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A strenuous workout with an amazing payoff at the end. We started around 10 am on a cloudy morning when it had rained over night which actually made the sand a bit firmer. You start out scaling a huge sand dune and will be huffing and puffing by the time you reach the top. Next veer to your right where you'll see a sign that's the official start of the 1.8 mile hike through the loose sand up and over hills. You will follow the tall poles each with a number: 1-27. It is ESSENTIAL that you have a hat and WATER. There are some great view and best to avoid the midday hours. At the end there's an amazing, long sand beach with turquoise water where you wish you could sit for the rest of the day but alas, you've got an hour reverse trek back with a really tough section in the middle. Saw lots of families with little kids and little or know water-not a good idea, and a few being carried. Like the signs say at the start-this is an arduous (but rewarding) hike. If you are prepared and take you time, and aren't 80, you can make it!
If you want to experience the longest sand dune along fresh water in the world, go to the Dune Climb. There's a small entrance free (national park card holders get in free) that once paid, leads you to a spacious parking lot just below the first dune. Use the public restroom nearby, apply sunscreen, grab water and leave your shoes in the car. Start climbing. Be warned- if you want to make it to Lake Michigan, you'll hike over over two dozen sand dunes, many of them pretty steep, before reaching Lake Michigan. If you don't have small kids, it's worth the trek. The view at the end and the climb down to the lake are stunning. It's why Good Morning America called Sleeping Bear Dunes "the most beautiful place in America" in 2011. However, if you go with small kids, go prepared. You'll carry them half the way and bring plenty of water and sunscreen. If you're not used to climbing, you can still do it, but be prepared to take breaks along the way. It's not uncommon to see people do a short hike in without reaching Lake Michigan. They say the entire hike and back can take 3-4 hours. For a shorter hike to the lake, go to the Sleeping Bear Point Trailhead. It's a half mile hike to Lake Michigan.
The Sleeping Bear Dune Climb is honestly SO overrated, but I also don't completely mind it because I know it can be fun, especially for little kids. But looking on to this as an adult, it's exhausting! All it is is one giant climb. Like literally, one giant dune climb. I believe it's the largest/highest dune climb in the country, but don't quote me on that! It's just kind of EXTREMELY overrated because 1) this is the most popular attraction within Sleeping Bear and 2) once you get to the top of the climb, there's not much to do except enjoy the view of the parking lot down below, a lake in the far off distance behind the parking lot, and sand dunes as far as the eye can see in all other directions. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice view, but I don't think to me it's worth the killer climb up the dune, but ESPECIALLY if you're doing this in the deathly heat of the summer. As an adult, it's completely exhausting. But I get all Michiganders needing to do this at least once in their life. But once is enough! Tell me why I've done this climb 3 times at this point?! What saddens me is that you don't even get a view of Lake Michigan once you get to the top. You think that you'd be able to see the GREAT lake given that this is a national lakeshore and all, but don't get it twisted. This dune climb will NOT give you views of Lake Michigan. If you want to, you'd have to walk the ENTIRE TRAIL to get to Lake Michigan, and then it's another steep descent down to the lake before you have to basically attempt to conquer dune climb #2 back up to the trail to begin your hike back to the dune climb parking lot. And did I mention this trail starting with the dune climb to get all the way to Lake Michigan is over 3.5 miles of ascents and descents over dunes? It's brutal, especially in the summer. Still, many attempt it, but there's also a ton who don't and just do the dune climb, take some pictures at the top, then head back down. I'm exhausted just thinking about it, writing this review! Do it once & be done with it, and not during summer if you can! Don't say I didn't warn you!
It's like a giant sandy beach here. I haven't been here since I was 7 or 8 years old and camped nearby with my friend and her family when we were wee bit kids. The hill seemed so much bigger when I was a kid. My husband recalled a much more steeper hill. It's flat but still high up. Arrived by 4:50pm. We started out climb up at 4:56 PM. I can feel it in my glutes. We are at the first flat part by 5:01pm. Up at the very top and taking a breather on the benches by 5:12pm. Be sure to breath through your nose and out through your mouth, it will burn your lungs less on the climb up. Great views from atop the dunes. Had enough sand in my short boots and socks that it felt like a rock by my toes and added 2-3 inches to my boot heels as well. Much harder climb today than it was when I was 7 years old. Great exercise and good for an outdoor activity and maintaining social distance. It's like a giant sandbox here.
