Would you like to visit a beaver pond, smell spring wildflowers, search for morels, or identify migrating birds? Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is the place to do all that and more. Spring is an excellent time to hike and National Park Rangers are looking forward to sharing some of their favorite places in the National Lakeshore with you during five “Saturdays at the Lakeshore” in May.
Every Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m., a Park Ranger will await you at the Visitor Center in Empire on M-72 to introduce a topic and then lead a car caravan a short distance to where the walk will begin. Each week, a different topic and location in the park will be featured.
May 3 - Mushrooms for Beginners: Learn how to tell a real morel from a false morel and how to identify several easy spring mushrooms. The ranger will also explain the life of a mushroom and provide some tips on where to find your favorite variety.
May 10 -The World of Frogs - What would spring be without the sound of frogs? Why are they singing and why are they disappearing all around the world? What might they be trying to tell us?Learn to identify several local varieties by sight and sound. This is a great outdoor adventure for the whole family.
May 17 - Hike to a Beaver Lodge: Look for one of the few animals that dramatically engineers their environment and has played a major role in this region’s history. See a dam, lodge, canals, and tunnels while learning more about beavers and their logging operations.
May 24 - A Flurry of Wild Flowers: Few places on earth have an abundance of wildflowers as the hardwood forest of Northwest Michigan in the spring. Join a ranger to marvel at this annual display of native plants as you hike through one of the best wildflower habitats in the region.
May 31 - Returning Birds: Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day by joining a ranger to welcome back several species of migratory birds. Learn about their winter adventures in far off lands and the distances they travel in between. This is a great opportunity for beginning birders. Binoculars provided.
Participants need only purchase the park entrance pass or have an annual pass to join in the fun. Reservations are not required, but are suggested if you wish to bring a group. For more information or to make a reservation, please call 231-326-5134.
