Beginning Tuesday, June 23, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will reopen access to the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, and all campgrounds and camping. However, the Manitou Island Transit ferry will not run service to the Manitou Islands this year. High water in Lake Michigan has damaged the dock at South Manitou Island, making it unsafe for disembarking passengers until it can be repaired.
The Glen Arbor Sun will use this 50 year anniversary of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore as an opportunity to publish a year-long series of stories that highlight key events, milestones and movements that have changed the Sleeping Bear Dunes region since 1970. What stories do YOU think we should include in this anniversary series?
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is beginning to reopen and increase recreational access to park facilities, the Lakeshore reported today in a press release. Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, the Lakeshore is increasing recreational access and services before Memorial Day weekend.
Dede DeWitt deManigold of Traverse City wasn’t expecting the call yesterday. Even so, when asked whether she had an ancestor buried at the former Glen Arbor Township Cemetery, her response was immediate. “Not an ancestor,” she replied. “Ancestors.”
The coronavirus pandemic and need for social distancing has prompted the cancelation of this year’s Glen Arbor Fourth of July parade, the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb concert, the Manitou Music concert series, and the Port Oneida Fair.
Are you home with children/students during the pandemic lockdown and wondering how to have a positive, educational experience that is fun for the whole family? The Life of the Sleeping Bear provides hours of entertaining and educational reading. Filled with iconic photos, little-known facts, and stories, it is both delightful and engaging. Its artistry makes it a wonderful book for casual enjoyment, as well as for more educational purposes.
The Sleeping Bear Gateways Council, in collaboration with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, has released a Leelanau and Benzie employer survey to identify the need for seasonal workforce housing.
Wandering the forests, dunes and beaches of the 71,200-acre, 35-mile long Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is permitted, provided that you practice social distancing to avoid spreading the coronavirus and that you park on the side of a Leelanau County road or state highway to enter the Park.
Since most Leelanau County businesses remain closed to diners, shoppers and pedestrians, we at the Glen Arbor Sun are forced to rethink how, where, and perhaps when, to publish and distribute our print editions once the season begins in mid-May. We invite our readers to offer their feedback and answer the following questions.
Much of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is closed until July 1, to slow the spread of COVID-19, and Park Rangers are patrolling popular spots within the Lakeshore—particular on sunny days—both to provide education and guidance and, when necessary, to issue tickets for trespassing, Chief Ranger Phil Akers told the Glen Arbor Sun.