EDITOR'S NOTE: The Park IS open. You can enjoy trails and other amenities. 

While the sequestration - the automatic, across-the-board permanent spending cuts that was triggered by  the Federal Government's inability to come to a budget deal - is a largely ephemeral concept for most so far, it has some very real consequences for Leelanau's #1 tourist attraction.

On March 1, 2013, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was required to reduce its annual budget by 5%. That's a $234,000 reduction from a budget of $4,676,000, and as the fiscal year ends September 30, they have just 7 months to make the required reductions. Superintendent Dusty Shultz explains that, “The park remains open, welcoming visitors and continuing to protect the resources entrusted to our care.”

Here are the major actions being taken to implement the cut:

• Staffing and fixed costs like utilities make up about 98% of the park’s budget, and they shortened 22 seasonal positions and cut 5 seasonal jobs.
• Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive will not open until Memorial Day Weekend and will close after Labor Day.
• Ranger programs, including environmental education programs for school groups, will not be available until Memorial Day Weekend and will cease after Labor Day.
• Other than those at the Visitor Center and campgrounds, restrooms and trash cans will not be available until Memorial Day Weekend and will close after Labor Day. This includes the Manitou Islands.
• Mowing of picnic areas and historic farmsteads will be sharply reduced.
• Protection and monitoring of the endangered Piping Plover will be sharply reduced.
• Follow-up control of invasive plants such as black locust will be sharply reduced.

Photo credit: Manitou Island Park Ranger by lee.ekstrom

A new National Park Service report shows that the 1,348,304 visitors to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in 2011 spent almost $133 million in communities surrounding the park, supporting an estimated 2,347 jobs in the local area. The information on Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is part of a peer-reviewed spending analysis of national park visitors across the country conducted by Michigan State University for the National Park Service.

Park Superintendent Dusty Shultz explains: “Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a wonderful place to learn about America’s story. We attract visitors from across the U.S. and around the world who come here to experience the park and then spend time and money enjoying the services provided by our neighboring communities."

Most visitor spending supports jobs in lodging, food, and beverage service (63 percent), followed by recreation and entertainment (17 percent), other retail (11 percent), transportation and fuel (7 percent) and wholesale and manufacturing (2 percent).

Photo credit: "Empire Bluff" Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore by Michigan Nut

In Busiest ... summer ... ever in the the Glen Arbor Sun editor Jacob Wheeler writes the Good Morning America selection of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore as the Most Beautiful Place in America put Glen Arbor tourism on steroids with record profits but also some less than desireable side effects

Sometime this month, the 1,364,835th visitor to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in 2012 will arrive at the Dune Climb, hike to Pyramid Point, or perhaps bike the Heritage Trail and enjoy its stunning autumnal beauty. In doing so, that visitor will officially make this the busiest year ever for the Glen Arbor region, the most profitable for local businesses, and perhaps the most hectic one too.

...as of Sept. 1, visitors to the National Lakeshore were up 21.7 percent over the same eight-month period in 2011, putting the Park just 66,764 visitors shy of the annual record, which was set in 1999. “It’s extremely likely we’ll exceed our record by the end of September,” deputy superintendent of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Tom Ulrich told the Leelanau Enterprise. “Even if we were to have our lowest September attendance ever (70,000 in 2003), we’d still have a new record.”

But record profits weren’t the only change in the north country. Some business owners noticed distinct types of tourists to which they were not accustomed, and not always attracted — visitors who were driven to come here perhaps by the successful Pure Michigan campaign, or more likely by the Good Morning America honor, and the northern Michigan social media campaign that secured that victory.

“My concern is that at least some of them were expecting something different from Glen Arbor than what we actually offer,” said Widmayer. “Some people who came probably got a signal from Good Morning America that this place was really beautiful but they didn’t take their expectations into account. We describe Glen Arbor as a flip-flop-wearing, beach town, whereas they were looking for something more upscale, where they only have to wander short distances.”

