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    Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

    4.8 (192 reviews)
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    Cotton wood trail
    Mariah C.

    My second time visiting was just as spectacular as my first. There's so much beauty to see at Sleeping Bear Dunes. I recommend the cottonwood trail (1.5 miles loop) and empire buff trail (1.5 mile out and back) for amazing views and mixed terrain. The dunes are a must see (climb if you dare). Don't forget to grab a souvenir in one of the park shops.

    Overlooking Lake Michigan
    Jessica H.

    An absolute must! Pictures don't even come close to reality. So many scenic spots. Highly recommend the scenic drive. Be prepared to walk on uneven surfaces and in sand. Fewer people early in the morning. However, the National Park visitor center opens at 9:00. Don't rush and expect to spend time getting out to look around.

    Lake Michigan
    Ken S.

    Google labels Sleeping Bear Dunes a "mountain peak" - LOL. But it is a pretty cool naturally-occurring pile of sand (and every form of life that is adapted to it). We hiked Cottonwood Trail, but *might* have strayed off it a bit in order to see Lake Michigan. It is great to know that this area is protected.

    View of Lake Michigan. For scale, the tiny dots are people!
    Wen C.

    Excellent visitor's center and even more excellent park! The rangers are super helpful even though they were inundated with guests. I love the dunes hiking trail is 3.5 miles, but it's pretty brutal since there's little shade and you're going up and down sandy dunes. You think you're on the last one, and then you go to the crest..and see another dune you have to cross. Repeat that several times. And when you're going up the sandy dunes, it's two steps up, half a step down. Going into Lake Michigan is worth it though! Just be sure to bring a lot of water, a hat, and loads of sunscreen. If you're not into the hikes, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is a great loop to drive and stop at various points and trailheads. There are a lot of placards about the history of the area and the biology of the dunes. Don't miss out!

    Anthony M.

    This is easily one of the coolest national park-type places I've ever been. Technically, Sleeping Bear Dunes is a National Lakeshore, not a national park--which honestly makes it even cooler, because there are very few of these in the country. If you're going, start by heading to Parking Area 9 inside the loop. That's where you'll find the iconic 45-story dune that drops straight down to Lake Michigan. The short walk to the overlook gives you an absolutely breathtaking view. You can hike down to the water, but heads up: if you can't make it back up, rescue comes with a $3,000 fine. Most people stay up top, so the beach is surprisingly peaceful if you do go all the way down. I'm in good shape and it still took me 16 brutal minutes to climb back up. It's no joke--but if you're up for it, it's 100% worth it. I really believe most people can make it back, just take your time and enjoy the adventure. For more personal recommendations and travel tips, check out my adventures on Instagram: @OfficialTravelGuy

    Vincent L.

    The Sleeping bear dunes, one of Michigan most famous treasure. From parking lot to the beach hiking through Dunes Trail is about 3.5mi round trip. There are some shade spot but going up and down the hill is tough on your leg, not impossible. In my experience, Great sand dunes is harder because you have to constantly go uphill. On a warm day you need extra bottle of water, one a hot sunny day then I recommend bringing more water. You can hike with or without shoes, some area you do need shoes due to vegetations, but it is up to you.

    Mike H.

    We spent 2 days exploring the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. We did a lot of hiking, driving, kayaking, and relaxing. Sleeping Bear encompasses a large area that includes beaches, islands, woods, towns, and waterways so there are many ways to explore. There's a visitors center in Empire, MI and the rangers can help you decide how to explore. The main 2 areas we hiked were the Empire Bluff Trail (see separate review) which we made into a 5 mile hike and Sleeping Bear Point. Sleeping Bear Point kicked my ass because it was a hike straight up a Sand Dune. The main things that suck for me when hiking are elevation gain and walking in loose sand. This had both. It ended up being worth it though because it opened up to a rocky secluded beach that we had to ourselves. The view were spectacular. There were a lot of other hikes as well but we ran out of time. We all got to kayak in nearby Crystal River and explore a nearby historic area that I believe is apart of the National Park umbrella. I'd love to go back and hike some of the other trails and bike the Sleeping Bear Heritage trail. There's a lot of variety to do if you like nature and it's not overcrowded and rushed like many places theses days.

    Lookout point. A bald eagle flew by as I sat
    Michele B.

    We did the Empire Bluffs hike and the Pierce-Stocking Scenic Drive. My pics are from stop #9, I believe. Lake Michigan views. We could have spent hours there. I can't believe the people climbing down, it looked so steep! The Scenic Drive was well worth it! Highly recommend everything this National Park has to offer

    Sleeping Bear Point
    Kristina I.

    I came here with my husband and two dogs. We knew that there were a lot of areas that were not pet friendly so we made sure we were careful to only visit those that were pet friendly. I had no idea that Sand Dunes this large existed in Michigan ! The entire area was truly lovely and quite quiet in mid September

    Nick P.

    Wear comfortable shoes because it can be a lot of walking and climbing. I got some great pictures but yeah it can be your workout for the day. I love the scenic drive. If you go during the fall you can see the leaves changing colors.

