Leelanau County: Dunes, Trails, and History on Lake Michigan
Accommodation in Leelanau County
Leelanau County combines the landscape of Lake Michigan with dunes, forests, lakes, and a remarkable history along the water. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore lies on the northeastern shore of Lake Michigan in Leelanau and Benzie counties. Its landscape includes rivers, sandy beaches, beech-maple forests, clear lakes, shoreline cliffs, and the namesake sand dunes. These dunes lie on glacial moraines and were shaped by wind and water.
When choosing your vacation rental, it is therefore worthwhile to first determine the focus you want for your trip: nature experiences, longer trails, historic sites, or a mix of different excursions. Leelanau County offers various starting points for this, without every activity requiring the same daily schedule.
Dunes, Forests, and Trails for Active Days
At the northern end of the Leelanau Peninsula, Leelanau State Park encompasses more than 1,550 acres along Lake Michigan. Its southern unit contains the Cathead Bay trail network; the Lake Michigan Trail provides access to a sandy beach. Clay Cliffs Natural Area protects a rare ecosystem on a clay bluff and offers views of Lake Leelanau and Lake Michigan.
The trail selection also ranges from short loops to extended routes. Sleeping Bear Point Trail is an approximately 2.8-mile loop with an approximately 0.5-mile spur to Lake Michigan from the trailhead. Old Indian Trail has two 2.3-mile loops, each running along the ridges of wooded old dunes. Alligator Hill offers nine miles of trails through a hilly, wooded ridge with views of Lake Michigan and Big Glen Lake. From December 1 through March 31, it is designated as a cross-country ski trail.
Those looking for a longer, predominantly paved route can consider the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. It extends for approximately 22 scenic miles between Empire and Bohemian Road (CR-669). The trail is mostly paved; a short section through the Port Oneida Rural Historic District consists of firmly compacted gravel. It is designed for pedestrians, runners, cross-country skiers, cyclists, wheelchair users, and babies in strollers, and is accessible. The 17-mile, paved Leelanau Trail connects Suttons Bay and Traverse City.
Historic Sites Along the Water
Leelanau County can be experienced not only through its landscape but also through its maritime history. Fishtown consists of weathered fishing shanties, smokehouses, piers extending over the water, fishing boats, and charter boats along the Leland River. Visitors can walk through the buildings and along the piers while gaining a connection to Lake Michigan’s fishing heritage. The Leelanau Historical Society & Museum is located on the Leland River, two blocks from historic Fishtown and Lake Michigan.
Grand Traverse Lighthouse is designated as a national and state historic site. It is open seasonally for tours of the restored lighthouse keeper’s dwelling and lighthouse tower. In Glen Haven, several buildings preserve the history of the site; visitors can tour them. These historic buildings are open and staffed from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Maritime Museum is housed in the Sleeping Bear Point U.S. Life-Saving Service Station. There, you can learn about the history of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and shipping on the Great Lakes. The museum is open seasonally, typically from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
The Right Accommodation for Your Travel Plan
When Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is the main focus, most visitors reach the area by car, RV, or motorcycle and get around there the same way. This can be taken into account when searching for a vacation rental or vacation home as part of your trip planning. For families looking to combine different age groups and interests, it is also worthwhile to deliberately alternate longer trails, historic sightseeing, and shorter nature experiences. The Dune Climb has a safe section of pure, windblown sand for climbing. Pyramid Point Trail offers a viewpoint overlooking Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands.
Additional nature experiences are available at Palmer Woods Forest Reserve, with opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing, as well as at Houdek Dunes Natural Area, with a 3.3-mile trail network and sections ranging from easy to challenging. For further destination ideas, see Glen Arbor.
For the higher-level travel overview: Michigan.
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