What the what?! Why am i know just hearing about this place?! No literally only thought dunes were for vehicles only; i didn't know we can't walk on here. ITS SO BEAUTIFUL!!! Side note - don't try to be a "badazz" and run up the hill; your thighs will BURN. Lol! I only went up the hill and came back down; i promise you next time i'll walk to water. #bucketlist We didn't come prepared and i didn't want to do the hike solo, so until we meet again. Happy Exploring!!!
The dunes are incredible and seem so out of place for...actually, they are just so different that this unique ecosystem is sort of like walking into a dreamscape or a movie fantasy scene. I recommend seeing it. For the logistics, there is a parking lot at the base of one of the huge dunes. You will have to pay a NPS parking fee ($20). The park has bathrooms to the side of the parking lot. The ladies' restroom was fine. There is no easy way about it: to SEE the dunes, you have to walk UP the dunes. It is all sand, so this can be difficult, even for the fitter folks among us. You can take your time and there were many families with small children and people of varying fitness credentials all over the dunes. It's easier going when you get to the top of that first dune, but it's still slinky sand walking ahead. Some people in my group took off their shoes and said the sand was very soft. Another in my group rolled down the dune toward the parking lot on our return. She said it was great fun. When we got back to the car, we all had to empty our sneakers of sand!
It was the perfect day for this sand dune climb. Admissions to the park by car is $25 and good for a week and at all the entrances at sleeping bear dune climb. Since we were not staying a full week, it is a bit pricey. Lots of parking, decent bathrooms, vending machines, and water fountains. The climb up the dunes is pretty exhausting, but if you can make it through the 3.5 mile of hills you would get to the lake. We were not well equipped for the full hike, we would have needed some hats, extra sunscreen, and a way to carry our water with us. We did make it to the top of the first hill to look down, and that was really pretty cool. We would definitely do this again!
As always a great visit to wear the kids out. What kid doesn't love sand and climbing a giant hill. My kids went up and down several times. At lunch at the benches on the bottom and got to rinse off our feet before heading back to the vehicle. National park so it does cost more. What a great view of the water.
10 days ago
Be prepared to feel the pain of the climb. The view from the top is breathtaking! I recommend taking it slow and steady. My kids ran up and down the dune. Additional scenic views if you climb the second dune. Plenty of parking. Bring your own water. Note: This is not the newsworthy dune climb that costs thousands of dollars to be rescued. This is the dedicated dune climb for visitors to enjoy. read more
I made it through the entire walkthrough and back! No need to pay that $3,000 SOS fee. Overall, this climb and walk was definitely a challenge that I was not prepared for. I recommend if you come here you do this barefoot but you might step on a few things like what I did but thankfully it didn't completely slice my foot open. I personally think it was harder going up the mountain starting to course to the beach but it was a little bit more easier on the way back. I just followed the markers. There are 28 of them ( technically 27 but I consider the beach 28) you will be going through tons of inclines and decline through sand! I highly recommend drinking water the entire time. Thankfully it did not rain throughout my walk but I would imagine it would make this a lot more harder to get through. It took me about an hour to get one way and about 50 minutes heading back. If you're just try going to the top of that mountain and if that was a giant challenge I highly recommend not following that trail. read more
2 years ago
Scenery: Gorgeous Climbing Dunes: Holy s**t!!! Ive always been athletic and in shape enough to handle even tough tasks. This was different. I knew once I reached the too of the dune and looked down. People at the bottom were like ants, it was a birds view! As I headed down I was battling myself on how idiotic this was, but it was easy enough going down and kids are doing it. What could go wrong? A lot. Started next to a man probably 10-15 years older than myself, he started chatting me up, pumping me up, I soon realized he was sociopathic. He took to that hill with the simplicity of a fish swimming. I stopped a good 30 times, for some reason didn't bring water and I was drinking earlier. Less than halfway up, I started doubting if I was going to make it. All is well that ends well, I made it to the top of the hill. He was up there asking what happened very snidely, I wanted to throw them back down the hill. read more
A strenuous workout with an amazing payoff at the end. We started around 10 am on a cloudy morning when it had rained over night which actually made the sand a bit firmer. You start out scaling a huge sand dune and will be huffing and puffing by the time you reach the top. Next veer to your right where you'll see a sign that's the official start of the 1.8 mile hike through the loose sand up and over hills. You will follow the tall poles each with a number: 1-27. It is ESSENTIAL that you have a hat and WATER. There are some great view and best to avoid the midday hours. At the end there's an amazing, long sand beach with turquoise water where you wish you could sit for the rest of the day but alas, you've got an hour reverse trek back with a really tough section in the middle. Saw lots of families with little kids and little or know water-not a good idea, and a few being carried. Like the signs say at the start-this is an arduous (but rewarding) hike. If you are prepared and take you time, and aren't 80, you can make it! read more
