Climbing the Sand Dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes
Climbing the Sand Dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes
Throughout my childhood, the highlight of my summer was always our annual trip to the family cabin near Johannesburg, Michigan. From the family cabin, we would take day trips to various tourist destinations around Northern Michigan. One of my family’s favorite excursions was climbing the sand dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Located in Empire, Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is less than an hour from Traverse City. The National Lakeshore covers a 35-mile long stretch of the shoreline of Lake Michigan. While there is much to see, the highlight of a trip is always going to be climbing the sand dunes of Sleeping Bear Dunes and eventually reaching Lake Michigan.
Below are pictures of me and my brothers climbing the sand dunes of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. These photos date back to 1992 and 1994 when I was 10 and 12 years old.
Climbing the Sand Dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes - Table of Contents
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Getting to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Before you can start climbing the sand dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, you will need to get there. The National Lakeshore is located near the town of Empire, Michigan, and is only an hour from Traverse City. Traverse City is only 4-hours from Detroit, Michigan, and 5.5-hours from Chicago, Illinois. Most visitors to the Sleeping Bear Dunes typically drive, but if you are coming from further away, there is a regional airport in Traverse City with flights to all of the major airline hubs.
The town of Empire only has a few hotels. Typically visitors to the National Lakeshore stay in Traverse City or the surrounding areas. There are no tours that I know of that visit Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. If you arrive by air, you will definitely want to rent a car.
When visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, visitors must purchase a day pass ($25) or an annual pass ($80) from the National Park Service.
The Dune Climb at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
The highlight of a trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is climbing the 460-foot Dune Climb. Climbing this one dune is worth the visit itself. When I visited as a child, we would often spend multiple hours at the Dune Climb. These visits would typically involve climbing the dune multiple times and then running down it, or sometimes falling down it.
Take your time while climbing the Dune Climb at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and be sure to take photos in all directions. I am always fascinated how different my photos look at various vantage points along the climb.
When you reach the top, be sure to look back at the parking lot in front of Glen Lake, where your journey began. At this point, you have a choice to make on whether to enjoy 15-seconds of pure joy by running down the dune or following the Dune Trail to the sandy shores of Lake Michigan.
The Dune Trail
If you enjoy climbing the sand dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes, the climbing dune may not be enough for you. Once you’ve climbed to the top of the Dune Climb, I highly recommend following the Dune Trail to the shores of Lake Michigan. The Dune Trail is a 3.5-miles roundtrip and takes between two and four hours, depending on the weather and your physical stamina. While it might feel good to walk with your bare feet, be sure to bring sandals as the sand can become extremely hot during sunny summer days.
As you follow the Dune Trail towards Lake Michigan, you will climb over six dune peaks. After the third peak, you will be able to see Lake Michigan. Be sure to keep the blue Dune Trail posts in your sight. They are numbered 0 through 30 and will guide you to Lake Michigan.
There are no restroom facilities or water fountains on the Dune Trail, so be sure to bring plenty of water.
There are six dune peaks that you will have to ascend in order to reach Lake Michigan. By peak number three, you may begin to second guess your decision. Remember to take it slow and take breaks throughout the climb of each peak. I typically drink a minimum of two bottles of water during the roundtrip. I would suggest that you bring at least one liter of water, but two liters would be a safer amount.
As you walk the trail, you will see some natural hazards. These could include fallen trees, eroded areas, small slivers of wood in the sand. To avoid getting an injured foot, it is highly recommended to wear sandals or shoes during your climb.
After you make it to the top of the sixth peak, you will see a flat area. This flat area will make you feel that Lake Michigan is still miles away. But fear not, at this point, you are only about 10-minutes from Lake Michigan. Continue on the flat path and then climb down the last dune, and you will reach the shores of Lake Michigan.
Can You Reach Lake Michigan by Hiking the Dune Trail?
As you are climbing the dunes of Sleeping Bear Dune National Lakeshore’s Dune Trail, you will often feel teased by being able to see Lake Michigan in the distance. In your head, you will be saying, “It’s not that far.” You will quickly realize that you have multiple peaks to climb over before reaching the lake.
Don’t lose hope, as it is definitely worth the effort. As you climb over the last dune peak and walk down towards Lake Michigan, you will want to jump right into the water.
I took these pictures in the Summer of 2020. Lake Michigan’s water was at an all-time high and there was not much beach. Don’t worry, there is plenty of room on the Dune Trail for beach towels, backpacks, and anything else that you do not want to get wet.
There are no changing rooms when you reach Lake Michigan. I highly recommend that you have your bathing suit on throughout your Dune Trail journey.
On a hot day, the refreshing water of Lake Michigan will reenergize you before you begin the journey back. To me, it always seems like the walk back to the parking lot is faster than the walk to Lake Michigan. I believe this is because the most tiring part of the entire trek is climbing the initial Dune Climb. The walk back will take at least 90-minutes, so be sure to leave yourself at least two hours of daylight.
My Conclusions - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Climbing the sand dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in Northern Michigan. Visitors to this unique National Lakeshore will find something fun for people of all ages. Some people travel all the way to the Gobi, Sahara, or Atacama Deserts to climb dunes. For those of us that want to experience the thrill of climbing a sand dune without leaving the United States, I highly recommend a trip to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.