Sleeping Bear Dunes is a must if you are nearby! There are beaches that are free to enter, but to…read morego into the actual park and see the big dunes, you have to pay $20 per car, or you can get in with a National Parks pass. Most of it is drivable once you're in, and you can park your car off to the side of the road and view multiple different overlooks. The dunes are huge I was surprised. They're much bigger than I am used to seeing at Indiana Dunes! We stopped at the Lake Michigan overlook. There's a parking lot with plenty of parking. To get up to the overlook, you'll have to walk up a smallish sand dune. It's easier if you take your shoes off. Once you get up, there's super steep dunes that many people attempt to go all the way down then climb up on all fours. It's extremely hard to get back up!! Walking through sand is not easy. There's even a sign that warns you of the dangers of doing so and the damage it does to the dunes. There was a firetruck and ambulance on sight ready to rescue anyone.

My second time visiting was just as spectacular as my first. There's so much beauty to see at…read moreSleeping Bear Dunes. I recommend the cottonwood trail (1.5 miles loop) and empire buff trail (1.5 mile out and back) for amazing views and mixed terrain. The dunes are a must see (climb if you dare). Don't forget to grab a souvenir in one of the park shops.

This Pyramid Point Overlook has such a colorful setting here on the banks of Sleeping Bear Dunes…read moreNational Lakeshore. I really admired the surroundings and simply looking down upon Lake Michigan's beautiful sand and beaches. Pyramid Point Trail was recommended to me by the park ranger at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center back in the town of Empire, MI. It's a casual 1/2-mile climb to arrive at this observation point. Though...you can hike a 2.7-mile round trip loop around the lakeshores to get a more real feel perspective of being here at Sleeping Bear Dunes rather than just heading straight for this Pyramid Point vista spot. I visited on a random Tuesday back in late May 2021 around 12pm and had the trail and observation point all to myself. So, from high above the waters I was able to hear the waves crashing down below. It was quite nice, and I genuinely appreciated the ambiance. And...I couldn't believe how scenic the turquoise green colors of Lake Michigan appeared especially when highlighted by the sun's strong reflections. Btw...while exploring at Sleeping Bear Dunes I also recommend hiking Empire Bluff Trail and driving the 7.5-mile Pierce Stocking Drive on the outskirts of Lake Michigan. And when traveling along Pierce Stocking Drive, my favorite pullovers were stop numbers 9, 10, 11 to capture the best backdrops for what makes the lakeshore special. Also, don't forget trekking up the 3.5-mile roundtrip Dune Climb to access the beach shores of Lake Michigan. Finally, this Pyramid Point Overlook and Trail was my last full activity here at Sleeping Bear Dubes NL. The crisp, clear background scenery was a terrific way to end my explorations in the Lower Peninsula section of Michigan before venturing further north towards the "UP" driving "Shipwreck Coast" and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore before ultimately ending at Isle Royale National Park. But...I highly suggest hiking the 1/2-mile (each way) Pyramid Point Trail to arrive at this visually appealing overlook!

Fabulous experience that is well-worth visiting. Hiked through the wooded area to eventually see an…read moreoverview of Lake Michigan. A must visit!

One of our hands-down favorite places to hike. There's tons of hike-in camping spots along the…read more11-mile hiking trail, which largely follows the shoreline of the Manistee River with a few inland jaunts on a few of the oxbows. Despite being fairly well known, it's pretty pristine and doesn't feel overly busy but it's also never completely vacant. The river views are lovely, there's plenty of wildlife (great fishing & birdwatching), and there's a cliff swing over the water (huge adrenaline rush for this 43-year-old) on an off-shoot path just past the suspension bridge and a waterfall at mile 3.5 if you're coming from the north. You can return on the main path or on the other side of the river on a section of the North Country Trail.

What a great hiking trail! Parking wasn't bad at Red River Bridge Access…read moreOnce on the trail it is well marked. Campsites were clean and it looks like the hikers who enjoy the trail take good care of it. I didn't see one bit of trash the whole day. It was pretty busy, with folks heading both directions, everyone was very friendly and they all seemed to be enjoying the day! The views are beautiful. Absolutely the best hiking we have done in the lower peninsula. We will absolutely be back!

This is a nice little park with a lovely view and beach space. There are two playground spaces, a…read morelittle lighthouse (possibly just decorative, but it was cute and added to the scenery), basketball and volleyball courts, and a boat launch. Restrooms are available, and there are parking lots (for a fee). Benches and picnic tables are also available. The playground we opted to check out was set right in the sand and was much enjoyed.

We took a trip from traverse city to check out the dunes & this was the closest beach we had found…read more We came in May and there was literally no one there. It was peaceful! Water was clear and we found so many rocks. It had two playgrounds and a shallow side on the opposite side of the lake. Although, the water was shallow enough for my two year old to play in on the actually Lake Michigan side. We loved this beach so much!! Parking is $1 an hour. Bathrooms on site as well

Great well maintained state forest campground. Seems to be pretty popular with the hiking, biking…read moreand cross country skiing trails. You have views of Lake Ann lake and Platte River. Boat launch near by and huge shaded camp sites at the campground. Some have views of the lake. No electricity, but water pumps and vaulted toilets. We love the trails as they are super close to our house. Trails seem to be well marked on the trees. Nice fire pits and tables.

