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Earth Day and National Park Week

We celebrated National Park Week with a look back in history, past projects, and future plans to work with the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore to protect natural resources and heighten visitor experiences. 

This year is also the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The purpose of Earth Day is to support environmental protection and we can work together to protect our natural resources. Everyone can make an impact on preserving earth’s resources through individual volunteering keeping natural spaces clean using Leave No Trace principles

Be prepared, travel on safe and durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, and respect wildlife and each other. 

There are so many reasons to be conscious when visiting the National Lakeshore and to remember these principals while enjoying your time at the park. We help the park preserve natural and historic sights, advise safe visitation to help foster the natural habitat of an endangered bird, the Piping Plover, and create educational materials to share why this location is so special. 

One such project was the creation of Interpretive Sign Areas around park interest points and along the Pierce Stocking Drive. This project involved the collection of geologic and historic information about this popular point of interest never found in one spot before and inspired the idea to create a book. Our book, The Life of the Sleeping Bear is now a fundraiser for us to be able to further support park programs. 

You can also visit our site before you visit the park to understand what trails and beaches to explore next. 

We can always use helping hands around the lakeshore. Now, this year we are awaiting when we can get back to help the land we love, but you can sign up to volunteer at any time, just fill out our Volunteer Application


Digital Park Visiting

During these times of Stay at Home and social distancing, there are many ways to explore the park and learn more about your favorite sites or prepare to explore some new locations for the next time you visit! 

Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail IMAP outlines the entire Heritage trail, key sites, and park facilities along the trail. You can explore the entire length of the trail by clicking any point on the map and a photo of that area will come up on the right side of the screen – walking along the trail, digital, in any season. 
A video tutorial about how to use the IMAP can be found on YouTube.

Sleeping Bear Dunes Virtual Visit Showcases all points of interest in the park; viewpoints, campsites, and historic locations with links to learn about the history and importance of protecting each site. 
Follow these links below to download Sleeping Bear Dunes mobile app for both Apple and Android.

National Park System Virtual Visits provides links to many more of the National Park system’s 400+ parks and monuments. 

 

 


COVID-19 Update

 
Updated July 25, 2020 – all Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has reopened The visitor center and has resumed Fee Operation. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) resumed the collection of entrance fees Saturday, July 25, 2020. The $25.00 park entrance pass allows everyone in a private vehicle to recreate in the National Lakeshore for seven days. Passes may be obtained at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, MI, daily from 9:00 a.m.

to 4:00 p.m., and at the Platte River and D. H. Day Campground offices, daily from 9:00 a.m. to

9:00 p.m. Park passes are also available at self-pay stations located at many of the beach road-ends as well as local area businesses will also resume selling National Lakeshore, including Manitou Island Transit (at their Fishtown gift shop), Crystal River

Outfitters, Honor Trading Post, and Riverside Canoe Trips. The Dune Climb and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive entrance stations remain under construction and will not be able to sell passes until later in August.


You can visit select Museum sites at Glen Haven and Port Oneida with proper social distancing protocols. 
The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive will be CLOSED
while the entry station continues to be worked on. 
 
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is open and maintaining operations based on information from the CDC, state governments, and local health authorities. Check out the National Park Service website for the most up-to-date information on your national parks.
The Park has also created a new mini-Visitors Guide with additional information you may need while visiting the park during this time.
 
The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive will be open on weekends, starting July 11th but will be closed to all traffic on weekdays when the construction at the drive entrance will make it unsafe to enter. Visitors should also be aware that in order to provide for social distancing the narrow boardwalk to the Lake Michigan Overlook platform has not yet been installed. Visitors with limited mobility are encouraged to enjoy the spectacular views (and shorter paths) at the Dune and North Bar Lake Overlooks for now.

Park Rangers will be at the drive entrance from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each weekend to answer visitor questions.

The visitor center will be open daily from 9am-4pm with CDC guidelines in place including social distancing (at least 6 feet) and face coverings. The number of visitors allowed in the building will be limited. Services will be limited to visitor information, restroom use, and purchasing sales items through America’s National Parks, our cooperating association. We are requesting payment via credit or debit card.
 
