Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan This scenic drive along the shore of Lake Michigan is named for Pierce Stocking, an outdoorsman and lumberjack, who conceived and helped construct the byway as a way to share the beauty of Sleeping Bear Dunes with the public. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is one of 423 units of the national park system that includes national monuments, historical and military parks, etc., in addition to 63 national parks proper. Visitors can access the scenic drive along SR 109 between the towns of Glen Haven and Empire. The 7.8-mile drive meanders through a beech and maple forest with 12 stops along the way, featuring overlooks offering vistas of turquoise- colored Glen Lake, the sand dunes, and Lake Michigan. One of the most spectacular views
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers panoramic views of Lake Michigan.
is from the Lake Michigan Overlook, positioned some 450 feet above the lake level. Take a short walk from parking lot #9 to best enjoy the view. Sunsets from here are outstanding. To access the dunes, Cottonwood Trail loops for 1.5 miles past wildflowers and birches. The byway closes to vehicles during the winter but remains open to foot traffic, making it a popular spot for cross-country skiers and snowshoers.
A sunset scene on Lake Michigan, viewed from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
For more information: https://www.nps.gov/slbe 231-326-4700
Scenic sand dunes line Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan.
EIGHT GREAT NATIONAL PARK SCENIC DRIVE
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