Read on for much more about the impact on and observations by local businesses and also share your comments over at the Sun or on our Facebook!

Photo credit: Untitled by granisz

Below are your 2011 Labor Day Weekend happenings - if you know of more, add them into the comments!

Summer is almost over but fortunately we get to say farewell over a three-day weekend! Here are some ideas for Leelanau Labor Day fun!

On Monday, Leland hosts the 14th Annual Labor Day Bridge Walk beginning promptly at Noon on the M-22 Bridge. Certificates, lemonade and cookies will be available for all on the lawn of the Old Art Building following the walk.

You'll have to make a choice because the Labor Day BridgeWalk/Party happens at noon as well on the Narrows Bridge between Big & Little Glen Lake!

Up in Northport you can check out the final Concert in the Park of the season on Friday night. It features country music act Sister Wilene and There's also Sugar's Folly on Saturday & Sunday, an orginal play at the Northport Community Arts Center - click here for lots more about the play.

Saturday is the Grand Opening of the corn maze at Gill's Pier Winery. The fun starts at 11 AM and goes to 6 PM (last entry at 5). From 2-5 PM enjoy ribs from the Apache Trout Grill and live music from the Windy Ridge Boys. Tickets are $10 each and include lunch and admission to the corn maze.

Speaking of wineries, the weekend is a great time to explore the Leelanau Wine Trail which features 20 diverse wineries.

Labor Day Weekend is also a great time to explore all the fantastic beaches in the area.  Many people have heard that the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is the most beautiful place in (Good Morning) America. For one look at why, check out North Bar Lake with everything from lounging in the sun to swimming in toasty warm North Bar, playing in the waves on a pristine stretch of Lake Michigan shore and even enjoying Leelanau's best skim boarding on the tiny channel that connects the two lakes!  For more, visit our Sleeping Bear Dunes page.

Looking for more things to do, check out the Leelanau Calendar. Please feel free to leave your Labor Day suggestions as comments! We look forward to hear what everyone has planned!

Of course just kicking back with a fishing pole or a barbecue with some friends may be all you need for the perfect holiday weekend, which we at Leelanau.com heartily wish for you!

Photo:  These are days to remember... by John Levanen

Check out the favorite Leelanau spots of chef Mario Batali courtesy Pure Michigan.

The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail officially opens with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Dune Climb on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. The ribbon cutting celebrates the completion of nearly five miles of trail between Glen Arbor and the Dune Climb. When fully completed, the 27-mile trail will run from the southern edge of Leelanau County through the National Lakeshore, Empire, and Glen Arbor, to Good Harbor Bay. They selected this segment as the first to connect the Dune Climb and dunes trails, historic attractions in Glen Haven, the group & D. H. Day campgrounds and the village of Glen Arbor. Construction of the remaining segments will continue as funds are raised.

Julie Clark is the Executive Director of Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails, Inc. and says, “This spring we surpassed a million dollars in private funding, much of that generated by the local community. We’ve got some big milestones ahead of us this summer to keep trail construction rolling next year, but I think we can now see and experience the trail and benefits it can bring, and they’ll want to help keep the project going.”

The trail was included in the National Lakeshore's most recent General Management Plan and then was analyzed and approved more specifically in an Environmental Assessment. National Lakeshore Superintendent Dusty Schultz says, “The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail is the single most exciting project to come out of our recently completed General Management Plan. The trail will provide a wonderful way to explore and learn about the park, as well as become a meaningful alternative for visitors to travel between park sites and local businesses - without having to use their cars!”

Funding for trail construction is secured from the Dune Climb to Empire and Glen Arbor to Port Oneida. To move forward with construction, nearly $500,000 in matching funds are needed. To learn more about the project and how you can be a part of the effort, visit www.sleepingbeartrail.org or call Pam Darling, Development Director, TART Trails, 231-941-4300.

