“Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, tucked in the northwest corner of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, is one of the nation’s best-kept secrets,” according to ABC’s popular show “Good Morning America.” We concur. But now the secret is out.
After half a decade of planning, some debate, and the solidification of enthusiastic support across a broad spectrum of the public, the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail will officially launch with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Dune Climb on Friday, August 12 at 11 a.m. When completed, the 27-mile trail will run from the southern edge of Leelanau County, through the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to Good Harbor Bay.
The fifth annual Running Bear Run on July 26 was another huge success with a picture perfect day and 700 runners in attendance. There were 555 runners in the 5K and 145 kids in the half mile Kids’ Run. A great time was had by all.
At about 5 p.m. on Friday, July 8, the Newell and Pierce families were enjoying a pontoon boat ride on Big Glen Lake when they saw a tiny fawn floating in the deep water. Only, the baby deer’s head cleared the waterline, and it was struggling to stay afloat. The Newells called On the Narrows Marina, from whom they had rented the pontoon, and encountered what they perceived to be disbelief on the other end of the line. The phone call ended abruptly.
On Lake Street in Glen Arbor, clusters of friends, fresh off a motorcoach, made their way south along the sidewalk. Some paused to browse at shops. Others ambled slowly toward a destination — a trio of wooden buildings known as “world headquarters for all things cherry.”
Like many Glen Arborites, Molly Melin is frustrated. Earlier this week her Verizon Wireless cell phone went from full strength to “no service.” She’s been hampered without phone service, data connections, and text messages. Luckily, this Friday will see service restored.
The Dunegrass Festival — which since the early 1990s has been held the first weekend of August, either in Empire or on the Empire Eagles Field on M-72 eight miles east of town — has officially announced its move to Benzie County.
At 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 11, 548 athletes took off from the start line on M-109 in Glen Arbor and prepared to race up the Sleeping Bear Dunes “Dune Climb.” It would only be the start of a challenging event which also includes a 17.5-mile bike race around Big and Little Glen Lake and a 2.5-mile paddle in Little Glen Lake.
Members of the Glen Lake Garden Club’s Glen Arbor Beautification Committee braved a chilly morning on May 25 to plant the community flower barrels and planters in Glen Arbor in preparation for Memorial Weekend. This project is supported by the garden club, Glen Arbor Township and Glen Lake Chamber of Commerce. In addition to the Glen Arbor planters, the garden club maintains the gardens at the Glen Lake Community Library.
Northern Michigan is “bear country” and seeing one of these magnificent creatures may be a highlight of your visit to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) this summer as bear sightings have increased, particularly near the Platte River Campground. In 2010, Park Rangers received over two dozen reports of bears and bear “signs” in and adjacent to the park.