Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a U.S. national lakeshore in the northwestern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The park is located in Benzie and Leelanau counties and covers a 35-mile (56 km) section of Lake Michigan’s eastern coastline, as well as North and South Manitou islands. It protects a total area of 71,199 acres (111 square miles; 288 square kilometers). The park is known for its notable natural features, such as dunes, forests, beaches, and old glacial formations. It also includes cultural landmarks, like the 1871 South Manitou Island Lighthouse, three former Coast Guard stations (once part of the Life-Saving Service), and a large historic farming area.

The park is managed by the National Park Service and was created on October 21, 1970. In 2011, it was named “The Most Beautiful Place in America” by Good Morning America. In 2014, a part of the park was designated as the Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness by the United States Congress.

Geography

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore covers 71,199 acres (111 square miles; 288 square kilometers) of Lake Michigan’s shoreline. Much of this area is on the Leelanau Peninsula, a large piece of land in the northwest part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The park is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Traverse City, the largest city in Northern Michigan.

The southern part of the park is in northwestern Benzie County and includes the shoreline of Platte Bay and the mouth of the Platte River. This area is flatter than the northern sections, which are in southwestern Leelanau County. The Leelanau County areas of the park include the dune climb, Empire Bluff, Pyramid Point, and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Much of the park in Leelanau County is near Glen Lake, Michigan’s 18th largest lake.

The park manages North Manitou Island and South Manitou Island. These islands can be reached by ferry from Leland.

Scenic highways M-22 and M-109 run through the park. The M-22 shield has become a popular symbol for visitors, leading a company in Traverse City to start selling merchandise with the symbol in 2004.

The nearest communities to the national lakeshore are Empire and Glen Arbor. Empire is home to the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center, which is the park’s headquarters.

The following towns have land managed by the National Park Service:

• Benzonia Township
• Lake Township
• Platte Township
• Centerville Township
• Cleveland Township
• Empire Township
• Glen Arbor Township
• Kasson Township
• Leland Township

History

The landscape inside the park was shaped during the Wisconsin glaciation, which happened during the Last Glacial Period, about 10,000–14,000 years ago. The dunes are not real dunes but perched dunes, which are thin layers of sand carried by the wind and placed on top of a large pile of material left behind by glaciers. Over time, these dunes have slowly moved eastward.

In 1962, Senator Philip Hart proposed a bill to establish Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. The park was officially approved on October 21, 1970. Its creation was controversial because it required taking private land and making it public property. At the time, the federal government believed the Great Lakes were important enough to be protected, similar to Cape Hatteras National Seashore or Point Reyes National Seashore. People who lived in the area that is now Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore felt they were responsible for caring for the land and worried it would become too crowded with visitors. The government eventually succeeded, partly by helping local schools to replace lost tax money and by including North Manitou Island in the park.

In 2014, 32,500 acres (13,200 hectares; 50.8 square miles) of the park were officially named the Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness by the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act. This was the first wilderness protection law passed by the United States Congress in five years.

In 2022, a man from Frankfort illegally changed the path of the Platte River, making it flow directly into Lake Michigan. In 2023, legal charges were brought against the man for this action.

The park is named after an Ojibwe story about a sleeping bear. The story says that a large forest fire on the western shore of Lake Michigan forced a mother bear and her two cubs to swim to the other side of the lake for safety. After swimming for many miles, the cubs became too tired and drowned. The mother bear waited on a high bluff, hoping her cubs would return. The Great Spirit honored the mother bear’s love and created North and South Manitou Islands to remember the cubs. The winds and erosion have caused the "bear," which was once a small, tree-covered hill that looked like a sleeping bear from the water, to shrink over time.

Recreation

The main dune climb is located across from Glen Lake. Visitors who travel by car must purchase a day pass or annual pass from the National Park Service. The dune climb can also be reached by walking or biking. Water stations, restrooms, and a gift shop are located at the base of the main dune. Hikers may walk all the way to Lake Michigan.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is one of Michigan's most popular places for camping vacations. It may be popular because it was named "Most Beautiful Place in America" by Good Morning America in 2011. There are several campgrounds in the national lakeshore, including D.H. Day Campground, Platte River Campground, areas on the Manitou Islands, and sites for backcountry or group camping. These include:

• D.H. Day Campground – located between Glen Arbor and Glen Haven, this campground offers some privacy and a beach on Lake Michigan. Campsites are rustic, wooded, and spaced farther apart than most campgrounds. Nearby attractions include Empire Bluffs, the "dune climb," and North Bar Lake. Campsites 1–31 allow generators, while others do not.
• Platte River Campground – located in Benzie County, this campground has a variety of campsites. Some have electrical hookups, some are "hike-in," and others are rustic. Nearby attractions include Platte River Point, the Platte River, and Big Platte Lake. The north section of the national park is a short drive from this campground. Kayaking is a popular activity, especially on the trail leading to Platte River Point.

There are also campgrounds on the Manitou Islands. These include three main campgrounds on South Manitou Island: the Weather Station Campground on the south side, the Bay Campground on the west shore, and the Popple Campground on the north shore. In addition to federal campgrounds within the national lakeshore, many other camping areas exist nearby to accommodate the large number of visitors. There are at least 20 distinct camping areas in the region near Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has several hiking trails, including the Alligator Hill Trail, Empire Bluff Trail, Kettles Trail, Pyramid Point Trail, and Treat Farm Trail. The Empire Bluff Trail is one of the most popular trails in the park. Hikers must obtain a parking pass from the visitor center in Empire to park at the trailheads.

Glen Haven was a company town from 1865 to 1931. Originally a dock for Glen Arbor, it became a fuel supply point for ships. Charles McCarty built a dock to supply wood to ships and later built the Sleeping Bear House, which was expanded to serve travelers. In 1928, the building was remodeled into an inn for summer visitors. The General Store provided supplies to workers, who were paid with company coupons that could only be used at the store. The Blacksmith Shop repaired tools. In 1878, David Henry Day arrived in the community, which was changing as coal replaced wood on steamships.

In 1860, Port Oneida had a population of 87 people. Thomas Kelderhouse built a dock to sell wood and seasonal goods like fresh produce and maple sugar to passing ships. A local story says the name comes from the first ship to stop, the SS Oneida of New York state. The area covers 3,000 acres (12 km) and includes 16 historic farms. The farming community was abandoned over time due to difficult farming conditions and reduced timber sales.

Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is a scenic road in the park, known for its "scenic vistas and gentle curves." Located off of M-109 between Empire and Glen Haven, the road is 7.4 miles (11.9 km) long and offers views of Lake Michigan, Glen Lake, and surrounding parkland.

Kayaking is a popular activity in the park's rivers and lakes, especially in the Crystal River and Platte River.

Endangered species

The piping plover, a bird that is protected by the federal government as an endangered species, makes its home at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Gallery

• South Manitou Island Lighthouse
• Signage along M-22 Highway
• Winter scenery along the lakeshore
• Sunset view from Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
• People climbing dunes at Lake Michigan Overlook
• Sunset over Lake Michigan
• Glen Lake viewed from Inspiration Point
• Dune Overlook
• Sleeping Bear Point and South Manitou Island (in the background) from Alligator Hill
• Winter view of Sleeping Bear Bluff