Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: Worth a Trip to Nowhere?
Where is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, exactly? Great question. I had no clue either. It sits in Empire, Michigan, in Leelanau County, smack dab in the middle of nowhere along the Lake Michigan shoreline. The closest thing to a city is Traverse City, about 25 miles east, and the closest thing to a chain restaurant is your own memory of one.
There are twenty-one inland lakes inside the park boundary, plus beaches, hiking trails, campgrounds, and historic landmarks. For a place named after a sleeping bear, it has a surprising amount going on.
Is Sleeping Bear Dunes a national park? Close enough. It is a National Lakeshore run by the National Park Service, with roughly 71,000 acres of blissfully empty (for the most part) property to explore. The touristy spots get crowded in July and August, but it is genuinely easy to wander off and not see another human for a while, which is my entire personality. I am not much of a nature girl unless there are sea lions involved, but I can get behind any setting where I can avoid people.
Is Sleeping Bear Dunes worth it? That depends. Were you nearby anyway? If so, I would not hesitate to do Sleeping Bear Dunes with kids on a day trip. If you are driving four hours specifically to see a big pile of sand, manage your expectations and read the section on the islands first, because a big chunk of this park is closed right now.
Quick Verdict and Key Facts
- Worth it? Yes for the mainland if you are already in northern Michigan. The Dune Climb, the scenic drive, and Glen Haven beach make an easy, gorgeous day trip.
- Cost: A 7-day private-vehicle pass is $25.00. An annual park pass is $45.00, and the $80 America the Beautiful interagency pass works too. The park is cashless — credit or debit only.
- Big caveat: The Manitou Islands ferry is not running and both island docks are closed for reconstruction, expected to reopen in 2027. Skip the island plans for now.
- Time needed: Half a day to one full day for the mainland highlights.
- Best for: Families who like beaches and short hikes more than they like museums.
What Can You Do in Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan?
1. Sleeping Bear Dunes Dune Climb
2. The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive Michigan
3. Glen Haven Beach Sleeping Bear Dunes
4. Sleeping Bear Point Maritime Museum
5. Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail
6. Philip A. Hart Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore Visitor Center
7. Manitou Sleeping Bear Dunes Islands
8. Sleeping Bear Dunes Campgrounds Michigan
9. Restaurant Near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
10. Consider a Tour
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How Much Does It Cost to Get In?
Surprise: it is not free. An entrance fee has been required here since 1998, and the original version of this post conveniently failed to mention it, the way I conveniently fail to mention how much I spent at Target. Here is what you actually pay.
- 7-day private vehicle: $25.00
- Motorcycle: $20.00 (covers up to two motorcycles or four passengers)
- Per person on foot or bike: $15.00 for ages 16 and up; kids under 16 are free
- Annual Sleeping Bear Dunes pass: $45.00
- America the Beautiful interagency pass: $80.00, accepted here and at every other national park you will guilt yourself into visiting
One thing to know before you pull up: the park is cashless. Staffed fee stations take credit and debit only, and you can buy a digital pass ahead of time through Recreation.gov. If you are the kind of person who keeps exactly four dollars in quarters in the cup holder for emergencies, those quarters are useless here. Prices were current as of this writing — check the official fee page before you go, because the Park Service loves a quiet update.
Sleeping Bear Dunes Park
1. Dune Climb
The Dune Climb is the park’s headline act: a giant wall of sand you hike straight up, with great views of Glen Lake and relatively low crowds once you get away from the parking lot. It is the thing people picture when they think of this place, and it earns the billing.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes hikes can be a little strenuous, particularly for young children and morbidly obese dogs. The sand is loose and slick, and every step uphill steals about half a step back. Wear closed-toe shoes you do not love, because they will fill with sand and you will be shaking them out for a week.
As an added perk, sand might blow directly into your face on a windy day. Plan for that possibility. I have a child who hates feeling wet and sticky, so it did not come as a huge surprise that he also hated inhaling sand. Our hike ended quickly once he took some to the mouth.
For those who are really in it to win it, leave the small kids and Garfield at home. You can hike all the way through the dunes to Lake Michigan, a round trip that runs roughly three to four hours over deep, exhausting sand. Bring more water than you think you need — there is no snack bar waiting at the bottom, only your regret.
Dune Climb Planning
The Dune Climb area is accessible 24 hours a day. There is a picnic area, and you might need it, because this region is seriously short on restaurants — pack a cooler. Restrooms and a small bookstore are on site, and the trails here are dog friendly, so feel free to bring the pets along on a leash.
