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| Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive |
While on our trek to Michigan's Upper Peninsula we made a stop at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This is on the east side of Lake Michigan. We visited on a Sunday in Mid-August, which is not the most opportune time to park at the most scenic stops. Many visitors such ourselves. We generally opt for a weekday visit early in the morning, but we were enroute to our overnight campground, so we didn't have the necessary flexibility.
I've hiked along the Dunes and camped along the shoreline in the Upper Peninsula, so I was very familiar with this. The Warren Dunes State Park, in Sawyer MI are only 12 miles north of the Indiana State Line and offer similar walks and climbs. Also notable is the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado. That was part of another trek and is in an earlier blog.
We had an enjoyable few hours of walking and touring via the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.
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| Heritage Trail Map |
Some of the hikes include steep climbs but there are other, gentler ones. We did not walk to the crest of the challenging "Dune Climb". A Park Pass is required for all trail use within the national lakeshore. There are walking and cycling paths nearby. One thing to keep in mind is the distances can be deceiving. It is recommended by the Park Service to have ample water, good shoes and sun screen when attempting these walks.
For a complete list of the Hiking Trails information, including alerts, regulations and safety information go to the official website. Here is a link which was in effect on September 2, 2025:
Sleeping Bear Dunes Hiking Information
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| Gentle Hike near the Dune Climb |
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| At the Dune Climb |
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| Up the Dune Climb |
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| Another view of the Dune Climb |
Note: No AI tools were used to produce this blog. Most photos are unretouched.
(c) 2025 N. Retzke
