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Sleeping Bear Dunes National LakeshoreWildflowers, Cardinal Flower
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Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Places To Go
 

Where should we go when we come to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore?  Good question!  With 35 miles of pristine Lake Michigan beaches, two large islands, enormous sand dunes and bluffs, rivers and inland lakes, there are plenty of choices. 

Head for the beach!  The clear water of Lake Michigan and beautiful sandy beaches draw many visitors during the hot summer days.  Walk along the shore and look at the wide variety of rocks.  Maybe you will find a Petoskey Stone or find the remnants of a shipwreck.

 
Beach at Esch Road
Kerry Kelly 2005
Enjoying the Beach at Esch Road
 
Floating the Platte
Terry Phipps 2005
Floating the Platte

Here's another way to cool down on a hot summer day.  Float the Platte River.  Get a tube, raft, canoe, or kayak and head for the river.  Pay attention to the shoreline as you float down the river and you'll see a variety of wildflowers and waterfowl.

 
Charles Olsen Farm
Kerry Kelly 2006
Charles Olsen Farm

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is rich in history and culture.  Visit our museums and drive, bike, or hike through the Port Oneida Rural Historic District and see farmsteads and fields that represent farming in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

Philip A. Hart Visitor Center
Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, MI
Start your visit at the Visitor Center to get your pass, maps, and much more
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Dune Climb
The Dune Climb
Everybody wants to climb the dunes.
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Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive Lake Michigan Overlook
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
Drive the 7-mile scenic drive and bring your camera!
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US Coast Guard Station Museum
Visit the Museums
Learn about the shipping, logging, and farming history of the area
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US Life-Saving Service  

Did You Know?
During the winter of 1870-71, 214 people lost their lives in shipwrecks on the Great Lakes, and congress established the US Life-Saving Service to conduct rescues from shore. This became the US Coast Guard in 1915. Visit Sleeping Bear Dunes to see how these men lived and worked.
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Last Updated: July 25, 2006 at 00:22 EST