Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a United States National Lakeshore located along the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan in Leelanau and Benzie counties near Empire, Michigan. The park covers a 35-mile-long (56 km) stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline, as well as North and South Manitou islands. This Northern Michigan park was established primarily because of its outstanding natural features, including forests, beaches, dune formations, and ancient glacial phenomena. The lakeshore also contains many cultural features including the 1871 South Manitou Island Lighthouse, three former stations of the Coast Guard (formerly the Life-Saving Service) and an extensive rural historic farm district. In 2011, the area won the title of "The Most Beautiful Place in America" from Good Morning America.[3] In 2014, a section of the park was named the Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness by the United States Congress.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Aerial view of Sleeping Bear Dunes, with North Manitou Island (right) and South Manitou Island (left) in the background
Map showing the location of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Map showing the location of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Map showing the location of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Map showing the location of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
LocationLeelanau and Benzie counties, Michigan, U.S.
Nearest cityEmpire, Michigan
Coordinates44°51′N 86°03′W
Area71,199 acres (288.13 km2)[1]
EstablishedOctober 21, 1970 (1970-10-21)
Visitors1,501,117 (in 2022)[2]
WebsiteSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Empire Bluffs Overlook, near Empire

Federal decision to preserve lakeshore

In 1962, Senator Philip Hart first introduced a bill to create Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.[4] The park finally was authorized on October 21, 1970. The park's creation was controversial because it involved the transfer of private property to public ownership. The federal government's stance at the time was that the Great Lakes were the "third coast" and had to be preserved much like Cape Hatteras National Seashore or Point Reyes National Seashore. The residents living in what is now Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore believed themselves stewards of the land and did not want it to be overrun by tourists. The government eventually won out, in part by supporting the local schools to offset the lost property tax revenue and by including North Manitou Island in the national lakeshore area.[5]

In 2014, 32,500 acres (13,200 ha; 50.8 sq mi) of the park were formally designated as the Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness by the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act. This was the first wilderness protection bill to be passed by the United States Congress in five years.[6][7]

History of the name

The park is named after an Ojibwe legend of the sleeping bear. According to the legend, an enormous forest fire on the western shore of Lake Michigan drove a mother bear and her two cubs into the lake for shelter, determined to reach the opposite shore. After many miles of swimming, the two cubs lagged. When the mother bear reached the shore, she waited on the top of a high bluff. The exhausted cubs drowned in the lake, but the mother bear stayed and waited, hoping that her cubs would finally appear. Impressed by the mother bear's determination and faith, the Great Spirit created two islands (North and South Manitou islands) to commemorate the cubs, and the winds buried the sleeping bear under the sands of the dunes where she waits to this day.[8] The "bear" was a small tree-covered knoll at the top edge of the bluff that appeared like a sleeping bear from the water. Wind and erosion have caused the "bear" to be greatly reduced in size over the years.

Historic sites

Glen Haven Village
Main article: Glen Haven, Michigan

Glen Haven existed as a company town from 1865 to 1931. Originally a dock for Glen Arbor (1855-date), the site soon became a fuel supply point for ships traveling up and down the lake. Here, Charles McCarty decided to open his own business and built a dock to supply the ships with wood. In 1863, McCarty built the Sleeping Bear House. It was expanded a few years later to accommodate travelers. In 1928, it was remodeled into the inn for summer vacationers. The General Store was established to supply the workers. Like most company towns, the workers were paid in company coupons, redeemable only at the company store. The Blacksmith Shop is where tools were repaired. In 1878, David Henry Day arrived in the community. By this time, coal from the Appalachian coal fields was replacing wood on the steamships. Day was looking for another future to this small community.[9]

Port Oneida Historic Farm District
Main article: Port Oneida Rural Historic District

In 1860, Port Oneida had a population of 87 people. Thomas Kelderhouse had built a dock to sell wood to the passing steamships. He was also able to sell fresh produce and maple sugar in season. A local story says that the name comes from the first ship to stop, the SS Oneida of New York State. The area covers 3,000 acres (12 km2) and includes 16 historic farms. The farming community was gradually abandoned due to hard farming conditions and declining timber sales. [10]

Sleeping Bear Bluff in winter

Climate
Climate data for Traverse City, Michigan
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 29
(−2)		 29
(−2)		 37
(3)		 54
(12)		 64
(18)		 75
(24)		 81
(27)		 78
(26)		 71
(22)		 60
(16)		 44
(7)		 33
(1)		 55
(13)
Average low °F (°C) 15
(−9)		 11
(−12)		 21
(−6)		 32
(0)		 41
(5)		 52
(11)		 59
(15)		 58
(14)		 51
(11)		 41
(5)		 31
(−1)		 21
(−6)		 36
(2)
Average rainfall inches (mm) 1.9
(48)		 1.5
(38)		 1.8
(46)		 2.3
(58)		 2.8
(71)		 2.5
(64)		 2.8
(71)		 2.7
(69)		 3
(76)		 2.8
(71)		 2.7
(69)		 1.8
(46)		 28.6
(730)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 19.9
(51)		 16.2
(41)		 12.1
(31)		 3
(7.6)		 0.3
(0.76)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.7
(1.8)		 8.8
(22)		 16.5
(42)		 77.5
(197)
Source: [11]
Glen Lake from the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
Sign along M-22

Camping

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is one of Michigan's most popular destinations for camping vacations, possibly the most popular.[12] This popularity may be due to the fact it was named the "Most Beautiful Place in America" by Good Morning America in 2011.[3] There are a few campgrounds in the national lakeshore and they are grouped into D.H. Day Campground, Platte River Campground, a few camping areas on the Manitou Islands within, and some other sites for backcountry or group camping.