11 months ago
Beautiful dunes near the lake. The big first bill does not leave you near the lake. As other reviews have noted, there's many dunes before you get there. Bring water if hiking more than the first hill. We went on a hot, sunny day but luckily there was a nice breeze. read more
If you want to experience the longest sand dune along fresh water in the world, go to the Dune Climb. There's a small entrance free (national park card holders get in free) that once paid, leads you to a spacious parking lot just below the first dune. Use the public restroom nearby, apply sunscreen, grab water and leave your shoes in the car. Start climbing. Be warned- if you want to make it to Lake Michigan, you'll hike over over two dozen sand dunes, many of them pretty steep, before reaching Lake Michigan. If you don't have small kids, it's worth the trek. The view at the end and the climb down to the lake are stunning. It's why Good Morning America called Sleeping Bear Dunes "the most beautiful place in America" in 2011. However, if you go with small kids, go prepared. You'll carry them half the way and bring plenty of water and sunscreen. If you're not used to climbing, you can still do it, but be prepared to take breaks along the way. It's not uncommon to see people do a short hike in without reaching Lake Michigan. They say the entire hike and back can take 3-4 hours. For a shorter hike to the lake, go to the Sleeping Bear Point Trailhead. It's a half mile hike to Lake Michigan. read more
The Sleeping Bear Dune Climb is honestly SO overrated, but I also don't completely mind it because I know it can be fun, especially for little kids. But looking on to this as an adult, it's exhausting! All it is is one giant climb. Like literally, one giant dune climb. I believe it's the largest/highest dune climb in the country, but don't quote me on that! It's just kind of EXTREMELY overrated because 1) this is the most popular attraction within Sleeping Bear and 2) once you get to the top of the climb, there's not much to do except enjoy the view of the parking lot down below, a lake in the far off distance behind the parking lot, and sand dunes as far as the eye can see in all other directions. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice view, but I don't think to me it's worth the killer climb up the dune, but ESPECIALLY if you're doing this in the deathly heat of the summer. As an adult, it's completely exhausting. But I get all Michiganders needing to do this at least once in their life. But once is enough! Tell me why I've done this climb 3 times at this point?! What saddens me is that you don't even get a view of Lake Michigan once you get to the top. You think that you'd be able to see the GREAT lake given that this is a national lakeshore and all, but don't get it twisted. This dune climb will NOT give you views of Lake Michigan. If you want to, you'd have to walk the ENTIRE TRAIL to get to Lake Michigan, and then it's another steep descent down to the lake before you have to basically attempt to conquer dune climb #2 back up to the trail to begin your hike back to the dune climb parking lot. And did I mention this trail starting with the dune climb to get all the way to Lake Michigan is over 3.5 miles of ascents and descents over dunes? It's brutal, especially in the summer. Still, many attempt it, but there's also a ton who don't and just do the dune climb, take some pictures at the top, then head back down. I'm exhausted just thinking about it, writing this review! Do it once & be done with it, and not during summer if you can! Don't say I didn't warn you! read more
It's like a giant sandy beach here. I haven't been here since I was 7 or 8 years old and camped nearby with my friend and her family when we were wee bit kids. The hill seemed so much bigger when I was a kid. My husband recalled a much more steeper hill. It's flat but still high up. Arrived by 4:50pm. We started out climb up at 4:56 PM. I can feel it in my glutes. We are at the first flat part by 5:01pm. Up at the very top and taking a breather on the benches by 5:12pm. Be sure to breath through your nose and out through your mouth, it will burn your lungs less on the climb up. Great views from atop the dunes. Had enough sand in my short boots and socks that it felt like a rock by my toes and added 2-3 inches to my boot heels as well. Much harder climb today than it was when I was 7 years old. Great exercise and good for an outdoor activity and maintaining social distance. It's like a giant sandbox here. read more
What the what?! Why am i know just hearing about this place?! No literally only thought dunes were for vehicles only; i didn't know we can't walk on here. ITS SO BEAUTIFUL!!! Side note - don't try to be a "badazz" and run up the hill; your thighs will BURN. Lol! I only went up the hill and came back down; i promise you next time i'll walk to water. #bucketlist We didn't come prepared and i didn't want to do the hike solo, so until we meet again. Happy Exploring!!! read more
2 years ago
Amazing!! Nothing else like it. It is one of my favorite outdoor things to do in Michigan. Highly recommend tackling the dune climb! Kids have a blast too! read more
