Sleeping Bear Dunes Overlook — Attraction in Empire Township

This place is gorgeous. The view is like no other in Michigan, and a must-see if you can get out there. I have descended to the lakefront and climbed the dune many times over the past 50 years, and did it again yesterday. Here's some advice for newbies who are considering a trip to the bottom of the dune and then a climb back up:

Before you run or walk all the way to the bottom, turn around after the first 50 feet or so to get a feel for the slope. This is the time to change your mind, not 50 feet from the bottom under distress. People always underestimate the level of effort required to climb the entire dune. You will need to stop frequently to catch your breath, reduce your heart rate and give your leg muscles a rest. It is very common for the return climb to take more than 30 minutes, and yesterday I watched someone take almost two hours. The duration is very dependent on your level of fitness. Note that the slope is steeper at the bottom, and gradually lessens as you approach the top.

Hydrate beforehand, and consider bringing a bottle of water or a hydration drink with you, especially when the sun is beating on the sand.

The wind can be very strong as it blows up and across the dune. You may want to wear sunglasses and a hat. People often take off their shirts, but the strong wind cools your skin while you are getting cooked by the sun. You don't get a real sense of how much sun you are getting as it reflects off the water and sand as well. I've seen many people burn because of the time spent on the hill, and you may be very disappointed if you left your shirt or hat at the top.

Many people like myself enjoy this climb very much. It can be a lot of fun, and the walk along the lakefront at the bottom is just as beautiful as the view from the top. However, most people will be better off making the short drive a few miles North to the much easier dune climb where you climb up first and then descend. That dune is not nearly as steep or as high and is fun for just about all ages and fitness levels. I hope this helps you make an...

One of the most beautiful spots in the United States! This is an absolute must-see! Let me give you a couple of tips, though.... First, you can go down the giant sand dune and get in the crystal clear water or just look at it. However, there is the monumental challenge of getting back up to the top of the dune afterwards. Let me tell you, it's not easy. Not at all. Oh, it may not look like it at first, but consider that you're not walking up on a path, a trail, or even a sidewalk..... it's sand, folks. Deep sand. Sand in which you will sink a couple of inches with every step. There are some spots where you will actually sink and slide back down the hill instead of moving upwards with each step. For every five or six steps you take, you'll gain about one foot of elevation. It's not easy! It took me about an hour and a half to climb back up. With this in mind, with a little prior planning, there is a potential work-around. If you like, you could possibly walk down the hill and then have someone in your party drive down to the beach at North Bar Lake and pick you up. It's only about a 15-20 minute walk along the beach. They could enjoy the view from the top for a while and then leave to go pick you up at the beach. Again, it would take prior planning, but would save you from a grueling climb. Just remember to give them the car keys before you go down the dune! Second tip: DO NOT RUN down the dune! During my climb back up, I witnessed a young lady running down the dune who came to a more solid spot in the sand and gravity took over from there. She went head over heels and flipped several times, luckily coming to a stop before falling all the way down. Do not run. It's easy to go down, but don't try to go too fast! The overlook deck at the top of the hill is a great place to take in one of the most incredible views in all of the United States. The gorgeous blue water of Lake Michigan is just incredible! You can enjoy this spot without breaking a sweat if you wish, or you can get a great workout in........

This was our 4th time visiting! One of my favorite places on the world! The first three times we took the scenic drive up, ate lunch and played around at the top, amd then drove back down. (Two of those times we also climbed down and up the dune.) THIS TIME we boated over to the bottom of Sleeping Bear from Frankfort. I thought it was awesome to see that dune from the perspective of the water. When we first approached in the boat I thought it may have been closed because I didn't see any people. We had to get pretty close to see people because they were so small! It was wonderful to climb up (the other adults in our party only went part of the way up) as far as you want and then run back down. If you approach from the water, you don't have to climb the whole thing! By the way, I'm not going to downplay the seriousness of that climb, but I think there used to be a sign there that said it would take like 3 hours or something? For perspective, my 9 year old takes about 15 minutes. I am not an exercise person (but I'm not obese) and it takes me about 25 minutes. The view from top (or bottom!) is definitely worth it of you're in decent health condition. Bring your camera and a water bottle. (This time we did it without water bottles.... not a smart idea but we made it.) If you have long toe nails or finger nails, you might want to clip them short. The part that always hurts me the most climbing that dune is toes! I do it barefoot amd crawl like a bear, very slow and steady. But I've seen people use hiking boots and a walking stick. There are a lot of rocks in the sand until you're...