Empire Bluff Trail Sleeping Bear Dunes
Trails Michigan Empire Bluff Trail Sleeping Bear Dunes
Michigan · leelanau County

Empire Bluff Trail Sleeping Bear Dunes

Short favorite with high bluff views over Lake Michigan shoreline.

Rating
Length
1.5 mi
Difficulty
2
County
leelanau

About This Trail

A 1.5-mile round-trip favorite climbing through beech-maple forest to a high coastal bluff with the iconic panoramic view of Lake Michigan, South Manitou Island, and the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Boardwalks and an observation deck top this 400-foot bluff. Manageable stairs and moderate grades make it doable in under an hour.

Location

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Coordinates: 44.8129, -86.0611

Getting There

From Empire, take M-22 south approximately 1 mile. Turn right on Wilco Road and follow it uphill to the Empire Bluff Trail parking area and picnic area on the left.

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