The dunes are incredible and seem so out of place for...actually, they are just so different that this unique ecosystem is sort of like walking into a dreamscape or a movie fantasy scene. I recommend seeing it. For the logistics, there is a parking lot at the base of one of the huge dunes. You will have to pay a NPS parking fee ($20). The park has bathrooms to the side of the parking lot. The ladies' restroom was fine. There is no easy way about it: to SEE the dunes, you have to walk UP the dunes. It is all sand, so this can be difficult, even for the fitter folks among us. You can take your time and there were many families with small children and people of varying fitness credentials all over the dunes. It's easier going when you get to the top of that first dune, but it's still slinky sand walking ahead. Some people in my group took off their shoes and said the sand was very soft. Another in my group rolled down the dune toward the parking lot on our return. She said it was great fun. When we got back to the car, we all had to empty our sneakers of sand! read more
6 years ago
Definitely check out if you're in the area! We went in the fall and the leaves were changing and it was really pretty around the area. The water is so blue! It was pretty similar in all the areas around it so you probably don't need to check out each area. Enjoy! read more
7 years ago
It was the perfect day for this sand dune climb. Admissions to the park by car is $25 and good for a week and at all the entrances at sleeping bear dune climb. Since we were not staying a full week, it is a bit pricey. Lots of parking, decent bathrooms, vending machines, and water fountains. The climb up the dunes is pretty exhausting, but if you can make it through the 3.5 mile of hills you would get to the lake. We were not well equipped for the full hike, we would have needed some hats, extra sunscreen, and a way to carry our water with us. We did make it to the top of the first hill to look down, and that was really pretty cool. We would definitely do this again! read more
As always a great visit to wear the kids out. What kid doesn't love sand and climbing a giant hill. My kids went up and down several times. At lunch at the benches on the bottom and got to rinse off our feet before heading back to the vehicle. National park so it does cost more. What a great view of the water. read more
We had a ton of fun exploring this national park. We stopped at the visitor center and viewed the wildlife and tips for exploring the park. This is also where public restrooms are located for the park. 1 day to 7 day pass is $25. We did the Empire Bluff trail which offers beautiful views of Lake Michigan and the dunes. The overlook is impressive. Note: climbing the dunes at the overlook is extremely dangerous and highly discouraged as servers rescue workers will attest to. The scenic drive is perfect to explore the expansive park from the comfort of your vehicle as well. Each spot is numbered so you don't miss anything on the drive. read more
7 years ago
Nice park, but it's a hike to the beach. They have NO SIGNS to tell you how far you're from the shore. The sand is deep, so you might want to bring some sort of shoe/sandal to give your feet a break on the 3.5 mile pilgrimage to the tiny shore. Bring a bathing suit and a towel; go early enough so you can rest and reload before going back; your feet and legs will hurt as you go up and down very steep dunes. Water, snacks, SPF, bathing suit, towel, foot coverings, perhaps bandaids--these are a MUST if you don't want to curse the park and your decision-making on the way back from the otherwise crystal-clear shores of Lake Michigan on the other side of the hills. read more
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6 years ago
Completely worth the climb! This is a 2 mile hike and I would say it's a bunch of rolling hills with sand. Bring lots of water and plan to stay at the beach for a few hours to rest before climbing back the next 2 miles. I think it took us 1 hour each way. The water felt amazing. Tennis shoes is a must. We got there midday and the sand was so hot I think my feet got burned. So I had to climb back down to the car to get my tennis shoes. Also I had 32 ounces of water and had to ration it for myself. I think having more water and on ice would help. read more
What a spectacular sight this place is! Very cool Michigan treasure and a must see! Breathtaking views from the top and what a great workout. I've been wanting to come to Traverse City for years now and I'm so glad I finally got to see the sleeping bear dunes. Be prepared to take a couple breaks getting to the top if you have asthma like me. Definitely add this place to your list of Michigan places to see if you haven't been before! read more
5 years ago
A must do on a visit to Sleeping Bear National Seashore. National park pass needed to enter (here and other locations throughout the park). First dune is a great climb. Slow and steady pretty much everyone can make it. Up the sand requires lots of muscles you might not use much so be prepared. You can take a trail 3/4 if a mile deeper into the dunes to get a nice view of Lake Michigan. read more
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Sleeping Bear Heritage Trl
Glen Arbor Township, MI 49636
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7 years ago
sleeping bear dune climb - parks - Updated July 2026
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