Sleeping Bear visitation down in July, but still on track for record-setting pace in 2021

From staff reports

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore attracted 481,137 visitors in July, which is more than 110,000 fewer than July 2020, when the Park drew 592,404 guests—a single-month record.

Gary Vanderziel with Sleeping Bear Dunes hypothesized that a rainy July 2021 may be the culprit, or perhaps it was more people flying—thus, not visiting rural National Parks—than during the pandemic summer of 2020.

Nevertheless, Sleeping Bear remains on pace for a record year in 2021. Visitation figures are still 6.96 percent ahead of last year at this time. That’s because Sleeping Bear experienced a monster May and monster June—unseasonably warm months in 2021. The Park has attracted 996,650 visitors to date in 2021, compared to 931,827 last year.

To remain on its record-breaking pace, Sleeping Bear will likely have to draw as many visitors in August as it did in July. In August 2020, the Park attracted 490,098 visitors. July and August are the biggest months for visitors to Sleeping Bear Dunes.