The Sleeping Bear Dunes get their name from a Chippewa Indian legend that tells of a mother bear and her two cubs who were forced into Lake Michigan while fleeing a forest fire.  The mother bear reached the shore and climbed to the top of the bluff to wait for her children, but the two cubs had drowned.  Today, according to legend, the Sleeping Bear Dunes are where the mother bear waited, while the Manitou Islands are her two cubs.
 

    The Sleeping Bear Dunes offer visitors a wealth of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.  There are numerous nature trails to hike and beaches to walk.  Fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing, and (come winter) cross country skiing can all be done at the lakeshore.
 

    One of the main attractions of the area is the dune climb.  Visitors mount the shifting sands of the dunes.  The 350 foot climb is strenuous, but fun for everyone, while the view from the top is incredible.
 

    The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore covers 72,000 acres including roughly four square miles of dunes.  The seven-mile Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive offers views of the Dunes, Glen Lake, and Lake Michigan.  Other attractions include the Maritime Museum and Cannery, three former coast guard facilities, and an 1871 lighthouse.
 

National Park Service: Sleeping Bear Dunes:  project..nps.gov/slbe/

Great Outdoors Recreation: Sleeping Bear Dunes:
    project..gorp.com/gorp/resource/us_ns/mi_sleep.htm