Michigan is home to many incredible sand dune systems and national parks which are especially popular with trail hikers. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore site has some of the most beautiful dunes in North America and attracts thousands dune climbing enthusiasts every year.
Michigan Sand Dunes
Sleeping Bear Dunes – Empire
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 Dune Climb is a main tourist attraction, with people attempting to climb the dune in order to reach a spectacular view of Glen Lake.
Silver Lake Dunes – Mears
Silver Lake State Park is a public recreation area covering 2,936 acres (1,188 ha) that border Lake Michigan and Silver Lake, four miles (6.4 km) west of Mears in Oceana County, Michigan.
Warren Dunes State Park – Sawyer
Warren Dunes State Park is a 1,952-acre (7.90 km2) Michigan state park, located along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in Berrien County. The park’s large sand dunes and lakeshore beaches make it one of the most popular of Michigan’s state parks with an average of about one million visitors annually.
Saugatuck Dunes – Saugatuck
Saugatuck Dunes State Park is a public recreation area covering 1,000 acres (400 ha) on the shore of Lake Michigan between Saugatuck and Holland in Allegan County, Michigan.
Grand Sable Banks and Dunes – Munising
The dunes are an example of what is known as a perched dune system, which are dunes formed atop an existing bluff (the Grand Sable Banks). The best place to view the Grand Sable Dunes is from the trail that begins at the west end of the Sable Falls parking area. This trail leads through an old field, then crosses a bridge over Sable Creek. It then ventures into the forest and dunes transition area for approximately 1/4 mile. Wayside exhibits are located along the trail.
Arcadia Dunes – Arcadia
Part of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Arcadia Dunes, GTRLC’s largest preserve, includes over 15 miles of trail to explore dunes, forests and many other landscapes.
