Posts

Snowshoe Hiking in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Park Rangers say “Let it snow!” so you can explore Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on snowshoes this winter. Join the rangers for a guided snowshoe hike this holiday season and every Saturday throughout the winter. The first hike of the season will be on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 1 p.m. Then, snowshoe hikes will be offered every Saturday at 1 p.m. through the end of February. Meet at the National Lakeshore Visitor Center in Empire. If you don’t have your own, snowshoes will be loaned at no charge. Participants need only purchase the park entrance pass or have an annual pass to join in the fun. Reservations are required whether you need to borrow snowshoes or have your own. Ranger-led snowshoe hikes are limited to 30 participants. Please call (231) 326-5134, extension 328, for details and to make reservations.

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Sleeping Bear Dunes “Wilderness” legislation highlighted for 2014 consideration

From staff reports The office of U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek (a Republican representing Northern Michigan) reports that his legislation to protect Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore — both as wilderness and as a recreationally zoned Park that citizens can access and use — will take the next step toward becoming law when the House Committee on Natural […]

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Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore honors U.S. veterans

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has announced that Veterans Day weekend, Nov. 9-11, will be celebrated as a fee-free weekend for all Park visitors in honor of U.S. veterans and current members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

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Sleeping Bear awakens as U.S. government re-opens

What effect did closing of Park have on local economy? By Jacob Wheeler Sun editor Connie Bohlinger of Macomb County, Mich., and Linda Jones of Fort Myers, Fla., laughed as they descended the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb Thursday afternoon, kicking one foot in front of the other to avoid tumbling forward into its sugary sands. […]

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Sleeping Bear slumbers under federal government shutdown

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The federal government shutdown early this morning — forced by the Republican-led House of Representatives who oppose the Affordable Care Act — prompted the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and National Parks across the nation, to lock their gates. The timing here in Glen Arbor is highly unfortunate, as it threatens to stunt our growing shoulder tourism season.

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Lakeshore offers free entrance on National Public Lands Day

One-third of the land in America is yours — public land where one can hike, bike, climb, hunt, swim, explore, picnic, or just simply relax. National Public Lands Day, Sept. 28, is an opportunity to enjoy and give something back to those places we love. In recognition of this special day, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will host a beach cleanup from noon to 2 p.m. No reservations are needed. Simply meet at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire at noon and help clean up the beach. Join thousands of volunteers across the nation who are taking part in the 20th Annual National Public Lands Day.

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National Lakeshore holds U.S. Lifesaving Service Rescue Boat Program

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Join Park Rangers and guest speaker Tim Dring for a special program at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore about the U.S. Lifesaving Service and U.S. Coast Guard rescue boats entitled “You have to go out, but you don’t have to come back.” The one-hour program will be held on Sept. 29 at 3 p.m. at the Cannery Boat Museum in Glen Haven. Learn about the various craft used in rescues on the Great Lakes and how they compare to East Coast Lifesaving Service station craft.

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National Lakeshore welcomes artist in residence Phillip Donovan

From staff reports Superintendent Dusty Shultz is pleased to introduce this year’s September Artist-In-Residence at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Phillip Donovan, a sculptor from New York, is living in the National Lakeshore for three weeks, immersing himself in the natural wonders of the dunes, forests, beaches, and varied cultural landscapes this national treasure provides. […]

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National Lakeshore seeks proposals for historic Sleeping Bear Inn

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A Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) is currently being issued by the National Park Service for the Sleeping Bear Inn in Glen Haven. The RFEI allows interested parties to submit their concept(s) for potential adaptive use of the Inn and its garage. The Inn was built in approximately 1865 and was used as a lodging and dining facility until 1972; the garage was built in 1928.

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Back to school, with America’s National Parks

On September 12, the National Park Service launched a new online service for teachers that brings America’s national parks, including Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, into neighborhood classrooms.

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