Good Harbor Bay Beach accessed from the Good Harbor Bay Trail
The Good Harbor Bay Trail is almost entirely flat with just a few small grades. Near the beginning of the trail, there is a short section of low coastal dunes, where there is access to the beach. Then the trail turns away from Lake Michigan and becomes wooded for the remainder of its length. A portion of the trail passes through a swamp, and a small bridge assists in crossing a couple of wet spots.
Kerry Kelly 2006
Boardwalk on the Good Harbor Bay Trail
The trail lies between Little Traverse Lake and Lake Michigan. This entire strip of land was underwater at the end of the Ice Age and has emerged gradually during post-glacial times. Along this trail, you can see the different plant communities that have developed in zones parallel to the shoreline. Starting from the beach and traveling inland, you pass through an active dune zone, a shrub zone, a pine-oak forest, and the beginnings of a beech-maple forest. Just a few thousand years ago, the forested zones were barren beaches. Plants, through their growth and decay, have built up a topsoil on top of old dunes.
Did You Know?
Where can you find 35 miles of pristine Lake Michigan Beaches? Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore also includes North Manitou Island (20 miles of shoreline) and South Manitou Island (14 miles of shoreline).
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