2. Pierce Stocking Sleeping Bear Dunes Scenic Drive
This is a 7.4-mile scenic loop, open to cars from May through November, 9 a.m. until 30 minutes after sunset. It felt a little long with kids whining in the backseat, but the scenery genuinely delivers. No trailers are allowed, and leashed dogs are welcome. When the road is closed to cars in the off-season, you can still walk or bike it.
The ride through the dunes can feel a little harrowing on the narrow, hilly stretches, but overall it is safe. It is like your child is driving the Tomorrowland Speedway car, except you could really die, so maybe do not let them drive this time.
There are several pullouts to view Lake Michigan and Glen Lake from the overlooks, and you can park and hike out onto the dunes from here too. One heads-up that is new since this post first went up: the famous Stop #9 Lake Michigan Overlook lost its wooden platform and railing in spring 2025 after the pilings were destabilized. The parking, the accessible restroom, and the jaw-dropping bluff-edge view are all still there — you just no longer have a railing to lean on, so keep a hand on the kids.
The picnic areas and overlooks can get crowded in summer. It will be obvious when a spot is over capacity, because there will be cars parked where they clearly should not be. Avoid those and you are fine. You can also do the entire loop without ever leaving your car if the crowds look like a Black Friday doorbuster when you visit.
3. Glen Haven Michigan
Glen Haven historic village is basically Mayberry with better parking. It features the D.H. Day General Store, preserved to look the way it did roughly a century ago, plus the Glen Haven Cannery and Boat Museum and a working blacksmith shop for a genuine step back in time. The exterior buildings and exhibits are accessible year-round, while the interiors open up in summer. There is no separate fee beyond your park pass.
Glen Haven also has a quiet, gorgeous beachfront you can happily lose a few hours to. This is no Daytona Beach on spring break. Tops stay on, and you can swim without accidentally body-checking a stranger. The water is Lake Michigan cold, so manage your kids’ expectations there too.
There are public restrooms with toilets that actually flush in this area, which, given the rest of this park, is reason enough to stop.
4. Sleeping Bear Point Maritime Museum
The Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum, just west of Glen Haven, has exhibits on Great Lakes shipping history, the United States Life-Saving Service, and the early Coast Guard. It is the historic station building itself, which is half the charm.
In summer, the museum presents a daily reenactment of a Life-Saving Service breeches-buoy rescue, traditionally around 3 p.m., using Raggedy Ann and Andy as the unfortunate “victims.” You can also reach the beach from the museum.
My kids would have lost interest here in 2.4 seconds, so we passed, but your children might be more cultured than mine. If history is their thing, the rescue demo is the most kid-friendly part.
The museum is generally open seasonally from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, daily 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours can shift with staffing and construction, so confirm on the park website before you build your day around it.
5. Sleeping Bear Dunes Heritage Trail
The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail is a paved, non-motorized path currently about 22 miles long, open to people on foot and non-motorized wheels. You can walk, run, ski, or bike it, and when it is fully built out the plan is for it to reach 27 miles.
It is both wheelchair and stroller accessible, which makes it one of the few things here you can do with a toddler without a full-body sand audit afterward.
The trail runs through the town of Empire, past the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center, along Pierce Stocking Drive, by the Dune Climb, and through Glen Arbor, among other spots. There are multiple parking access points, so you do not need to tackle all 22 miles in one heroic, regret-filled push.
6. Philip A. Hart Sleeping Bear Visitor Center
The Philip A. Hart Visitor Center, in downtown Empire, is a small building with a gift shop and a few exhibits on the history of the dunes. The exhibits are OK at best. This will not fill an hour, let alone an afternoon, so set the bar accordingly.
What it is good for: rangers who will give you a real recommended itinerary, current trail and closure updates, and — say it with me — toilets. Stop in at the start of your day, grab a map and a plan, and move on.
7. Manitou Islands
Read this part before you plan anything. As of 2026, the Manitou Islands ferry is not operating. Both the South Manitou and North Manitou docks are closed because there is no safe place to land while the Park Service rebuilds them. The docks and island villages are expected to reopen in 2027. Until then, the only way out is your own boat (you anchor offshore — there are no mooring buoys or protected anchorage) or a permitted charter operator, currently just Manitou Passage LLC. For most families, that means day trips and island camping are off the table right now.
