NPS and Its Neighbors Create New Visitor Opportunities

Touted as one of CNN Travel’s “Can’t-Miss U.S. Beaches” and “The Most Beautiful Place in America” by Good Morning America, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore features some of the most pristine and popular landscapes in Michigan. However, the national lakeshore and its gateway communities recognized the challenge for visitors to navigate the 35 miles of Lake Michigan’s eastern shoreline, numerous islands and inland lakes.

The National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program (NPS-RTCA) convened a planning team consisting of participants from the local gateway communities and the National Park Service to evolve a concept of a trail system as an alternative to widening major highways. In collaboration with community partners, NPS-RTCA helped develop the Sleeping Bear Dunes Heritage Trail, a 27-mile, ADA accessible, multi-use path connecting the communities of Glen Arbor and Empire with visitor destinations within the park. Additionally, NPS-RTCA helped secure transportation grants and supported the development of the trail.

Today, the trail offers an array of opportunities, from hiking and biking to cross-country skiing, opening up new recreation opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

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For more than 30 years, the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program  has been moving the needle on conservation and outdoor recreation in communities across America. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.