Recent News

Pure Michigan® Trail Designation

Posted on | by sbtrail

Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail has been designated as a Pure Michigan® Trail.  This is based on the trail meeting several criteria including that the trail enhances the community and supports healthy active lifestyles, offers access to the scenic natural beauty and makes important connections with trailside facilities including parking areas, bathrooms, and nearby destinations such as restaurants, shopping centers, lodging, and medical services. Thank you for making this trail an integral part of Michigan!

8th Annual Dune Dash 2019

Posted on | by sbtrail

Join us for the Eighth Annual Dune Dash 4-mile run/walk on Saturday, August 17. The race course showcases the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail located in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Starting and finishing at the base of the Dune Climb, runners follows the paved Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail past rolling dunes and beautiful forests to the turn around point at historic Glen Haven. Don’t miss your chance to experience one of the most beautiful scenic runs in Michigan.

All proceeds from this event will go to the continued construction and maintenance of Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail

What

A 4-mile run/walk along the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. (Course)

Where

The race will start and finish at the Dune Climb in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. (map)

When

The race starts at 9am Saturday, August 17, 2019.

Who Benefits

All proceeds from this event will go to support the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.

What’s the cost?Adult 18 and up $30
Student 17 and under $20

Register before June 1st, 2019

Adult 18 and up $25
Student 17 and under $15

Register after June 1st, 2019

Adult 18 and up $30
Student 17 and under $20

Register after August 1st,  2019

Adult 18 and up $35
Student 17 and under $25

NOTE: Prices go up by $5 starting June 1st. The Sleeping Bear Dunes charge an entrance fee of $15 per vehicle if you do not already possess a park pass.

What you get

Only participants registered by Friday, August 10th, will be guaranteed a t-shirt. All registered participants will receive professionally timed results, race bib, post-race refreshments and entertainment.

When and where is packet pick up?

Packet pick up will take place at The Filling Station Microbrewery, 642 Railroad Place, Traverse City MI on Friday Aug. 17th from 5pm-7pm. (map). Participants may also pickup their packets at the Dune Climb on the morning of the race. Please visit rftiming.com/dunedash , or www.rfeventservcies.com  and click the “Event Results 2018” tab, to look up your race number (bib number) prior to packet pickup.

When is late registration?

Late registration will take place during packet pick up at The Filling Station Microbrewery. There will be no day of registration (In accordance to federal law, day of registration cannot take place within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore.)

Will there be awards?

Medals will be awarded to the overall male and female finisher, and the top three finishers in each age-group.

Want to volunteer?

Please e-mail us at dunedash@gmail.com

Where can I park?

Parking is available at the Dune Climb and approved adjacent lots within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. (map)

Sorry, race fees are non-refundable

Winter on the Trail

Posted on | by sbtrail

There is so much to do on the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail during the winter season. From cross country skiing to snowshoeing and fatbiking, trail users can enjoy the trail all year long! If you’d like to be added to the SBHT Winter Ski Condition Report visit Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes manages the maintenance and grooming efforts on the trail. They have a grooming crew comprised of 20 volunteers who groom the trail from Empire to Glen Arbor and from Glen Arbor (Crystal View trailhead) to Port Oneida Road.

The highest prioritized section of trail groomed is between Glen Haven and Glen Arbor with a loop through the DH Day Campground. This section typically sees the most winter use.

The next section groomed is from Glen Haven to the Dune Climb. The trail is fully groomed from the Dune Climb to Empire when there are enough volunteers and the weather and temperature are ideal.

It takes a team of two groomers about two hours to groom from Glen Arbor to Glen Haven. A second team grooms one side of the trail from Glen Haven to Empire in two hours, and a third crew grooms from Empire back to Glen Haven. The total time required to groom the whole trail from Glen Arbor to Empire is six hours – if everything goes perfectly.

Grooming at temperatures above 30 degrees results in icy conditions, so grooming is more likely to occur when temperatures are cooler. When the trail receives over six inches of fresh snow with temperatures under 30 degrees, groomers use the roller to compact the snow and build base. When there is a compacted base the Ginzu Groomer is used. It has a set of knives that churn up the hard pack snow to create a new corduroy layer. Both sets of equipment have track-setters for making classic tracks on the outside of the trail.

Friends will be working with the Leelanau Conservancy to groom ski trails in the Palmer Woods Forest Reserve north of Glen Arbor on a test basis this winter as well.

Etiquette for Fatbikes

    •  Please do not ride on the SBHT if conditions are too soft. If you are leaving a rut deeper than an inch, having a hard time riding in a straight line, or pushing your bike, the snow is too soft and you should not ride your bike on the trail.
    • Tires must be 3.7″ or bigger.
    • Tire pressure must be under 8 psi.
    • Do not ride on classic tracks.
    • Bikes yield to skiers.
    • Stay to right side of trail (not in the classic tracks) at all times.
  • Be an ambassador for the sport – stay polite, educate other bikers, discourage bad behavior, follow the rules, support grooming, and we’ll all have a good time this winter.

7th Annual Dune Dash

Posted on | by sbtrail

Join us for the Seventh Annual Dune Dash 4-mile run/walk on Saturday, August 18th. The race course showcases the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail located in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Starting and finishing at the base of the Dune Climb, runners follows the paved Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail past rolling dunes and beautiful forests to the turn around point at historic Glen Haven. Don’t miss your chance to experience one of the most beautiful scenic runs in Michigan.

All proceeds from this event will go to the continued construction and maintenance of Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail

What

A 4-mile run/walk along the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. (Course)

Where

The race will start and finish at the Dune Climb in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. (map)

When

The race starts at 9am Saturday, August 18, 2018.

Who Benefits

All proceeds from this event will go to support the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.

What’s the cost?

Adult 18 and up $30
Student 17 and under $20

NOTE: Prices go up by $5 after August 16th. The Sleeping Bear Dunes charge an entrance fee of $15 per vehicle if you do not already possess a park pass.

What you get

Only participants registered by Friday, August 10th, will be guaranteed a t-shirt. All registered participants will receive professionally timed results, race bib, post-race refreshments and entertainment.

When and where is packet pick up?

Packet pick up will take place at The Filling Station Microbrewery, 642 Railroad Place, Traverse City MI on Friday Aug. 17th from 5pm-7pm. (map). Participants may also pickup their packets at the Dune Climb on the morning of the race. Please visit rftiming.com/dunedash , or www.rfeventservcies.com  and click the “Event Results 2018” tab, to look up your race number (bib number) prior to packet pickup.

When is late registration?

Late registration will take place during packet pick up at The Filling Station Microbrewery. There will be no day of registration (In accordance to federal law, day of registration cannot take place within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore.)

Will there be awards?

Medals will be awarded to the overall male and female finisher, and the top three finishers in each age-group.

Want to volunteer?

Please e-mail us at dunedash@gmail.com

Where can I park?

Parking is available at the Dune Climb and approved adjacent lots within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. (map)

Sorry, race fees are non-refundable