Things to do in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Accessibility Review
This was one of our first stops as part of a larger road trip to Colorado. It is a beautiful area in Northern Michigan and is managed by the national park system (although it’s not a national park). Here is my list of things to do at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and my full accessibility review.
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Where is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
This beautiful national lakeshore is located near Traverse City, Michigan which is near the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula in Michigan. In total, it spans about thirty-five miles of coastline and includes North and South Manitou Islands.
Getting to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Getting to the national lakeshore is easy whether you are driving or flying. From Traverse City, Michigan, take route 72 west towards the park. Then head north on route 22 and take route 109 to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Pro Tip: If you are driving, you could easily add Indiana Sand Dunes National Park to your itinerary.
For those who are flying to visit the area, the closest airport is Traverse City Airport (TVC) which is approximately 33.6 miles away. Other airport options include:
- Manistee (MBL) at 59.4 miles away
- Escanaba (ESC) at 67.5 miles away
- Green Bay (GRB) at 112.7 miles away
- Sault Ste Marie (YAM) at 120.4 miles away
Where to Stay:
Platte River Campground
When doing a road trip, I typically camp using an RV. (If you don’t think this is possible, check out my article on accessible camping here).
The campground we stayed at was Platte River Campground. Since Platte River was part of the national lakeshore, I got a discount on rates using my access pass. All the sites are level and paved with easy access to the fire ring. They do have a designated accessible site that is a bit wider for easier maneuverability.
Traverse City
If camping isn’t your thing, that’s ok there are other options. There are a lot of small towns that make up the lakeshore, but they consist mainly of B&B’s and didn’t appear to be very accessible. Your best bet is to stay in nearby Traverse City, Michigan. Here you will find accessible hotel and dining options.
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson
Offering an ADA accessible room with roll-in shower, queen bed, free parking, free Wi-Fi, and a breakfast buffet (additional cost), this property is a great option to stay during your visit. Rooms also include a microwave and refrigerator.
Check Availability and Pricing
Hampton Inn Traverse City
This hotel offers a king bedroom with roll-in shower, free Wi-Fi, free parking, it is pet friendly and has a breakfast buffet available. Rooms include a coffee and tea maker.
Check Pricing and Availability
5 Wheelchair Accessible Things to Do in Sleeping Bear Dunes:
Although this may be a smaller area, there are some wonderful things to see and do. In this section, I’ll give you a list of my 5 favorite things to do in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
1. Take an Incredible Hike Using a Track Chair
Thanks to an organization called Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, you can use a tracks chair to do a hike that otherwise wouldn’t be accessible. The hike allows you to get closer to nature and offers great views of Lake Michigan. To reserve this free activity, go to www.trackchair.org. Also, check out my experience using this all-terrain wheelchair here.
2. Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
This drive is the heart of the scenic lakeshore and took us about half of a day to do. It offers amazing views, and you can do it in your own vehicle. There is a fee to do this unless you have a national park pass like the access pass. All the scenic overlooks have designated accessible parking. Most of them also have accessible sidewalks and a level entrance to the overlook platform.
Unfortunately, not all lookouts are accessible. Stop number 10 may have at one time been accessible, but it leads to a beach area that has very loose sand so there is no way to get to the lookout platform unless you are in a beach wheelchair (which isn’t provided).
Also make sure that you use the bathroom before starting this drive, as although there are restrooms along the drive, none of them that I saw were accessible.
3. Hike the Heritage Trail
This is a very long paved trail that runs throughout the national lakeshore. I didn’t get a chance to try the trail itself but saw it everywhere I went. I would recommend getting a trail map and checking to see where the parts that interest you are as I don’t know that there is any battery in the world that would be capable of the whole trail at one time.
Please note that certain websites state that there are other accessible trails available within the lakeshore, but these sites have not been updated, and, unfortunately, these trails are no longer accessible due to erosion prevention devices. I found this out the hard way.
Lesson learned: it’s always a good idea to check with a ranger or the visitor center to get up-to-date trail information and trail conditions.
4. Go to the Beach!
Thompson Pharmacy and Medical rents beach wheelchairs as well as other mobility equipment. The accessible beaches near Sleeping Bear Dunes include:
- Clinch Park Beach
- Bryant Park Beach
- Greilickville Harbor Park Beach
- Veterans Memorial Park Beach
5. Mission Point Lighthouse
While the wooded trails are not accessible, there is a short accessible trail from the parking lot to the lighthouse overlook.
Final Thoughts on Things to Do in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
I hope that you enjoyed my list of things to do at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. If you are ever in the area, I definitely recommend that you check out this lovely place! I know I enjoyed it and am sure you will too.
