EMPIRE -- Anyone who has lived in northern Michigan for any length of time knows that when friends and relatives come for a visit an essential destination is the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Leelanau County.
The park promises visitors spectacular views, historic ghost towns, a myriad of picturesque hiking trials and of course, the infamous dune climb.
As summer officially kicks off this week and gas prices continue to soar, consider exploring this gem that sits in your backyard, as well as the variety of other unique, low cost outdoor activities that the area offers.
New this summer at Sleeping Bear are ranger-led bike tours where you can take the family around Port Oneida or the Platte River Campground.
"The Port Oneida trip will include cultural landscape features, while the Platte River tour will emphasize the natural history of the area," explained Bill Herd, park interpreter.
There are also miles of photographic hiking trials throughout the park, and although you may have hiked them before, this year take them with a guide, suggested Herd.
"One of the things that people often overlook is attending ranger-led hikes. For people who live here it's a way to see something differently that they may have seen before," he said.
For the kids there is the Junior Ranger Program, a perennial favorite that guides kids and families through a number of activities around the park. The kids share their knowledge with a park ranger and receive an official Junior Ranger patch and certificate.
These summer-themed hikes will be held on Saturday afternoons, leaving from the Phillip A. Hart Visitor Center on M-72 in Empire. Although the schedule is still being firmed up, you can look forward to hikes that include butterflies, dune wildflowers and history.
Spending time at the beach is a favorite summer pastime, but until the water is warm enough to swim in there are plenty of other activities close to or even on the water. This season, take the family on a relaxing float down the Crystal River in a canoe or kayak. Matt Wiesen, owner of Crystal River Outfitters in Glen Arbor, noted that a typical family trip is two to three hours.
"The river is in really nice shape right now and it's a nice trip for all ability levels," said Wiesen. "It's perfect for families."
If a view of the water is more of what you have in mind take a drive out to the end of the Old Mission Peninsula where you will find not only a look at the Old Mission Lighthouse but both easy wooded and waterside trails, perfect for families with younger hikers.
"Old Mission is great as soon as the snow starts to melt," said Mike Norton, media relations for the Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"There are lowland walks along the beach as well as upland meadows and hardwood forests that many people don't know about," he said.
While you wait for the water to warm be sure to visit Grass River Natural Area in Antrim County. There are more than 1,000 acres to explore that include lakes, a river, streams and creeks and a host of animal and plant life that call it home. There are several trails to walk on your own and the kids will especially enjoy the boardwalk trails.
Grass River also offers a series of guided walks for all ages including the Toddler Trail Time on Fridays during the summer. There are also weekly wildflower and bluebird walks.
The Leelanau Conservancy has preserved more than 6,000 acres over the past 20 years and that means plenty of opportunities for exploring the county's natural beauty, whether it's dunes, shorelines or farmland. For those who prefer exploring on their own there are a number of natural areas open to the public complete with information kiosks, marked trails and benches along the way.
Just minutes from Traverse City you will find one of the Conservancy's latest acquisitions, The Louis DeYoung farm. The TART trail runs through this 145-acre property and there is a quarter-mile trail that winds down to Cedar Lake where you will find a fishing and observation pier.
If you want to get an up close look at an ecologically sensitive locale or just want to know a little more about the area, join one of the Conservancy's guided tours led by their docents.
Just three miles from Traverse City you will find the Grand Traverse Educational Reserve along the Boardman River. There is plenty to see within this 420-acre tract from bog, marsh and swamp to upland and pine forests as you hike the seven miles of trails. There is also a recently built education center.
As summer unfolds be sure to take a little time to explore the natural beauty close to home and see for yourself the reason visitors flock to the area.
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