Dune Climb

The Sleeping Bear Dunes Climb is arguably the most physically demanding short hike in the Great Lakes region, ascending 450 feet of active, unvegetated sand on one of the largest perched dune complexes in the world. The climb begins at a designated staircase-and-boardwalk structure that quickly gives way to open sand, where the surface shifts and rolls underfoot with each step. The dune face is so steep and the sand so fine that the effort required rivals a stair-climbing machine, and the National Park Service posts warning signs advising that the return uphill walk from Lake Michigan — visible but deceptively far below — is a medical risk for those not in good physical condition. From the first crest the dune plateau reveals an otherworldly landscape of bare sand ridges and bowls stretching west for more than a mile before the ground drops sharply to Lake Michigan, 450 feet below. The view from the final crest encompasses the Manitou Islands rising from the lake, the forest of the Leelanau Peninsula, and the vast blue expanse of northern Lake Michigan on three sides. The dunes here are perched atop a glacial moraine and are maintained by prevailing westerly winds that continuously supply new sand from the lake beach. Dogs are not permitted on this trail to protect the fragile dune vegetation.