Dune Climb
attraction
Open daily, year round (Dune Center bookstore at the base: seasonal, Memorial Day-Labor Day, 9am-5pm)
Park entrance passes/permits are required for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and sold on-site; standing park events are included with a valid pass.
Scale this 284-foot wall of shifting sand for expansive views of Little Glen Lake and a rigorous trek toward the water.
Description
Perched at the eastern edge of the Sleeping Bear Plateau, this 284-foot-high wall of active shifting sand serves as both a destination for casual picnicking at its base and a starting point for more intense exploration. Beyond the immediate ascent, visitors can embark on a strenuous hike across dunes that stretches all the way to the shores of Lake Michigan. When the seasons shift, the sand gives way to winter sledding between marked posts, while the site hosts evening dark-sky programs throughout the year. The area also houses a seasonal bookstore for those looking to linger after their climb.
Good to know
Sled in snowStrenuous hike