here you can get a great 180 view of the lake and the dunes.

The final recommended stop is the North Bar Lake Overlook. This is actually a very beautiful lake that I had never heard of until this tour. While many visitors will make a point to stop and take pictures at all 12 stops, we choose to just stop at the ones above. The rest of the stops we could see just by driving by. If you have kids, making a point to stop at all 12 stops may allow them to learn throughout the tour since it comes with a small guide pamphlet which explains each stop.

Tip: Have water in your car, perhaps even a cooler. Sandwiches and snacks will also help. You can stop at any of the overlooks to eat at the overlook or just eat in your car.

The Dune Climb

The next big visitor attraction is the Dune Climb. While there are many dunes you are not allowed to climb, the Dune Climb provides visitors with access to a clean, sandy dune to climb. The initial dune climb is one that almost anyone can do, although it can be rough on a hot day. Make sure you are in good shape and have plenty of water before you try this. At the top of this first dune there is a beautiful view of Glen Lake. Many visitors will lug a picnic lunch up there and sit and relax on the dunes. Others just want to climb up, take some pictures, and climb back down.

More adventurous visitors can be seen taking the almost 2 mile walk to Lake Michigan. This walk involves going up and down many more steep dunes, so we did not feel this was necessary. We had seen Lake Michigan every day from our Hotel, so we didn't feel we had the energy to climb another 3.5 miles (round trip) through the dunes. I would like to do this someday though, perhaps in early spring or fall. It is very hot in the summer and the air gets thinner as you go up, so be prepared to stop along the way, even on the first dune.

Tip: Carry water and even a snack up the dune so you can sit at the top and relax for a few moments. Some visitors also carry umbrellas so they can block the sun once they are at the top. If you are really serious about it, pack a small bag with a blanket, snacks and water and have a picnic on the dune!

Visit Sleeping Bear Dunes, and not just for the views!

These two site-seeing tours are just a few of the many activities that can be done at Sleeping Bear Dunes, and even these took up half a day. A few museums and small towns surround the area giving you other options for things to do when it gets too hot or you have more time. Check out the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park Website as well as the Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau to see all the park has to offer. Enjoy!!