D.H. Day Campground

D.H. Day Campground is part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and offers a moderate level of privacy and a beach on Lake Michigan. Campsites are rustic, wooded, and more far apart than campsites at most campgrounds. Nearby points of interest include Empire Bluffs, the "dune climb", and North Bar Lake. Campsites 1–31 allow the use of a generator, the remaining sites forbid generator use.[13]

Platte River Campground

Platte River Campground is part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and offers a variety of campsites. Some campsites are modern (with electrical hookups), some are "hike-in," and others are more rustic. Nearby points of interest include Platte River Point, the Platte River, and Big Platte Lake. The north section of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park is a short drive from Platte River Campground. Kayaking is a popular activity at the campground, especially the kayak trail leading from the campground to Platte River Point[14]

Manitou Island campgrounds

Sleeping Bear Dunes also has three main campgrounds on South Manitou Island, including the Weather Station Campground located on the south side of the island,[15] the Bay Campground on the west shore of the island[16] and the Popple Campground on the north shore.[17]

Other camping areas nearby

In addition to federal campgrounds within the national lakeshore itself, there are many other camping areas nearby, which cater to the large number of tourists visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes each year. There are at least 20 distinct camping areas in the region immediately surrounding Sleeping Bear Dunes.[18]

Fauna

The piping plover, a federally registered endangered species, nests at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.[19]

Dune climb

The main dune climb is located across from Glen Lake. Visitors who travel by car will be required to buy a day pass or annual pass from the National Park Service. The dune climb is also accessible by foot or by bike. Water stations are located along the base of the main dune, along with a restroom and gift shop. Hikers can hike all the way to Lake Michigan.

  • Looking south from Sleeping Bear Dunes toward Empire Bluffs and the southern portion of the National Lakeshore in Benzie County
    Looking south from Sleeping Bear Dunes toward Empire Bluffs and the southern portion of the National Lakeshore in Benzie County
  • View of the dunes with people for scale, showing the sheer size of the dunes
    View of the dunes with people for scale, showing the sheer size of the dunes
  • Historic D.H. Day Farm
    Historic D.H. Day Farm
  • The lakeshore during winter
    The lakeshore during winter
  • View from Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at Sunset
    View from Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at Sunset
  • View from Lake Michigan Overlook, with people climbing up the dunes
    View from Lake Michigan Overlook, with people climbing up the dunes
  • Sunset over Lake Michigan.
    Sunset over Lake Michigan.
  • Dune Climb
    Dune Climb
  • Glen Lake from Inspiration Point
    Glen Lake from Inspiration Point
  • Dune Overlook
    Dune Overlook
  • Sleeping Bear Point and South Manitou Island (background) from Alligator Hill
    Sleeping Bear Point and South Manitou Island (background) from Alligator Hill
  • Sleeping Bear Inn in Glen Haven
    Sleeping Bear Inn in Glen Haven

See also

References
  1. "Sleeping Bear Dune National Lakeshore, Michigan, Park Statistics". National Park Service. April 10, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  2. "Annual Park Ranking Report for Recreation Visits in: 2022". National Park Service. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  3. Orso, Alberto & Parise, Sabrina (August 17, 2011). "Sleeping Bear Dunes Voted 'Most Beautiful Place in America'". Good Morning America. ABC News. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  4. Stocking, Kathleen (June 26, 2013). "Reflections on 50 Years of Sleeping Bear". Glen Arbor Sun. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  5. Kalt, Brian (2001). Sixties Sandstorm: The Fight Over Establishment of a Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, 1961–1970. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press. ISBN 9780870135590.
  6. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (May 23, 2014). "Dedicating Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness". National Park Service (Press release). Archived from the original on June 7, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  7. Ellison, Garret (June 1, 2014). "Sleeping Bear Dunes Dedicated as Federally Protected Wilderness". M Live, Booth Newspapers. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  8. Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. Pleasantville, New York: Reader's Digest Association. p. 347. ISBN 0-89577-087-3.
  9. Sleeping Dear Dunes National Lakeshore. "Glen Haven Village Tour". The Cordwood Era (Pamphlet). Empire, Michigan: National Park Service.
  10. Sleeping Dear Dunes National Lakeshore. Port Oneida Historic Farm District (Pamphlet). Empire, Michigan: National Park Service.
  11. "Historical Weather for Traverse City, Michigan". Weatherbase. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
  12. "5 Most Popular Camping Spots in Michigan (based on Google Traffic)". Campthat.
  13. "D.H. Day Campground". National Park Service.
  14. "Platte River Campground". Campthat. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  15. "Weather Station Campground". Campthat. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  16. "The Bay Campground". Campthat. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  17. "The Popple Campground". Campthat. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  18. "Sleeping Bear Dunes Camping". CampHero.
  19. Welle, Elissa (May 27, 2022). "Piping plovers come to Sleeping Bear Dunes every year — and scientists are obsessed". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 27, 2022.

Further reading
  • Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes (2021). Baker, Doug; Cole, Kathy; Kelly, Kerry; Peterson, Jerry; Peterson, Mary (eds.). Picture Perfect Sleeping Bear: A History in Photos from National Lakeshore Visitors. Traverse City, Michigan: Mission Point Press. ISBN 9781954786301.
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