Last updated: May 6, 2026
Place
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
Quick Facts
Location:
8500 Pierce Stocking Scenic Dr, Empire, MI 49630
Amenities
8 listed
Entrance Passes for Sale, Information - Maps Available, Information - Park Newspaper Available, Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Picnic Table, Toilet - Vault/Composting
The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is open for the 2026 summer season.
Address
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
8500 Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
Empire, MI 49630
Fees and Passes
An entrance pass is required.
Additional Details
- The iconic Lake Michigan Overlook is located on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.
- Drive slow, 20 mph.
- Watch for bikers and motorcyclists.
- Park only in designated parking spots.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Trailers are not permitted.
- Vehicle clearance maximum is 13 feet 6 inches.
- Follow one-way traffic signs.
- Download the free NPS app for a self-guided map and tour or scroll down for webpage links.
Distance
The Scenic Drive is approximately 7.4 miles on a one-way loop. There are twelve informational stops featured on the free NPS app. Stopping at each stop will take about two hours.
What to expect
As you turn onto Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, there is a parking lot on the right-hand side. The Scenic Drive does not allow trailers. This is the best location to leave your trailer to enjoy the Scenic Drive. Vault toilets are also available here. The parking lot also serves hikers, bikers, and skiers as the Pierce Stocking trailhead for the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail and as the Shauger Hill Trail trailhead.
Informational Stops on the Scenic Drive
Stop 3: Picnic Mountain and the Dune Overlook
Stop 5: Leaving the Sand Dunes
Stop 6: Dune Ecology
Stop 7: Beech Maple Forest
Stop 8: Changes in Time
Stop 9: Lake Michigan Overlook
Stop 10: Sleeping Bear Dune Overlook
Stop 11: North Bar Lake Overlook and Picnic Area
Hours
Roads, trailheads, and parking lots in the Lakeshore are open 24 hours a day. Campgrounds, visitor centers, and facilities have separate hours.
Camping is only permitted in designated campgrounds and campsites. Off-trail camping, boondocking, or overnight parking for sleeping is illegal within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is open to vehicles seasonally. Generally: late May until late October. During the winter and spring, the drive is open for hiking and walk-in recreation during the vehicle closure. The road includes steep inclines that may become hazardous due to wet leaves, wind, and rain, which can create slippery and unsafe conditions. Visitors are advised to use caution.
Pets
Leashed pets are permitted on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Pets are not allowed on the trail systems through the dunes except for the Cottonwood Trail.
Accessibility
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive offers a 7.4 mile loop with beautiful views of Lake Michigan, the Glen Lakes, and the dunes, much of which can be appreciated through the vehicle windows. The twelve stops along the way allow for a leisurely pace.
Accessible parking and toilets are at four locations: the entrance trailer parking area, Picnic Mountain, #9 Lake Michigan Overlook, and #11 North Bar Lake Overlook and picnic area.
Running water and flush toilets are accessible at Picnic Mountain. A hard-surfaced picnic area with table and raised grill is also available.
The #3 Dunes Overlook has a ramped deck with two levels lined with benches. The stunning panorama of dunes and lake views may also be seen from the circle drive.
The #9 Lake Michigan Overlook and #10 Sleeping Bear Dune Overlook are not handicap accessible and require following a steep asphalt trail and loose sand.
The #11 North Bar Lake Overlook picnic area is fairly flat with tables and raised grills located near accessible parking. Accessible vault toilets are provided, but there is no running water at this location.
A Note to Bicyclists
The scenic drive is a challenging bicycle tour with some steep uphill and downhill grades. Consider your ability before starting. Ride single file, stay to the right, obey the posted speed limit, keep your bicycle under control on the downhill sections, and watch for vehicles entering exiting the scenic overlooks. Remember: Motorists often have difficulty seeing cyclists. Ride defensively.
Who Was Pierce Stocking?
Pierce Stocking spent his youth working as a lumberman in Michigan's forests. He loved the woods and spent most of his spare time there, developing a self-taught knowledge of nature.
He used to walk the bluffs above Lake Michigan, awed by the views of the dunes, Lake Michigan, and the islands. He wanted to share this beauty with others and conceived the idea of a road to the top of the dunes.
As a lumberman, he had built roads in difficult terrain before. The planning for the road began in the early 1960s, and in 1967, the road, then known as the Sleeping Bear Dunes Park, first opened to the public.
Stocking continued to operate the scenic drive until his death in 1976. In 1977, the road became part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Several years later, based on public opinion, the drive was named the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.