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Summer brings activities to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Day or night, sunny or cloudy, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore provides opportunities for family fun. Whether it’s self-directed hikes or drives, ranger-led programs or events coordinated by partners such as Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes or Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear, the area offers plenty of ways to explore, engage and maybe even get a little exercise. You may want to start early if you’re planning on some of the more popular attractions. On its website, the National Park Service recommends hitting the following before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to allow for easier parking, lower temperatures and fewer fellow outdoor enthusiasts.

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Your Sleeping Bear Dunes experience this year may feel very different

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UPDATE (March 12): The National Park Service once again has the green light to hire seasonal workers, but the late start has hampered the ability of Sleeping Bear Dunes to populate its seasonal roster. As of Glen Arbor Sun press time, approximately 80 percent of the National Lakeshore’s more than 100 seasonal positions remained vacant. The federal government chaos and the inability of seasonals from outside the area to find housing has prompted a slew of declines from candidates who were suddenly called and offered seasonal positions in March. Sleeping Bear Dunes staff have been paralyzed in other ways, too. Government-issued credit cards used by Park staff are frozen. They can’t buy ammunition or ranger supplies; they can’t even buy toilet paper for outhouses at hiking trails.

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Star party and solar viewing returns to Sleeping Bear Dunes

Mark your calendars. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is thrilled to announce the return of the popular Star Party and Solar Viewing events. Join park rangers and astronomers from the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at the Dune Climb parking lot Saturday, July 13, from 9-11 pm. Rangers will provide information on preserving dark skies, and GTAS will have telescopes set up for visitors to enjoy.

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“Find Your Park” After Dark: Sleeping Bear Dunes holds birthday star party

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is the “star” of another autumn night sky event; October 21 marks the 49th anniversary of the establishment of the National Lakeshore.

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Dune Climb concert features Bumpus

Bumpus and their powerful brand of soul music will rock the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb at the next Manitou Music series concert on Sunday, July 14, at 7 pm.

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Sleeping Bear Dunes to restore accessibility and resume basic visitor services

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore announced on Saturday, Jan. 12, that areas of the park will once again be accessible to visitors in the coming days, despite the continued federal government shutdown. The Park will use revenues generated by recreation fees. However, the Empire visitor center, ranger talks and programs will remain unavailable until the government re-opens.

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Register for seventh annual Dune Dash

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Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails, Inc. is a proud partner of the seventh annual Dune Dash, a 4-mile run/walk along the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail on Saturday, Aug. 18, at 9 a.m. at the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb. Registration is open at DuneDash.com. Registration ranges from $20-$30 per person based on age and prices go up $5 after Aug. 16.

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Nicholas Amato of Suttons Bay makes last minute charge to win M22 Challenge

More than 900 athletes came out to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore early Saturday morning to participate in the ninth annual M22 Challenge. Nicholas Amato, 20, of Suttons Bay, was the first in the men’s group to cross the finish line at a time of 1:15:06, with Jamie Endicott, 24, of Oak Park, securing the top honor among the women with a time of 1:26:46.

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Find Your Park After Dark: Meteor Shower Magic at the Dune Climb

On Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 12-13, from 10 p.m.-5 a.m., Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is offering a special Star Party at the Dune Climb. A special all-nighter is planned as our planet passes through the heart of the Perseids. The sliver of a moon provides the perfect opportunity to find deep sky objects in a very dark sky. The meteor shower peaks around 2 a.m. Don’t forget to bring a blanket to make your sky viewing more comfortable. Please park in the row furthest from the dunes with headlights facing M-109.

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Promoting the Park through music

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The Sleeping Bear Dunes are alive in many ways — in folklore and legend, in plant and animal life, and, beginning in the late 1990s, with music. The first of many mid-July concerts staged at the Dune Climb took place on July 19, 1998. The idea was spawned by Crispin Campbell, cellist and Interlochen Arts Academy instructor since 1980.

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