Maura Elizabeth Cunningham

In my 50 Hikes in Michigan guidebook, Sleeping Bear Dunes occupies a full ten slots. This spot on Northwest Michigan’s coastline, about 40 minutes west of Traverse City, is renowned for its scenery, characterized by the stunning contrast of undulating sand dunes meeting the flat waters of Lake Michigan. A visit to Sleeping Bear Dunes is one of those Michigan can’t-miss experiences.

When I visited for the first time yesterday, I realized that hiking among the dunes is a humbling experience. Humbling in its beauty, and humbling in the physical challenge of scaling soft, slippery hills of sand.

I skipped the Dune Climb, the most popular Sleeping Bear attraction, simply because it’s Memorial Day weekend and the parking lot was already mostly filled at 10:30am. My guidebook suggested the trail at Sleeping Bear Point instead, stating that while it’s far less popular, “step for step, few trails anywhere in the state are as interesting as this route.” And while the write-up did caution hikers not to underestimate the demands of walking in sand, it also suggested that this hike was a good option for those traveling with small children. (I heard a few kids along the route whose parents would certainly differ with this assessment.) Armed with water, a generous coat of SPF 70 sunscreen, sunglasses, and a baseball cap, I smugly set off convinced that I was well-prepared for what would surely be a moderate but eminently doable 2-mile hike.

Before my sports watch even measured a quarter-mile completed, I was reconsidering the wisdom of attempting this outing. The steep climb from the parking lot immediately showed me how different hiking on sand dunes was compared to the mostly flat dirt paths of the parks near Ann Arbor. Each stride only seemed half as effective, my foot sliding back before it found purchase in the sand. I could feel the insides of my sneakers quickly filling with grainy particles. I worried that one bottle of water wouldn’t be nearly enough for a hike with no shelter from the sun. I wasn’t the only one coming to the realization that this wasn’t going to be a relaxing Sunday hike; a young couple who had started slightly ahead of me turned around and returned to their car before reaching the top of the first dune. I kept going but told myself that I had full permission to stop at the top, enjoy the scenery, and decide if I wanted to go on.

Once I reached the first peak and finally saw the spectacular confluence of sand, water, and sky in front of me, my decision was made: I wanted more.

So I kept going, striding and sliding, stopping whenever I felt like it—every half-dozen steps, at points—and taking breaks to pour the sand out of my shoes. I said hello to other hikers, often exchanging wry comments on our strange ideas about what constitutes fun. The trail soon seemed less demanding, as if it had intentionally placed its most intense climb at the start to test the wills of those who dared to wake the Sleeping Bear.

Faster than I expected, I had followed the trail away from the water and was practically trotting along a cool forest path that led back to the parking lot. I emptied my sneakers of sand one last time and chugged another bottle of water; although I had only been on the dunes for about an hour and sipped water the entire way, I was parched. With gratitude that I had made the time for this excursion, and relief that I’d finished without incident, I started driving toward Glen Arbor for ice cream at Cherry Republic—another can’t-miss Michigan experience, and one that’s truly enjoyable all the way through, even if the views aren’t as photo-worthy.

Now I know: I do have another nine Sleeping Bear hikes in my guidebook, and I’d love to do more of them. Now that I’ve attempted one, I realize that I could have been better prepared. Next time, I’ll definitely bring my trekking poles and wear hiking sandals that can sieve the sand away from my feet. I also think one bottle of water for every mile to be hiked is probably a good rule of thumb. Finally, I would try harder to get out on the trail early in the morning, before the sun is at its most intense. Even with temperatures in the 70s and strong breezes from Lake Michigan, it was hot and dry on the dunes.

Feature photo: Dunes and Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear Point, May 28, 2023.