Campground offices will be open daily from 9am-9pm with the same safety practices as the visitor center. Camping reservations for Platte River and D.H. Day Campgrounds will reopen via www.recreation.gov on June 23rd. The first loop (sites 1-31) and site 85 at D.H. Day Campground are currently closed through July 21st due to flooding. Extensions to these closures are possible as staff continues to monitor the water level.  Park rangers will be available at the Dune Climb under the green tent to provide information daily from 9am-4pm as well.
Follow these links below to download Sleeping Bear Dunes mobile app for both Apple and Android.
 
Our participation in National Lakeshore events will be determined by the guidance of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore management.
 
The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the park is announcing additional modifications to operations in response to guidance from the CDC, United States Public Health Service, and the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department. For further information about park closures, visit: https://www.nps.gov/slbe/learn/news/sleeping-bear-dunes-national-lakeshore-is-modifying-operations-to-implement-latest-health-guidance.htm
 
If you see any safety concerns that may require immediate attention, please fill out the safety report on our website. 
And please, e-mail any questions to info@friendsofsleepingbear.org
 
Stay healthy, 
Friends of Sleeping Bear Executive Committee 


High Water Impact

As we have witnessed for the past months, Lake Michigan has had higher than usual water levels which has caused erosion problems at some of the stairs going down to the Lake (Lane Rd, No-Name Rd, Sunset Shores). In each case, the sand has been washed away at the bottom of the stairs. When built, the bottom step was at ground level. Now they are all about 3 feet above ground (or water) level. One (No Pets) signpost at CR-669 has almost washed away.
 
The Park will schedule time in the spring to dis-assemble these stairs and replace them where appropriate. The Friends will provide funding and volunteers to work with them to do the repairs. Stay Tuned for updates to dates to which the park may require help. 
 
Please be aware when visiting that the beach is both difficult to get to in some places as well as the ground is very icy. Please be advised that the trails and beaches will continue to be slippery with on and off snowmelt. Take additional precautions by using trekking poles and crampons or other ice-grabbing additions to shoes. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


The History of the Dunes Area

This year, as we will be celebrating the park’s 50th anniversary in 2020 and are celebrating the Park’s past, present, and future. The park was authorized by Congress on October 21, 1970 to protect the natural environment and historic landmarks. There is so much to love about this area, from it’s unique and beautiful landscape to the history of the area during the turn of the century boom of the area was a transportation hub. 

This year, Friend’s volunteers put together a book that celebrates the history of the Sleeping Bear Dunes area with beautiful photographs by local artists to showcase historic and educational information. The book, The Life of the Sleeping Bear is now on the bestseller list by Horizon Books. You can still order your copy of the first edition, but the books are going fast. 


10 Signs Spring Has Sprung

1. Spring Peepers – Wetlands thaw and release choruses of spring peepers, soon joined by red-winged blackbirds trilling from budding bushes.
2. Ruffed Grouse sounds – Male ruffed grouse stand atop old logs and drum their wings to establish territory and attract a mate. Hear the sound: 

3. Pussy willows – produce their furry catkins, one of the first signs of spring in the bare forest.

4. Smell of Spring – Along a hiking path, the rich scent of warming soil and leaf cover on the forest floor, often next to lingering snow banks sheltered in pockets of northern exposure.

5. Fawns – white tailed deer babies or fawns are odorless when they are born so predators can’t detect where they are.  The mother will leave the fawn for a few days right after birth as not to rub any of her scent off on the fawn while it gains strength.

6. Sandhill cranes – return to forage in open fields or soar overheard on outstretched wings with their long legs trailing behind. Their distinct guttural calls carry a long way in the spring air. 

7. Ducks on the lake – Flotillas of migrating ducks bob along the shore in Lake Michigan. The Sleeping Bear Dunes shoreline is a major migratory route and favorite of bird watchers. 

8. Trillium – This beautiful flower blooms and covers the forest floor with a blanket of white before the trees leaf out above.
Find a robust database of all wildflowers that can be found in the National Lakeshore on our Wildflower Database.

9. Loons return to favorite inland lake nesting spots soon after ice out.

10. Cyclists – Lingering sections of packed snow and ice from a season of skiing on the Heritage Trail finally soften and give way to cyclists.


