Your Chance to Hike Sleeping Bears Dunes in the Dark!

It has been named the "Most Beautiful Place in America" on ABC's "Good Morning America". If you have visited Sleeping Bear Dunes during the summer you know its beauty by day. But what about at night -- in the winter?

Coming up on Saturday, February 18th, it will be your chance to hike park of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the dark (well almost)!

The hike will take place from 6-8 pm at the Dune Climb. It will be a self-guided hike with luminaries lighting the flat terrain trail. The National Park Service says it is a one mile hike and will take about 30 minutes to an hour to complete. Along the way there will be park rangers to share information.

The candlelit walk is a free event but your vehicle does need a park entrance pass or an annual pass. Park passes can be purchased at the Phillip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire (open daily from 9 am to 4 pm).

The hike is scheduled to take place regardless of snow conditions. If there is enough snow, the hike can be done with snowshoes. You are encouraged to bring your own snowshoes, however there will be some available to be loaned out on a first come, first served basis.

Even though the trail will be lit by luminaries, you are encouraged to bring your own flashlights or headlamps.

Be sure to dress warmly! The extended forecast for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for Saturday night, February 18th calls for mostly cloudy skies with snow showers with a temperature around 19 degrees. Wind chill values could be as low as 8 above zero with the winds gusting to over 30 mph.

Additional information can be found on the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore website. You can also call (231) 326-4700, extension 5010 for more information.

Here is a video of a winter hike on the Sleeping Bear Dunes Pyramid Point Trail...