I am leaving the island details below for anyone planning a 2027-or-later trip, because the islands are worth it when they reopen. Just do not show up at the dock in 2026 expecting a boat.
The Manitou Islands — South Manitou Island and North Manitou Island — are part of the national lakeshore and are dedicated almost entirely to hiking and camping. You can spot several animal species, including eagles and hawks, and both islands have historic landmarks worth the walk. Normally they are reached by the Sleeping Bear Dunes ferry run by Manitou Island Transit, which, again, is paused until the docks reopen.
South Manitou Island National Park
South Manitou Island was first settled in the 1830s. Today it has dune formations, about ten miles of beaches, a stand of trees over five hundred years old, and remnants of 1800s life, including the ruins of the island’s general store.
There is a lighthouse to climb and a former Coast Guard station to tour. You can also take a wagon ride out to see the Francisco Morazan shipwreck, because apparently nineteenth-century navigation was more of a suggestion than a science.
South Manitou typically allows deer hunting for a window around early November. If taking out animals is not your bag, avoid that stretch. If it is your thing, you need both a park hunting permit and a Michigan deer hunting license. (All of this is moot while the island is closed, but file it away for the future.)
South Manitou Island Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes Visitor Center
The South Manitou Island visitor center occupies the former town general store. Inside are exhibits about the loggers, farmers, and Life-Saving Service members who lived on the island.
North Manitou Island
North Manitou Island was first inhabited in the 1850s. Here you can explore the Life-Saving Service complex of historic buildings, Cottage Row (cottages built between the 1890s and 1920s), and a sawmill built in 1927.
North Manitou has about twenty miles of shoreline, with dunes, bluffs, and rugged terrain, plus several bird species including bald eagles.
It has less to see than South Manitou, but it is more secluded — the better pick if your idea of a vacation is being unreachable.
8. Camping in Sleeping Bear Dunes
The odds of me wanting to camp are roughly the same as someone on a Southwest flight enthusiastically waving you into the middle seat next to them. I will be holed up in one of the hotels by Sleeping Bear Dunes instead. If you are doing northern Michigan as a bigger trip, you might also look at the Homestead Resort up the road in Glen Arbor.
If camping is genuinely your thing, there are real options here. Two important notes first: the four island campgrounds below (everything on North and South Manitou) are currently inaccessible because the ferry is not running and the docks are closed through at least 2026. The two mainland campgrounds — Platte River and D.H. Day — are your only realistic choices right now.
North Manitou Island Village Campground Near Sleeping Bear Dunes Michigan
Currently inaccessible (island docks closed; reopening expected 2027). The North Manitou village campground is small, secluded, and lacking in everything I love modern conveniences. It has only a handful of dedicated sites, and you can hear the waves from camp, so I will admit I see the appeal.
You need a backcountry camping permit to stay here. Plan ahead — and obviously, plan for a future year, once you can actually get to the island.
Bay Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes Campground – South Manitou Island
Currently inaccessible (island docks closed; reopening expected 2027). Bay Campground sits closest to the South Manitou ferry dock and is rugged. You have to bring your own water, since there is no drinking-water source on site. Sleeping Bear Dunes camping at its finest.
Weather Station Sleeping Bear Dunes National Campground – South Manitou Island
Currently inaccessible (island docks closed; reopening expected 2027). The Weather Station campground sits near the bluffs on the south side of the island. The sites are secluded and rugged, again with no drinking water. Prepare accordingly.
Popple Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore Campground – South Manitou Island Michigan
Currently inaccessible (island docks closed; reopening expected 2027). Popple is the least crowded campground on the Manitou Islands, out on the northern tip of South Manitou near the beach. It is the farthest from the dock and therefore the hardest to reach.
It is a small, primitive site with no drinking water available. The hotels near Sleeping Bear Dunes are sounding better and better, aren’t they.
Sleeping Bear Dunes Platte River Campground
Platte River Campground is on the mainland and open year-round — one of your two genuinely available options right now.
You can set up shop National Lampoon style here. Electric hookups are available, which makes it a solid pick for people who want to camp without fully roughing it.
It also has tent sites and a backcountry campground if you want to suffer more authentically. Reservations go through Recreation.gov.
D. H. Day Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Campground
D.H. Day Campground is in the northern district of the mainland and is seasonal, generally open spring through fall.
This one leans more family-friendly, with activities and an amphitheater. It is the better mainland pick if you have kids who need to be entertained or risk a meltdown.
