Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in response to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, Unites States Public Health Service, and Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department is announcing additional modifications to operations to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore reported today that it is closing trails, trailheads, picnic areas, parking areas, and boat launches until further notice, effective immediately. These operations are to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Platte River Campground, White Pine Campground and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore restrooms are closed until further notice. All park trails and beaches will remain open to provide healthy options for the public. The Phillip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire remains closed until further notice.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is closing the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire. In making these decisions, the National Lakeshore is following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
A volunteer group of citizens are working to identify who owns the Glen Arbor Township Cemetery in the woods behind Forest Haven Road and M-22, on land that borders the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
The Leelanau Conservancy announced plans today to expand its largest natural area of over 1000 acres. With the Palmer Woods 1000-Acre Project, the Conservancy hopes to purchase 350 acres of forestland adjacent to the 721-acre Palmer Woods Forest Reserve near Glen Arbor. The Conservancy is now asking for the public’s help to raise the final $325,000 of the $3.5 million goal to purchase the property. The expansion would offer additional recreational trails, as well as add a new dimension to the property by creating a 5-mile shared border with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. If the project is successful, Palmer Woods will eventually offer 40 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing trails.
In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Superintendent Scott Tucker is pleased to announce that the entrance fee to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will be waived on Monday, January 20.
There’s a park party and you are invited! The National Lakeshore’s 50th anniversary activities begin with a kick-off celebration on Saturday, January 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dune Climb.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is planning something new this winter for their free ranger-led snowshoe hikes. Whether you are an experienced snowshoer or have never tried snowshoeing, the National Lakeshore invites you to join a ranger-led snowshoe hike to explore the park.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is commemorating its first 50 years by sharing a year-long celebration in 2020. During this year, the National Lakeshore hopes to thank those who have played a pivotal role in making the park what it is today, invite new connections and support to shape its future, and showcase the magnificence of what makes the park so special.