Sleeping Bear Dunes Hiking Trails
Sleeping Bear Dunes Hiking Trails
Why it’s great for the first time hiker & biker…
Best segment(s) for a 2 hours or less hike
Dunes, 100 miles and 13 trails…what’s not to enjoy?!
Trail Description
You can hike about 100 miles of designated trails in the Lakeshore. There are thirteen trails on the mainland for hiking, and most of them are maintained during the winter for cross country skiing, and snowshoeing too. Each trail has a trailhead with a parking area. Hiking trails on the dunes are marked by blue-tipped posts.
Each trail has its own unique beauty and challenges. Some have beautiful views from high vistas overlooking lakes, hills, or dunes. While some take you through fields of wildflowers with views of fields and lakes or forest in the background, others take you through the sand dunes to explore the hardy vegetation and wildflowers that flourish in this harsh environment. The list below will give a brief description of each trail with a link to the trail map.
Difficulty: Beginner
Trail Amenities/Quick Look:
- Old Indian Trail – 5 miles, forest, beach dunes
- Platte Plains – 7 miles, mostly flat, some short steep hills, forest, open fields, views of Lake Michigan
- Empire Bluff – 5 miles, forest, hilly, spectacular views
- Windy Moraine – 5 miles, hilly, forest, fields
- Shauger Hill – 4 miles, hilly, forest, some clearings
- Cottonwood – 4 miles, rolling dunes, grasses
- Dunes – dune hiking
- Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail – 27 miles, mostly paved, multi use
- Sleeping Bear Point – 8 miles, rolling dunes
- Alligator Hill – 9 miles, hilly, forest, fields, views of Lake Michigan
- Bay View – 8 miles, forest, fields, panoramic view of Lake Michigan
- Pyramid Point – 7 miles, forest, high bluffs and meadow
- Good Harbor Bay – 8 miles, flat, mostly wooded & low dunes