• Looking out at the lake

    Sleeping Bear Dunes

    National Lakeshore Michigan

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  • Maritime Museum closed

    The Maritime Museum and Boathouse are closed until further notice.

Cottonwood Hiking Trail

Distance

One loop of 1.4 miles

Terrain

Rolling dunes

Vegetation

Grasses, shrubs and wildflowers of the dunes

Comments

A self-guided brochure is available at the trailhead. It describes the plant life and geology of the dunes. Much of the trail is through loose sand and is strenuous.
 

Download a map in pdf format.

 
dunes_map_6_7_8_9_10
Dunes Hiking Trails
NPS Map 2006
 
Cottonwood trail

View of DH Day Farm and Lake MI from the Cottonwood trail

Kerry Kelly 2006

The Cottonwood trail takes you through the perched dunes above the Dune Climb and provides access to a variety of dune plants and wildflowers.

 
Glen Lake from Cottonwood Trail

Glen Lake

Kerry Kelly 2006

The Cottonwood Trail provides beautiful views of Glen Lake and the Dune Climb.
 

Did You Know?

Maritime Museum

The U.S. Life-Saving Station in Glen Haven was moved from Sleeping Bear Point in 1931 because it was being covered with sand from the moving dunes. Visit the Maritime Museum in Glen Haven in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to see how the crew lived and worked. More...