Greetings From Yellowstone!

Our Communications Director recently took a trip to visit family right outside of Yellowstone National Park. Not only did they travel around the park but Laura Ann also met with Wendie Carr the Chief Marketing Officer for Yellowstone Forever, the National Parks official non profit partner organization.  Below are photos from her adventures.

Ranger Bob Furhmann and Laura Ann Johnson FSBD Communications Director

Here I am with my brother-in-law Bob Furhmann who is the Supervisory Park Ranger Branch Chief, in front of the Yellowstone National Park sign at the North entrance to the park.  Bob oversees all the youth programming in the park and is gearing up for a great summer hosting about 60 youth who will come to help build and maintain trails through Yellowstone National Park’s Youth Conservation Corps program.

Roosevelt Arch

The Roosevelt Arch is a famous landmark at the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Montana. The arch was constructed per the request of  President Theodore Roosevelt, under the supervision of the US Army at Fort Yellowstone, in 1903. The top of the arch is inscribed with a quote from the Organic Act of 1872, the legislation which created Yellowstone, which reads: “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People”.

four bull moose in the Lamar Valley

 

Much like Michigan, spring takes a long time to arrive, but the animals are starting to move back to higher elevation which means back into the park.  We were taking a drive through the Lamar Valley between Mammoth hot springs and Cook City and stumbled upon a very rare sight…. Four bull moose! This is the time of year when many animals like moose and elk shed their antlers.  All four of these guys had recently lost their antlers and will start to re-grow them. Fun fact about Moose, they start to overheat at 45 degrees which is why they spend much of their time in or near water.

Hike on the Rescue Creek Trail

 

They say if you don’t like the weather in Yellowstone, wait five minutes…. This is a photo of my husband Tom and our 20 month old Abner on the Rescue Creek trail. It was sunny, cloudy, rained a little, but overall a great hike! We saw five different types of ungulates (hoofed animals) bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, elk, and mule deer (not nearly as pretty as our white tailed deer).

Yellowstone Forever in Gardiner MT

Lastly a big thank you goes to Wendie Carr, the Chief Marketing Officer at Yellowstone Forever, Yellowstone National Parks official non profit partner. This organization is really cool! They do a ton of education programs for all ages, help fundraise for projects and in general raise awareness about the park and how to help preserve it. I had a great meeting with Wendie and learned a lot about how we can effectively spread the word about these amazing National Parks and Lakeshores!


Friends Annual Report – 2018

This year we provided about $114,000 in support of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Our 618 members also provided over 11,000 volunteer hours. As an all-volunteer organization, we have very low overhead (only 4%). Any donation we receive for a specific project goes 100% to supporting that project. If you are not already a member, consider joining. All you have to do is make a donation or sign up as a volunteer!


Preventative Search and Rescue – PSAR

PSAR Volunteers helped reduce the number of Search and Rescues in the Park by over 50%. Fewer emergencies = happier visitors! Join our PSAR team!


A Busy Year – 2017 Accomplishments

The Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes spent over $70,000 in support of a wide variety of projects at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The largest projects in 2017 were maintenance of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, Beach and Trail Accessibility Projects, and the snowshoe program for 4th graders. Click here to see our annual newsletter that describes some of the projects and includes a list of projects we funded. For those of you who want more details about all of the projects we funded in 2016, click here.

What’s in the Plan for 2018?

We will definitely be busy in 2018 with our ongoing volunteer programs, but there will also be several big projects that we will need your help with. We will need volunteers AND donations to accomplish these big goals next year.

  • Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail – Annual Operations & Maintenance ($25,000)
  • Kettles Trail in the Bow Lakes Region of the Park – We will be building trail and parking lot in 2018 ($40,000). The first part of the trail from the parking lot to an overlook at the nearest kettle will be accessible (packed crushed stone).
  • A new accessible walkway and platform at the Maritime Museum beach ($15,000).
  • Replacement of the dock at Bass Lake (Benzie County) and accessible trail near the lake.
  • Supporting the Park’s Environmental Assessment for the Echo Valley Mt. Bike Trail.

Click here to make a donation for one of these projects or our General Fund.


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