Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Guide

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan (Jake Rajas/PhotoDisc/Getty)

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Highlights

The 460-foot Sleeping Bear Dunes tower over the northeastern shore of Lake Michigan like shifting pyramids of sand. The dunes are a popular launching pad for hang gliders and stretch for seven of the thirty-four miles of national lakeshore.
Claim a site at the large, developed D.H. Day Campground west of Glen Arbor for wooded sites and quick access to both the shore and the popular Dune Climb. Families should take advantage of the ranger programs offered in the evenings, which focus on local history and environmental issues.
Backcountry camping is the law of the land on North Manitou. Keep your distance from the trail and water sources, and abide by the fire prohibition. The area around Swenson's Barn on the island's west end offers the best lake views and water access.

By Travel Expert: Brian Kevin

Michigan, The Great Lake Escape
This tour along the closest thing North America's got to an inland ocean leads to placid shores, self-propelled water exploration, giant sand dunes, and the end of are-we-there-yet wining.

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