Aurora Borealis ... with star trails by Ken Scott

The heat is on!! Summer is underway, with the temperature a heartbeat away from 90 degrees at Leelanau Coffee Roasting and much more sun and 80s on the way. The hot times don't end when the sun goes down as Ken Scott's photo from last night shows, so be sure to look up for the aurora borealis!

News from the Week

This week the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore reported that after several years of limited piping plover nesting activity in the Glen Haven area, four pairs of the federally endangered shorebird have made that beach their home for the summer. It's an easily accessible location provides visitors an excellent opportunity to view a rare bird in its natural habitat, as well as have questions answered by National Park Service employees and volunteers who will be on site throughout the nesting season. Click through for all the details and a video!

We also had a cool video on the history of Leland that includes some great old photos.

Jacob Wheeler of the Glen Arbor Sun writes that in addition to the most beautiful place in America, second healthiest place nationwide, Leelanau County is on the verge of becoming a prime bicycle destination too! He took a ride down the nearly-completed first phase from the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb to downtown Glen Arbor on the brand new Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. The  trail officially opens on June 20, 2012 and could one day stretch 27 miles, from the Leelanau-Benzie County line to Good Harbor! Click here for the video.

The Sun also notes that Leelanau County will collect household hazardous waste and electronics on Saturday June 2.

Come to the Traverse City Wine & Art Festival on Saturday, June 30th

Coming Events

Leelanau Peninsula BirdFest

The Second Annual Leelanau Peninsula BirdFest takes place May 30 - June 3. It's a chance to see more than a hundred different species of nesting birds, including the rare Great Lakes Piping Plover. There's all kinds of field trips and special guests including Jerry Weinrich, "Godfather of the Kirtland’s Warbler" and keynote speaker Greg Butcher, the Director of Conservation for National Audubon.

2012 Leland Wine & Food Festival

The Leland Wine & Food Festival returns to the Leland Harbor on Saturday, June 9, 2012. Come enjoy a day in Leland's historic Fishtown tasting wines from local wineries and food offerings from local restaurants and vendors. There's also live music in the park all day and of course plenty of beautiful views of Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands. Admission is $12 and includes an etched wine glass and two tickets for wine tasting. Click the link for participating wineries and food vendors.

Some other events include the Fiber Frenzy at the Old Art Building (May 25), Leland Wine & Food Festival (June 9), Leelanau Artists at the Old Art Building (June 1), "Pots and Paintings" at Center Gallery (June 1),  HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE collection (June 2), Traverse Colantha Walker Dairy Festival (June 10), Glen Arbor BBQ and Brew Festival (June 16) and the Glen Arbor Solstice Half Marathon & 5k (June 16).

The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay has the new Tim Burton film Dark Shadows (PG-13) starring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter playing through May 31st.

The Weather

It's a glorious 89 degrees under sunny skies  at Leelanau Coffee Roasting in Glen Arbor. The record high for a May 24th is 93 degrees from 2010. That's just out of reach in contrast with the waaay out of reach 25 from 1956. Expect winds to pick up and temps to remain in the upper 80s for the rest of the day. We might get some rain overnight with gusty SW winds at 15-25. Tomorrow will be a little cooler, but beautiful with sunny skies and a high in the low to mid 70s. The weekend outlook calls for a high around 80 on Saturday and then near 90 on Sunday and Monday with a 30% chance of showers all three days but plenty of sun as well!

Chris Johnson shared his photo from last night of the boat launch in Glen Arbor. Click it for a larger view and visit his Facebook page for more!

More weather resources for Leelanau & Traverse City on the Leelanau Almanac!

Jacob Wheeler of the Glen Arbor Sun writes that to the most beautiful place in America, second healthiest place nationwide, Leelanau County is on the verge of becoming a prime bicycle destination too! He took a ride down the nearly-completed first phase from the Sleeping Bear Dune Climb to downtown Glen Arbor on the brand new Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. The trail officially opens on June 20, 2012 and could one day stretch 27 miles, from the Leelanau-Benzie County line to Good Harbor.

