Exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore In Michigan

So Much Fun Exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore In Michigan 

We had so much fun exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on our visit to Michigan.  

From our stay on Bear Lake, we headed north along the Lake Michigan shore.  We stopped at Point Betsie Lighthouse and then hiked along the Boekeloo Cabin Trail to the dunes on the water.  

We kept heading north and then travelled around the Pierce Stocking Scenic Loop at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.  Each stop provided interesting sights over the water and dunes.  It was a fascinating day trip in Michigan.  

About The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a 72,000-acre national park and covered about 60 km (35 mi) along Lake Michigan’s eastern coastline.  Included are the two offshore islands offshore – North and South Manitou Islands.  The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was established in 1970 to protect the dunes and other natural formations.  This was originally the home of the Anishinaabek peoples and was named for a local Sleeping Bear legend.  The large sand dune represents the mother bear buried in the sand after becoming separated from her two cubs (which are commemorated by the two islands off the shore).

We drove the Pierce Stocking Scenic Loop in the park.  It was a 12 km ( 7.4mi ) long loop with 12 stops along the way.  This scenic route was open from May through November.  We found different hiking paths from stops along the loop.

There were long stretches of sand beach and bluffs that towered 450’ above Lake Michigan.  We could even climb the dunes in a few different spots.  The Dune Climb was located north of the Pierce Stocking Scenic Loop on M-109 – about 5 miles outside of Empire.  At Stop 10 on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Loop we saw it was also possible to climb down the dunes to the water.

The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail included over 20 miles of accessible walking and biking trails.  Some of the trails were groomed for cross country skiing in the winter.  We saw hills and forests thick with birch, pine, beech and maple trees.  The park included 26 small inland lakes and meandering rivers.  Different spots offered canoes and kayaks to explore the waters.  

If we wanted to camp in the park, we learned there were 12 different campsite locations around the park.  One was open year round but others had different opening and closing dates.  

We enjoyed small sand dunes close to home at the Scarborough Bluffs in Bluffers Park. So we were excited to start exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan. 

A First Stop At Point Betsie Lighthouse

There were so many lighthouses along the coast line in Michigan.  When we headed north to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore we planned a first stop at the Point Betsie Lighthouse.  

This lighthouse was open to the public to visit the museum and climb the stairs – except on the Tuesday we visited!  But we wandered along the shore for a good look at the lighthouse.  

We enjoyed some time looking out at the blue green waters of Lake Michigan.  It was a relaxing way to start our day exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

A Dune Hike At The Boekeloo Cabin Trail

As we drive north along Hwy 22, we passed by the clear and blue Crystal Lake.  We found a colourful mural by the roadside but no pullout with lake access.  

The highway continually drew closer and then further from Lake Michigan.  When we saw a road marked “Seasonal Road” heading towards to water, we turned down a single lane through the woods.  At one point, another car pulled into a small pullout to let us pass by.  We were not sure if the road went straight to the water or stopped short.  

When the road stopped at a parking lot, we saw a marked path leading toward the water.  The GPS said the path went another 1.3km (0.8 mi) further.  Just beyond the entrance we found the Boekeloo Cabin.  We later learned this cabin was available for rent.

The path twisted through the forest uphill and downhill.  When the path turned very sandy and we saw a reminder about “No Dogs”, we knew we were close to the water.  The sandy path became deeper and hillier as we reached the dunes at the water.

When we climbed the last sand dune we were rewarded with a view of the long sand beach on Lake Michigan.  We settled down and enjoyed the view before we headed back.

It took us about 90 minutes to do the dune hike.  But it was an interesting start to exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Taking The Scenic Loop Exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 

We stopped at the Visitor Center for the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.  On our early research we could not find a map of the different attractions or viewpoints to plan our stops.  And we were not certain what the park fee covered.  At the Visitor Center we got a map and paid $25 for a pass.  There were no viewpoints available without paying this fee.

We proceeded to the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and had our pass checked at the gate.  Each of the stops was marked on the map and with a plaque on the road.  The first marked spot was the Covered Bridge.  

The next two stops had parking for views out over Glen Lake and a panoramic view over the Dunes.  We were fascinated to see how much green space there was in the sandy dunes.

Our first stops on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive teased us with views exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Great Close Up Views Of The Dunes On Lake Michigan

Several of the stops along the scenic drive were educational with information about the dune ecology, the Beech-Maple forest and the Pine Plantation.  We passed by these stops.  The big parking lot was at the viewpoints for Lake Michigan Overlook and Sleeping Bear Overlook.  

We headed up the sand path and immediately saw the sign warning about the distance down the dunes to the water and the cost of a rescue.  When we got to the top and looked down the steep dune side we understood. But we saw many people make their way to the bottom and back up.

We walked to the platform overlooking the dunes.  From there we got a great view along the dunes and Lake Michigan.  There was a deep sand path up the hill for a view of the Sleeping Bear Dune.   But by this time our legs had enough walking in deep sand and we passed on that dune view.

When we got back in the car, we kept going along the scenic drive for our last stop at the North Bar Overlook.  This point gave us a lovely look over Lake Michigan.  And there was even a selfie spot set up!  

We found some amazing viewpoints on Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Heading North To Historic Fishtown In Leland 

After our trip around the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive we were ready for a break.  We finally found the location for the Dune Hike outside of the scenic drive but we were not up for more climbing in deep sand.

We drove through the charming small towns of Glen Haven and Glen Arbor.  Stopping at the beach, we got another view of the amazing blue waters of Lake Michigan.

We kept going until we reached the small town of Leland.  This was also known an Historic Fishtown.  We walked around the pier and it was immediately obvious that this was an active fishing town.

We planned our visit to Leland for the home made ice cream at the Dam Candy Shop but were sad to find it closed when we arrived.  But when we found Rick’s Cafe beside the dam with an exciting waterway, we settled in for dinner with a view.

After dinner, we made one final stop for Moomers ice cream at Leland Harbour House.  We then headed back to our stay on Bear Lake.  And finished our day exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

A First Visit Exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

We had a fun day exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore area.  The vast sandy dunes on Lake Michigan were a big draw as we travelled around Michigan.  We were glad we spent some time exploring.  

Did you enjoy exploring Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore?  What fun did we miss?

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