Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness

Sleeping Bear Dunes is as old as continental ice sheets and as young as the 1970 Establishment Act that set aside the Lakeshore for preservation of the natural resources and for public use. With miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and numerous inland lakes and streams, this Wilderness is wonderfully water-oriented; however, the most prominent features, and those for which it is named, are the perched dunes above Lake Michigan. These immense sand dunes are perched atop already towering headlands that are glacial moraines, and the dune overlooks at the Sleeping Bear, Empire and Pyramid Point bluffs stand about 400 feet above the lake. Although the Lakeshore is long and narrow, it still has the depth for excellent representations of several northern hardwood and conifer forest types, abandoned farm site meadows, wetlands, lakes, streams and bogs, and splendid examples of glacially caused landforms. Those who have a lot of energy can take a hike on the Dunes Trail to Lake Michigan, the most strenuous trail in the area: only 3.5 miles round trip, but all sand, and you will find climbing the dunes all along the trail to be a challenge. Whether you are on the sandy bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan, in a canoe on one of the many inland lakes, hiking the myriad trails through the forest, or visiting the Manitou Islands, you will have a wonderful opportunity for bird watching, wildlife viewing, and just enjoying nature at its best.