Empire Bluff Trail — Attraction in Empire Township

This is a 1.5 mile out and back trail. A trail map, picnic table and pit toilet are at the trailhead. Use insect spray. If it has been raining there can be slippery portions so wear appropriate footwear and bring your walking stick. As a 65+ year old woman with knee arthritis who bikes 3x a week I would rate this as an easy trail if you are physically fit and/or young but moderate depending on weather conditions and if you do not engage in any exercise on a regular basis. There are hills, but they are gradual-that being said, the humidity was 97% with a dewpoint in the upper 60s which made me go more slowly. Most of the trail is shaded with lots of birds in the tree tops. Don't be intimidated, take your time if you need to, because the view is as beautiful as people claim. The last portion has a narrow boardwalk over the sandy part. There are a few benches to sit and admire the view but they were were covered with a lot of sand as it appeared people used the bench to wipe off their shoes. We went at 8:00am and were the first people there but when we left there were many more cars in the parking lot so it can...

Panoramic vistas of Sleeping Bear Dunes shoreline from an elevated dune trail. Beautiful! The most scenic hike in Sleeping Bear Dunes. The trail leads out from the parking lot to a small area to sit down overlooking Lake Michigan, with views north and south high up. We continued on from there, heading south along the shoreline, with pristine dunes mixed with some greenery, all at an elevated vantage point. Quite a trail! The overlooks, along with the crashing waves heard down below and the expansive skyline are breathtaking. 5 stars plus. This trail, along with the Escarpment trail at the Porcupine Mountains and the Grand Portal/ Mosquito lake trail at Pictured Rocks are the 3 best trails in the state for stunning overlooks and wide...

Less than a mile to the outlook, though the incline is a bit steep in a couple places. If that sounds worrisome to you, hiking poles would be worthwhile. The view at the overlook is quite breathtaking. Off to the north you can see Empire Beach and South Bar Lake, as well as the area of the Sleeping Bear Dunes Overlook located along the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.

The parking lot here is small, relative to this trail's apparent popularity. There's room for 15 cars or so in the gravel lot, so a dozen or more of others resorted to parking along the road, which didn't feel unsafe given the low, non-hiker traffic in the area. There's also a singular luxurious commode at...