Parking, passes, difficulty, and the honest truth about the view, from your neighbors down the road
The Dune Climb is the single most popular stop in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and it is five minutes from our front door. It looks simple from the parking lot: a giant wall of sand, people of every age scrambling up it. But first-timers consistently get a few things wrong, from where the trail actually goes to what you can see from the top. This guide covers what to expect before you commit to the climb.
What the Dune Climb is (and is not)
The Dune Climb is a broad, open face of pure wind-blown sand on M-109, about five miles north of Empire. There are no stairs, no ropes, and no single trail: you pick your own line up the dune, and kids tend to pick a different one every time. At the base you will find a picnic area, restrooms, drinking water, and the Dune Center bookstore, and the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail leaves from the north end of the parking area.
Here is the part most visitors get wrong: you cannot see Lake Michigan from the top of the Dune Climb. The big lake is about two miles west over a roller coaster of open dunes, and it stays hidden behind the ridgelines the whole way. What you do get from the first summit is a beautiful elevated view of Glen Lake, the D.H. Day farm fields, and the forested interior of the park. If your heart is set on a Lake Michigan overlook, drive Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive instead.
Parking, passes, and the best time to arrive
The Dune Climb has its own large paved lot, but in July and August it fills by mid-morning. Arrive before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. and you will usually park easily. Evening is the sweet spot: the sand is cooler, the light over Glen Lake is better, and the crowds thin out fast after dinner time.
A park entrance pass is required. The pass is $25 per private vehicle, covers everyone in the car for seven days, and the park is cashless, so bring a card. If you will be in the park more than a couple of times in a year, the $45 annual pass pays for itself quickly. Passes are available at the Dune Climb, the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, and the Pierce Stocking entrance.
How hard is the climb?
The first slope is the steepest, and loose sand means you slide back half of every step. Most reasonably fit adults reach the first summit in 15 to 30 minutes with a few breaks, and there is no shame in stopping to admire the view of Glen Lake while you catch your breath. The good news: coming back down is the best part of the whole visit. The run down the face takes about ninety seconds and produces more laughter per minute than anything else in the park.
If you get tired before the top, just come back down to the picnic area. Gravity is on your side the whole way.
The full hike to Lake Michigan
From the top of the first climb, a marked route called the Dunes Trail continues about 1.75 miles each way through open dunes to Lake Michigan. The round trip is 3.5 miles and the National Park Service suggests planning three to four hours, because you are climbing and descending soft sand the entire way. It is a genuinely strenuous hike, not a stroll.
If you go: carry more water than you think you need (there is none out there), follow the blue-topped trail posts, and agree on a turnaround plan before your group splits up. Rangers respond to searches every summer for hikers who simply lost track of time and direction. Keep children within sight, and remember that every dune you descend on the way out is one you climb on the way back.
The Dune Climb with kids vs. with dogs
Kids: the Dune Climb is arguably the best family stop in the park. There is no wrong way to do it, the run back down never gets old, and the picnic area at the base makes an easy lunch break. Bring a change of clothes; sand gets everywhere, and that is half the fun.
Dogs: leave them at the room for this one. The face of the Dune Climb is closed to pets year-round. The good news is that leashed pets are welcome on most park trails, including the Empire Bluff Trail, and on several beach stretches nearby. Our local attractions guide covers pet-friendly alternatives, and our pet policy covers the inn side (pets stay for $40 per day).
Winter: the climb locals prefer
The Dune Climb never really closes. Once snow arrives, the sand firms up under a white crust and the whole hill becomes a snowshoe climb with a fraction of the summer crowd. The Heritage Trail at the base is groomed for cross-country skiing, so you can ski to the dune, climb it, and ski back to Empire. It is one of the quietest, strangest, most beautiful ways to experience the park.
Stay minutes from the trailhead
The Dune Climb Inn sits on the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail just minutes south of the Dune Climb on M-109. Guests bike the trail to the climb in the morning, come back for lunch, and head out again for the evening light without ever moving the car. The Back Door Studio sleeps up to four with a queen bed and sofa bed, and the Two-Bedroom Suite gives families a full kitchen and a back patio facing the dunes. See all of our rooms and suites, or check current offers and book direct for the best rate.
Planning a fall visit? The climb is easier in October air, and the inland forests around it are at peak color. Our Sleeping Bear Dunes fall color guide has the timing. If you are still deciding where to base your trip, read our honest guide to where to stay near Sleeping Bear Dunes.
Dune Climb FAQ
Yes. A park entrance pass is required: $25 per private vehicle, good for everyone in the car for seven days. The park is cashless. An annual pass is $45. Passes are sold at the Dune Climb, the visitor center in Empire, and the Pierce Stocking entrance.
Most people reach the first summit in 15 to 30 minutes with breaks, and the run back down takes only a couple of minutes. The full Dunes Trail hike to Lake Michigan and back is 3.5 miles and takes most hikers three to four hours.
No. Lake Michigan is about two miles west over the dunes and is not visible from the top. The summit view looks east over Glen Lake and the farm fields. For a Lake Michigan overlook, visit Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive or hike the full Dunes Trail.
No. The face of the Dune Climb is closed to pets year-round. Leashed pets are welcome on most other park trails, including Empire Bluff Trail, and on designated beach stretches nearby.
Water, sun protection, and shoes you can shake sand out of. In midsummer the sand gets hot by midday, so mornings and evenings are more comfortable. There is drinking water, restrooms, and a picnic area at the base, but no water on the Dunes Trail to the lake.
