Free Family Fun at the National Lakeshore

,

By Ross Boissoneau

Sun contributor

Hiking, snowshoeing, even watching how maple syrup is made, from tree to syrup. They’re all on tap (pun intended) at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore this winter. And even better than that, all the activities are free.

“The Most Beautiful Place in America” according to ABC’s Good Morning America offers opportunities for fun and exploration not just in the summer but year-round. “The Dunes don’t close,” says Emily Sunblade, lead interpretation park ranger.

Winter certainly provides a different experience than summer. For example, if there’s snow, the hikes become snowshoe hikes. More than that, snow cover provides the opportunity to explore beyond the trails, as rangers can safely lead hikers off the trails. “That won’t damage sensitive plants,” says Sunblade.

Winter also provides for sights and sounds that summer doesn’t. “You see tracks in the snow and can pull out a guidebook (for identification). You see a porcupine asleep in a tree,” says Sunblade, which you couldn’t in summer due to the canopy of leaves.

If there isn’t enough snow to go off-trail, visitors can still enjoy a brisk winter walk led by rangers, who offer expertise on the trees, birds and other inhabitants. The ranger-led hikes will take place Dec. 27 and Dec. 30, with two each day, from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.

All the hikes begin with an introduction at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire. Sunblade says most of the hike is relatively flat, though there is some potential for hilly and uneven terrain, particularly if they are able to go off-trail. They run between one and 1.5 miles. Snowshoes are available at no charge to participants if it is snowy enough for snowshoeing. The National Lakeshore has traditional and modern snowshoes available.

Reservations are required. Call 231-326-4700, extension 5010, for details and to make reservations.

That is just the beginning of winter adventures. Sunblade explains that the NPS has been working to add more family-friendly events, and will debut “Adventures at the Lakeshore” in January. “Each Saturday in January will have a different theme,” she says. There will be both indoor and outdoor activities, encompassing tracking, the area’s history, Anishinaabe exploration and other pop-up fun.

In February, visitors can explore a different side of the National Lakeshore on a candlelit winter hike. Park rangers will lead the way on Saturday, Feb. 10, and again on Feb. 17. They will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Dune Climb. Sunblade says they first took place in 2020 as part of the park’s 50th anniversary celebration, and visitor feedback was so positive they’ve continued ever since.

“There were over 1,500 (participants) last year,” Sunblade continues. She says if the weather is cooperative, it is an excellent opportunity to observe the night sky. Rangers and interns along the trail will help the visitors embrace the night and learn about the constellations and nocturnal animals.

As winter loosens its hold and spring beckons, the National Lakeshore and Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear will collaborate on the second annual Maple Sugaring Days. Visitors can observe how the sap harvested from maple trees on park property is processed. They can walk through a timeline of the area’s syrup- and candy-making, from the Native Americans through the early European settlers, getting a sweet taste of history.

“It is set up in stages,” says Sunblade. “It is quite a process.” It will take place March 2 and March 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the area around the Dechow and Olsen farms in the Port Oneida Rural Historic District.

While all the NPS programs are free, participants do need a park entrance pass or have an annual pass to join in the fun. All outdoor activities will be weather dependent. For additional details on these and any other park programs, check the park’s website calendar at tinyurl.com/2pcar5wf.

 

Winter Field Trip Signups Now Open at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

The popular Winter Experience field trip program at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) is now open for schools to sign up. Educators can register classes of 3rd-12th graders for the exciting opportunity to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes in the wintertime and learn about winter ecology and the connection of our parklands to watersheds. If conditions allow, students will don snowshoes during their trips, however, programming will pivot to winter-hike versions should there not be enough snow.

For 3rd-5th grade classes, there is the option to participate in the “Beach-Cleaning Design Challenge” curriculum arc. Participating students will have pre and post visits in addition to their winter field trip. They will then use FREE workbooks and their creativity to design a device to help rangers clean up beaches at the National Lakeshore. There are five different methods of participation that schools can choose from. These vary from a two-visit experience to fully virtual, with several hybrid options in between. Rangers will even come to your school if it is within 50 miles of the National Lakeshore! Details on the different options can be found on the National Lakeshore’s website: https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/wandering-the-watershed.htm.

For middle and high schoolers, age-appropriate activities pertaining to topics such as winter ecology, energy flow through natural systems, and climate change will be offered. For K-2nd grade students, other options may be available. Contact the Education Team at slbe_education@nps.gov to make arrangements.

The National Lakeshore has once again received funds from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) for reimbursing bus transportation costs. The grant will be administered by our partner organization, the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Grants will be awarded competitively with preference to Title 1 schools and those with an average travel cost per student of up to $10. If educators would like to be considered for reimbursement, they must provide an estimate of their transportation costs in their request letter.

To register for any ranger-led educational field trip, please follow the instructions and fill out the new field trip request form found on the National Lakeshore’s website: https://www.nps.gov/slbe/learn/education/classrooms/fieldtrips.htm

If your class is unable to visit the park in person this winter, there is good news! The National Lakeshore is continuing to offer their engaging ranger-led Distance Learning programs for live virtual “visits.” Topics include black bear adaptations, traditional knowledge of the Anishinaabe, the endangered piping plover shorebird, geology of sand formation and more. More information on these programs can be found on their website at https://www.nps.gov/slbe/learn/education/distance-learning.htm.