Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a hiker’s heaven: miles of trails cutting through woods and over dunes, leading to breathtaking views of Lake Michigan. Here’s your guide to hiking Sleeping Bear Dunes.
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Find a trail (from north to south along M22):
- Good Harbor Bay Trail: Loop through lowland woods
- Pyramid Point Trail: Stunning scenic overlook
- Bay View Trail: Several broad vistas
- Alligator Hill: Several loops, overlooks
- Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail: 27 miles, Empire to Good Harbor Beach, Maple City
- Sleeping Bear Point Trail: Dunescapes, lake access
- Dune Climb Hiking Trail: Dune Climb to Lake Michigan
- Cottonwood Hiking Trail: Part of the Pierce Stocking Loop
- Windy Moraine Trail: Short, difficult loop
- Shauger Hill Trail: Easy loop, crosses Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
- Empire Bluff Trail: Stunning scenic overlook
- Platte Plains Trail: Many loops, beach access
- Old Indian Trail: Currently closed through Fall 2024
Good Harbor Bay Trail
Lake Michigan Road. near Good Harbor Beach
Opposite of the expansive Good Harbor Beach is Good Harbor Bay Trail: a 2.8-mile loop through shrubby dunes and into lowland forests. Picnic areas are nearby; this trail is a shady escape during a sun-soaked beach day. Trailhead is located off Lake Michigan Road, accessed from County Road 669.
Pyramid Point Trail
Basch Road north of Port Oneida Historic District
An increasingly steep trail leads to an elevated Lake Michigan overlook, where you’ll get a chance to catch your breath and—given the view—pinch yourself. The vista provides expansive views of the Manitou Islands and the North Manitou Shoal Light Station. The trail to the overlook is .6 miles long, while other trails in the Pyramid Point network course a 2-mile circuit through relatively level meadows and forests.
Bay View Trail
Thorson Road northeast of Glen Arbor
Eight miles of easy and intermediate trails are divided into numerous loops, meaning you can spend the entire afternoon or an hour on the Bay View Trail. Walk .5 miles from the Thorson Road trailhead to a vista that puts the “view” in Bay View, or park at the end of W. Miller Road for the quickest route to the overlook; other sights include numerous preserved farmsteads and an historic cemetery concealed within the woods. Trails are quite hilly, but planning ahead will limit overexertion.
Alligator Hill
Stocking Road southwest of Glen Arbor, near DH Day Campground
No gators here, folks—just a hilly ridge the outline of which looks like the head of an alligator. From the trailhead, an inclined 1.5-mile hike leads to a scenic overlook of the Manitou Islands and Lake Michigan, while other loops of differing lengths (advanced runs an extra 2.5 to the trailhead, intermediate another 2 to and from the Lake Michigan lookout) follow the hills’ contours. An overlook of Glen Lake is accessible by a .8 mile trail from the Lake Michigan lookout. Lots of loops, lots of choices, and equestrians will appreciate the trail’s being open to horses. If nothing else, check out the ruined coal kilns near the trailhead.
Sleeping Bear Heritage TrailÂ
Connects Dune Climb and Glen Arbor
This paved, multi-use trail connects the Dune Climb with Glen Arbor and Glen Arbor with Empire. Passing through Glen Haven and DH Day Campground, the trail is a useful conduit for bikers or walkers; the trail winds through meadows, dunes and forests, getting travelers off the beaten path while remaining on a level, well-maintained trail. Thanks goes out to the Friends of Sleeping Bear and their many trail ambassadors who manage the trail.
Sleeping Bear Point Trail
W. Sleeping Bear Dr., 5 minutes west of Glen Arbor
This 2.8-mile loop features sprawling views of the Manitou Islands, dune formations and Lake Michigan; the trail is mostly sand, so while it requires extra exertion, Sleeping Bear Point Trail is a more conservative hike than the trail linking the Dune Climb with Lake Michigan—and the ecology and vistas are essentially the same. A spur runs directly to Lake Michigan; trailhead to water in 10 minutes. The trailhead is near the US Coast Guard Maritime Museum.
Photo by Angela Brown
Dune Climb Hiking Trail
Hunter Rd. off M22, connected to Dune Climb
You’ve reached the peak of the Dune Climb and want more, do you? Continue to Lake Michigan via the Dunes Trail, a 3.5-mile round trip that takes devoted hikers across a sandy dunescape to the cool waters of the Big Lake. A word of warning: the hilly, sandy terrain can be very difficult to traverse, and a round trip may take several hours if the temperatures are unfriendly. Pack water and wear appropriate footwear—at the very least a pair of forgettable socks. Be prepared for the most satisfying, restorative swim of your life: like jumping into an oasis.
Cottonwood Hiking Trail
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, M109
Accessible only through the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive—it’s stop number 4—Cottonwood is a relatively taxing 1.4-mile loop through dunes. See the distant DH Day barn, Glen Lake, rolling dunescapes and the area’s diverse and specialized flora; this trail nearly intersects with the Dunes trail joining the Dune Climb with Lake Michigan.
Windy Moraine Trail
Welch Rd. 15 minutes south of Glen Arbor
This 1.5-mile loop takes the leg out of you—it’s a steady procession up to the scenic overlook of Glen Lake, and a rapid descent afterward. The trail runs through meadows and thick forests and the moraine left by the glaciers that dredged Glen Lake. An ideal trail for exercise, seclusion, and a good (but not spectacular) view. The trailhead is near the intersection of M109 and Welch Road.
Shauger Hill Trail
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, M109
For those looking to stretch their legs after the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, the Shauger Hill Trail—which starts at the Drive’s adjacent parking lot—is a 2.5-mile, narrow-pathed loop through hilly, quiet woods. A 1.5 mile hike along the unpaved Shauger Hill Road will have you swimming at North Bar Lake and Lake Michigan.
Photo by Taylor Brown
Empire Bluff TrailÂ
Wilco Rd. south of Empire
This .75-mile trail ascends 400 feet above Lake Michigan for a spectacular view of the water—there and back takes under an hour, but it’s a steady uphill climb to the top of the bluff. Park it on the trail’s boardwalk for a dramatic sunset, then toast the evening at Joe’s Friendly Tavern in Empire; the trailhead is located 1 mile south of Empire.
Platte Plains Trail
M22, 10 minutes south of Empire
Access the Sleeping Bear Dunes’ most extensive trail system from one of four entrance points: from the Platte River Campground, Esch Rd Beach, a trailhead at Trail End Road in the summer, or a trailhead off of M22 in the winter. Several loops span nearly 15 miles of trail; terrain is flat, and wooded with pine and aspen forests, and the trails reach three scenic overlooks of Lake Michigan. This trail must be used to access White Pine Backcountry Campground, which is located .5 miles from Lake Michigan. An excellent trail for snowshoeing, given its forgiving topography.