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Sleeping Bear Dunes announces kids artwork contest for 2018 park pass

For the third year, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is conducting an artwork contest to select an image for the front of the park’s Annual Park Entrance Pass. The focus of the contest centers around the Every Kid in a Park program, which has the central goal of connecting fourth graders with the great outdoors and inspiring them to become future environmental stewards, ready to preserve and protect national parks and other public lands for years to come. For this reason, the art contest is open to anyone 12 years of age or younger.

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Sleeping Bear Dunes receives field trip grant from National Park Foundation

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was selected to receive a 2017 field trip grant from the National Park Foundation (NPF), the official charity of America’s national parks. This grant will allow fourth grade classes the opportunity to explore the National Lakeshore on a snowshoeing adventure for free and learn about winter ecology, snow science, and more in a hands-on, experiential format. This grant, part of the NPF’s Open OutDoors for Kids program, supports the Every Kid in a Park program.

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Forest Haven Cemetery, buried in the woods, sealed by the storm

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At one time, it was lovely and serene. “We begin in a peaceful place in the woods among the tall timber and wildflowers of Leelanau County,” wrote author Leonard G. Overmyer in his 1999 book Forest Haven Soldiers: The Civil War Veterans of Glen Lake & Surrounding Leelanau. “A site, by Forest Haven Road and M-22, where lies the old Glen Arbor Township Cemetery. It was used primarily in the 1800s and beginning of the 1900s for the early pioneers of the area. This quiet location holds the final resting-place of several Civil War soldiers.”

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Will Sleeping Bear Dunes set visitor record again in 2017?

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Will Sleeping Bear Dunes break last year’s record for annual visitors to our National Park? 1,683,553 people visited Sleeping Bear in 2016, smashing the previous record of 1,535,633 set in 2015. The visitation tally in 2017 is more than 26,000 people ahead of last year’s pace, following a strong April and September, and a monster July.

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A marathon along the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail

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Fall racing has arrived. Let the excitement sink in. For many, this is the optimal running season. It is also common for runners to spend the summer training for a fall marathon. The relief that comes with the cooler temperatures can be felt in every inch of the athlete’s body. If there is one race on your fall calendar, make it the Sleeping Bear Marathon, Half Marathon, & 5k. This sixth annual event is held on Oct. 7th.

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“Find Your Park” After Dark: National Lakeshore hosts Autumn Star Party

The sky is the limit at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Join park rangers and astronomers from the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society (GTAS) on Saturday, Sept. 23 in the Dune Climb parking lot and the lawn area at the base of the dune. This event takes place from 9-11 p.m. only one day after the autumnal equinox and three days after a new moon.

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From Mosses to Mentoring: On Halbert’s Path

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Many a nature lover was introduced as a child to the outdoors by a parent or teacher. The outdoors can be just the back yard, but the crucial thing is awakening what Rachael Carson called in her wise and lovely essay of that title A Sense of Wonder. Pheasant hunting with his father first kindled it in local naturalist Rick Halbert. As a teacher and volunteer, he’s spent his life connecting people and nature. A botanist, he knows, loves, and fosters the native plants of our region.

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Hiking the golden years: short and sweet hikes for seniors

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Growing older is not for the faint of heart. If you’ve always loved to hike, it can be discouraging, post age 65, to find that reduced padding due to wear and tear on your joints, back and feet can cause stiffness and pain during long-distance hikes. Reduced muscle strength and flexibility make hiking on uneven terrain more difficult.

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National Lakeshore celebrates National Park birthday with fee free day

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will celebrate the 101st birthday of the National Park Service (NPS) by offering free admission on Friday, Aug. 25. Fees waived include entrance fees and commercial tour fees. Other fees such as reservations, camping, and concession fees are not included.

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From disrepair to greater care: new potential for Port Oneida’s schoolhouse

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With the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore’s Port Oneida Fair coming up this weekend, folks might notice that the landmark little white schoolhouse just off the junction of M-22 and Port Oneida Road looks better than it did a few years ago.

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