Sleeping Bear Dunes

About this spectacle

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore rises dramatically from the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, where massive perched sand dunes tower over cold, crystal-clear blue-green water. Visitors climb steep open dunes for sweeping panoramas of the lake and the Manitou Islands on the horizon. The effort rewards with an almost surreal contrast: golden sand against deep azure water stretching to the horizon. Wind constantly reshapes the dune faces, and on clear days the lake below appears almost tropical in color. Forested valleys, bluffs, and quiet inland lakes round out the landscape. Sunsets from the dune crests bathe everything in amber and rose, making the late afternoon the most coveted time to visit. The air carries the fresh scent of sand and pine, and the scale of the dunes — some rising over 400 feet above the lake — inspires genuine awe.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak Jun — Aug

Getting there

Nearest airport: TVC. Nearest city: Traverse City.

Booking options

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