RVs and trailers are allowed. If you are weighing northern Michigan options, our take on Crystal Mountain Resort covers a comfier, less-tent base nearby.
9. Sleeping Bear Dunes Empire Village Inn Restaurant
There are not a lot of restaurants near Sleeping Bear Dunes. At all. So before you leave, check out the Empire Village Inn in Empire. It has a dive-bar-meets-middle-of-nowhere vibe, and the gluten-free pizza I had was genuinely good and reasonably priced.
Two practical notes: it usually runs evening hours and has been reported closed some Mondays, so call ahead (around 231-326-5101) rather than driving 25 minutes on faith. And because dinner options out here are thin, do not count on a backup down the street — there often isn’t one.
10. Consider a Tour
Want someone else to handle the logistics and the history lesson? Consider a group tour. It is a good fit if you are based in Traverse City without a car or just do not feel like white-knuckling the scenic drive yourself.
Sleeping Bear Dunes FAQ
How much does it cost to enter Sleeping Bear Dunes?
A 7-day private-vehicle pass is $25.00. An annual park pass is $45.00, and the $80 America the Beautiful interagency pass is accepted. The park is cashless, so bring a card and not a fistful of quarters. Confirm current prices on the official fee page before you go.
Are the Manitou Islands open right now?
No. The ferry is not running and both island docks are closed for reconstruction, with reopening expected in 2027. For now the only access is by private boat or a permitted charter operator, so plan island trips and island camping for a future year.
How much time do you need at Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Half a day covers the highlights if you move fast: the Dune Climb, the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, and a stop at Glen Haven beach. Give it a full day if you want to actually swim, picnic, or hike out toward Lake Michigan.
Is Sleeping Bear Dunes good with kids?
Yes, with realistic expectations. Little kids love the beach and the bottom of the Dune Climb but tire fast on deep sand, and they will not last long in the museums. The flat, stroller-friendly Heritage Trail and Glen Haven beach are the easiest wins. For more northern-Michigan family ideas, see our take on Fort Mackinac with kids.
Can you bring dogs to Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Yes, leashed dogs are welcome on the Dune Climb trails, the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, and much of the park, though some areas and beaches have restrictions. Bring water for them too — hot sand and a long hike are rough on paws.
Final Thoughts
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a genuinely beautiful, peaceful place with plenty to explore, and the mainland still earns a day of your time if you are anywhere near northern Michigan. The Dune Climb, the scenic drive, and the Glen Haven beaches are the real draws, and they have not lost a step.
Go in knowing two things: there is a $25 vehicle fee and the park is cashless, and the Manitou Islands are closed until at least 2027, so build your plan around the mainland. Check the official park website for current closures and grab a park map before you go. Make this a stop while you are in the area and you will not regret it — just maybe bring your own lunch.
It looks like a fabulous place to explore.Camping ground is really worth it and the beach front is amazing!
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like a beautiful place to explore. I put it on my travel list. I could totally camp but only in a house on wheels with all the things I love. Ha ha!
This looks like a neat destination for a quiet trip with the kids.
Great recap! Wish I’d read this before booking our upcoming trip! I will have to check it out sometime, thank you for sharing.
Oh my, I giggled out loud at the the obese dogs and kid who doesn’t like wet, sticky or sand. Travelling with kids is always an adventure, and flexibility is a learned necessity and skill. The dunes in this area of Michigan look really cool. I love to camp, but am not a fan of sand in my face either.
I used to go camping there when I was a kid. I remember it being quiet and peaceful. Reading this makes me want to visit there again.
We’re always on the lookout for discovering new National Parks to travel to and camp at from Canada. Sleeping Bear Dunes looks outstanding, especially the Manitou Islands. Have Pinned your post for future reference! 🙂
This looks like a fun trip! The Dune Climb sounds like an adventure. I’d love to hit up South Manitou Island and North Manitou Island. Thanks for all your helpful tips!
Wow looks very beautiful indeed.
Wow, looks beautiful! Hoping to make it up to Michigan soon!
Wow this looks so neat! I particularly like glen haven Michigan, it’s not everyday that we’re able to see something that hasn’t been altered in a hundred years.
The sand dunes are so beautiful! I’m going to Traverse City over Labor Day so we’ll definitely be making a pit stop!
This looks like a great place to bring grandkids.
It looks so beautiful and quiet! I would love to go there!