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Sleeping bear dunes7/8/2023 ![]() The climb was not too bad if taken steadily.Īt the top was a wide flat top with more dunes just beyond. It had rained overnight so the top of the sand was cool and a little packed down making the ascent easier. Nobody was on the dune but there were a couple foot trails already. There were already many cars parked in the first row of the parking lot. Little did I know at the time that this would be a practice climb for the taller and steeper Log Slide climb at Pictured Rocks. While the trail seems obvious during the day it might not be at night. I do not recommend timing the outing to watch the sunset from the shore of Lake Michigan only to have to hike back in the dark. ![]() Take it easy, take frequent sips of the water (rather than large chugs) and take breaks in the shade (there lots of places to find shade along the way).ĩ. If you insist on going barefoot at least bring the footwear to put on if needed.Ĩ. Wear footwear to protect against buried sharp objects and hot sand. Bring a cap or broad-brim hat for shadeħ. The parking lot looks large but fills up quicklyĥ. The round-trip hike can last 4 hours so potentially 1 gallon per person.Ĥ. Bring fluids 1 qt or 0.5 liter per hour hike in hot weather. Hydrate before you hike this will lessen your water needs during the hike.ģ. This is a 3.5 mild round trip with numerous sand dune ascents/descents, not a straightforward, flatland hike.Ģ. Be realistic as to you conditioning and stamina before heading out. The suggestions below are based on the assumption you want to hike to Lake Michigan (and back) and not just climb the big dune. This initial dune might be the most popular spot in the national lakeshore and so plan accordingly, especially at the height of summer which is when we visited. Along the way there will be numerous additional dunes to traverse but this first one is the tallest. Most travelers interested in visiting Sleep Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will have heard of and read about the challenging “Dune Climb.” This is not a climb from the shore of Lake Michigan but one inland starting from a parking lot and the starting point of the Dune Trail that will take you to the lake.
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