    Annette J.

    This is mostly a note about the scenic overlook. We hadn't been in 3 years and I was surprised to see just how much beach erosion had occurred in just a few years. But the lakeshore is still WONDERFUL. Just be prepared for some changes if you haven't been in a while. First off? The beach at the bottom is pretty much gone. You used to see folks running down the dune then play on the beach and crawl back up. You can still go down but if you have any trouble getting back up the steep dune you'll find the costs of rescue have jumped SIGNIFICANTLY given they have a harder time accessing the dune now because of the rising Lake Michigan levels. Not a huge change if you don't plan on zipping down there but if it's something you're into, be prepared. The other thing we noticed was that the trail/boardwalk that used do be there is now covered completely with sand. Last time we were here we were able to bring my grandma to the viewpoint via her wheelchair on the trail but we wouldn't have been able to do that without some all terrain wheels this time around. The views are still incredible and the changes just mean that we need to dedicate more resources and care to protecting this stunning National Park!

    Amanda L.

    Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is one of Michigan's true gems! Such unique landscape and along a significant portion of the coastline of one of our (best) Great Lakes, there is so much you can do here! You can hike, climb, play, swim, tube, the list goes on! These dunes are MASSIVE - some of the biggest in this country! If you're Michigan raised like I am, you were taught the legend of Sleeping Bear Dunes as a kid growing up. If you haven't heard the legend, I highly recommend that you look it up before coming here, just for some fun (perhaps a bit depressing) history, but it informs our natural landscape in this area & I hold that close to my heart. I honestly highly recommend doing Sleeping Bear in all seasons BUT summer. I personally am not a huge fan of heat, let alone hot sand, with no shade anywhere, on a summer's day! Sleeping Bear is also so popular during the summer since it's one of our biggest tourist destinations for Michiganders and non-Michiganders alike. So if you want to avoid the massive crowds and also actually enjoy exploring the extensive dune system and gorgeous views of Sleeping Bear without breaking too much of a sweat, come in the spring or the fall! If you love winter sports like cross-country skiing, DEFINITELY check out Sleeping Bear in the winter when so many of the trails switch over to cross-country skiing trails exclusively! I absolutely love Sleeping Bear Dunes and it's another reason why I'm so thankful to have been raised and continue to live in Michigan. There is so much diversity and variety in what Michigan has to offer, and I'm just so proud that Sleeping Bear Dunes is one of those things.

    Brady R.

    Came here in mid-May to get the early summer temps. We camped in one of the national park campgrounds (Platte River Campground). An important thing to note about this national lakeshore: it's spread out! Be prepared to drive in between most destinations/stops. That being said, the drives are usually gorgeous and surrounded by beautiful wooded areas and/or sandy dunes, with views of the lake popping out at random times. Onto the good stuff: the nature! We did a variety of stops, using the trusty AllTrails app. We did some secluded trails out to the lake and back to our campground, which were amazing. We also did more of the touristy ones and those were great as well. It's amazing that you're staring out into a lake as it basically looks like an ocean with how vast and crystal clear it can be in parts, esp. near the shore. I also loved having the small towns scattered throughout the park. It allowed for food/drink stops, shopping, and to get a glimpse of how locals live in the area.

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    2 years ago

    Is beautiful, definitely not what I was expecting to see in Michigan! A must see!! Definitely will be back

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    3 years ago

    Great family outing location! Beautiful sightseeing! Hiking, picnics and memories for all.

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    Review Highlights - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

    The dune climb can be strenuous and I would not recommend it to those who are not ready for a bit of a workout.

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    chalker park

    chalker park

    5.0(1 review)
    43.8 mi

    This is probably one of the best playgrounds up north, the only real downside is the location…read more Kalkaska is a humble and honest small town, but beyond grabbing a bite to eat there isn't much else to do in town... this is only relevant if your traveling to the area from down state. Not much touristy things to do if you plan to come to this park.... downtown is cool but there isn't really shopping... back to the park: this park is tucked behind some buildings and easy to miss if you are driving through. The structure is completely wooden and connected completely through bridges, tunnels, and monkey bars. There's a sign with rules and restrictions and beyond guardians and parents the playground is meant for 12 and under in age. I brought my sister in law and nephew after we grabbed lunch at the up north grill in town (only 5 minutes away so highly recommend for lunch) my nephew is almost 2 years old but there was still tons of interactive stuff for him to do which was unexpected based on the size of this huge castle themed park. There's about 5 different slides so age shouldn't restrict enjoying. The structure is very well built and laid out so, as adults we were for the most part able to maneuver it with our little guy. A bouncy tire contraption that reminded us of a bull was a win as well as a swing that allows an adult to swing with your baby which was SOOOO COOL. Better that just pushing because it adds safety and gives you a chance to do something enjoyable with your baby while making eye contact. Wyatt was all giggles. The park was busy when we visited but it never felt crowded because how it's designed. It's both 40 minutes from my sisters house in grayling but left enoug of an impression that she plans to take Wyatt with my brother this weekend again!

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    Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - parks - Updated September 2026

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