Jacob writes that with all these bikers coming to town, they’ll need a place to rent bikes & fix the inevitable flat tires wheels and fix the inevitable flat tires and rusty chains. Read more about the new businesses in Glen Arbor here, and check out this narrated video of a bike ride Saturday along the trail.

Also, the photo to the right is by Tom D'Ambrosio - see his great photos from the trail right here!!

National Geographic has selected Traverse City and the Sleeping Bear Dunes as one of their ten best summer trips saying:

Traverse City is the biggest little beach town on the "Third Coast" - the U.S. shores of the eight-state Great Lakes coastline. The region's 180 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline basically trace the upper left edge of Michigan's "mitten." Add another 149 inland lakes that are 10 acres or larger and you get a rambling Cape Cod-on-freshwater summer playground: quaint port villages, sandy beaches, historic lighthouses, rolling orchards, family-friendly festivals (including the National Cherry Festival, July 7-14), and summer-only Traverse City Beach Bums pro baseball games (team members bunk with local families).

Head northwest from Cherry Capital Airport to the Leelanau Peninsula and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Michigan's monumental sandbox is best known for its 150-foot Dune Climb (or roll), but there’s also 35 miles of pristine Lake Michigan beach. Take the 7.4-mile Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive loop in time to watch the sunset from Lake Michigan Overlook observation deck, perched 450 feet above the water.

Added to the Sleeping Bear Dunes' designation as the most beautiful place in America by Good Morning America last summer and it's clear that our region is a white-hot tourist destination. As you can see from the video below from Pure Michigan and the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau, Leelanau & Traverse City are definitely being marketed nationwide as a package destination.

Photo credit: Empire Bluffs trail by Pettman's Photographic Memories

Taking a truck loaded with people tearing around the Sleeping Bear Dunes would land you in jail. But long before the days of endangered pitcher thistle plants and piping plovers, back when most people thought that a fragile ecosystem was something you better pack with extra styrofoam, there were the Dune Rides.

It all began, according to the brochure:

"In 1935 Louis C. Warnes equipped a car with special motor and giant tires for personal pleasure trips into the vast sand lands near his home. Friends begged him to take passengers. Soon he added other cars and trained drivers...."

The website Oh Ranger! adds more detail, noting that Marion Warnes (D.H. Day's youngest daughter) was a gig part as well of Sleeping Bear Dunesmobile Rides out of Glen Haven.

They started the rides with a used 1934 Ford that took four people at a time to the crest of the dunes and back for 25 cents each. By the time the rides ended in 1978, there were 13 dunes wagons each carrying 14 passengers on a 12 mile, 35 minute excursion.

I haven't been able to find anything specifically on the "Dunesmobiles" themselves, but to the left is a photo of a Travelalls made by International Harvester. The book A Nationalized Lakeshore by Theodore J. Karamanski notes that Warnes, backed by his new ten-year concession agreement, purchased ten brand-new Oldsmobile 88 in 1956. They used balloon tires and the two that I've seen around Leelanau are both Olds 88s.

For over 40 years the Dunesmobiles rode over one of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world, bringing those to young, old or lazy to walk closer to the beauty that dwells in the heart of the Sleeping Bear. With the coming of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the days of the dune rides were numbered and in 1978 the dune rides ceased altogether.

Today, the trucks have been pressed into service by Manitou Island Transit and far fewer people get back into the "real" dunes. The result is certainly best for the health of the dunes, but it also means that for folks who won't journey more than a few hundred feet from their cars, memories of the Sleeping Bear Dunes will consist of a few runs up and down the dune climb.

There's a couple of photos from the brochure below and you can see some more (with a few from the dune rides at Silver Lake Dunes thrown in) from Don Harrison's postcards of the dunesmobiles. The photo above is Sleeping Bear Dunesmobile by Seeking Michigan (click to see it bigger!)

Sleeping Bear Dunesmobile Headquarters by UpNorth Memories

The Bear -- which has since disappeared

A "Dunesmobile" on the specially constructed gravel road