This trail is relatively short and uninteresting, but in looking ahead at the trail guide, there…read morewas going to be a point where it would jut out to Lake Michigan, halfway through the trail. We were really looking forward to that, only to realize once we approached that this stretch of the trail did not allow dogs. The 0.3 miles (one way) of straight uphill climb it took to get to that Lake Michigan view was closed off to dogs even though this trail was listed as dog-friendly? Honestly, that was quite disappointing. So we had no choice but to continue on and loop back around to head towards the parking lot. A very underwhelming hike indeed.

A great walk to the lakeshore through the woods. Not a hard hike, great for the family, but a bit…read moreof a trudge through the sand dunes. It's worth it though as there was no one else on the beach when I was there, although it was rather early morning (got back to the parking lot at 1100). Black and Green Arrow trails are nice but take insect repellent in the summer; these trails wind around and between several ponds and marshy areas.

Pretty easy trail to follow. The whole map, if you walk fast can probably finish in 2 hours. There…read moreare no trash can on the trail so don't leave anything behind. There is a trail that reach the cliff and it has great views. If you physically can't climb Bear dunes, it is a good alternative

Really great place to check out for some trail time in nature! I can't wait to come back in summer…read moreor fall, as our visit was in winter- but still beautiful. We only saw one other couple hiking, so it was very serene. We started at the Mt Baldy trailhead parking area and went to the outlook trail. It was a fairly easy half mile with beautiful views and benches. We then went to the dune trail for the dune/bluff overlook. That, especially the part going right up to the dune, was a bit more challenging and steep. Could have been the snow obscuring steps or something though. It was VERY windy right on the lake but so beautiful with the epic views and the sand mixing with the snow. After that we headed back to the parking lot. Total it was about 2.5 miles. Trails are well marked and in the winter it appears appropriate for snow shoes or cross country skiing. There's so much more to check out than that at this preserve, so I'll definitely come back if we come to this area again.

This little off-the-beaten-path nature preserve came across my radar thanks to AllTrails app. We…read morewere heading back down south to wrap up our vacation and decided to check this short 2-mile trail out after leaving Sleeping Bear. I'll say that this was one of my favorite trails we hiked (and yes, that includes the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore). It was very, very clean, had beach access, and literally no one was anywhere in sight (aside from a few hikersby), it's a relatively simple trail. Has great views, both at ocean level and also above to give you different perspectives. One of my fave hikes in the area and I would highly, highly recommend checking it out. Use AllTrails app for more hike-related details!

Stopped here on a whim to checkout lighthouses during our mini getaway. This beach did not…read moredisappoint! It was so calm and peaceful. Beautiful water. Hardly any people. The people who did visit didn't stay for long so we had the whole beach to ourselves. We had camping chairs in the car so we just put them in the water and sat right in the water and enjoyed the view. They have a gift shop and the only restrooms I noticed were portajohns. We built some rock towers but put the rocks back when we were done because some of the rocks had snail eggs on them.

Gorgeous park at the tip of the Mitten's pinkie finger. I got there shortly before a spectacular…read moresunset where the sky was all lit up with pinks and oranges and purples. I took a short walk where my friends who had camped there the previous night as well showed my the historic lighthouse and some message in a bottle painted sign that was very reminiscent of Steve "ESPO" Powers. I set up my trusty old dome tent and camped on the same site as my friends and nobody said peep about doubling up like that. I left out around 10:30 or so and didn't hit any trails as I had packed some snacks for late but no breakfast. Not much in the way of restaurants or groceries around here so I hit the road. Can't speak to the trails or day use part of the park but the campground and adjacent beach was beautiful.

I've been here before, but never by myself. This is a big thing for me... you see, I am deaf. I…read morewent on this trip thinking it was insane, but I wanted to push myself. I was able to book online. Showed up a half hour early, and they helped me find a good water proof case for my phone and stuff. It was early: I was probably the first person out. They were ready, smiling, and didn't have any issues with the fact I couldn't hear a word they said. The Crystal River itself is absolutely stunning. The name says everything: that river is absolutely crystal clear... and very shallow in spots. As a bigger guy like me, you will probably bottom out multiple times. This may not be the "beginners" choice: the first half is full of obstacles. Trees, stumps and more. What a lovely, summer challenge with excellent staff service.

I love how many people have had an epically great time- but I want to be honest about my experience…read morein case it helps someone. I am an experienced canoe/kayaker. I have been on rivers, lakes and the ocean before. I like a challenge. However, this was really hard for me to be in the back of the canoe for the whole trip. The obstacles are nearly constant for the first hour and if you go with a group like we did it was hard to stay close to them because of them. *That might be what you want! * Great! I have always loved canoe trips because they feel so chill however this was not chill. I couldn't look away. The current, wind, trees and other kayakers/canoes in the river made this stressful. Probably not great for those brand new to canoeing and kayaking- or those that don't feel like non-stop hard paddling for an hour. The second half was more what I was hoping for- Open river. Fewer trees down. Fewer people. If I had been in the front of the canoe it all would have been delightful. My son was in the canoe with me and enjoyed it (but he didn't have to navigate). The staff was friendly, helpful and kind. The space and gear were great. They were very family friendly and an experienced person can easily take their kids.