With autumn in the air, it was up to the Sleeping Bear D
unes National Lakeshore in the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula for Amy and me. While the dunes themselves are pretty cool to explore, there are quite a few day hikes away from the sand within the park. We got in late Friday and stayed at the Sylvan Inn in Glen Arbor. It is a pretty nice old place with all the antique looking stuff for those that appreciate it. It also has a spa which made for some nice rest and relaxation on Saturday morning before we ventured out on the trails.
We started out on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive which offered some beautiful views of the 
Glen Lakes and Lake Michigan. On one lookout area, a lady was painting a portrait of the Glen Lakes and from what I saw (see picture), she was doing a fine job. Within the scenic drive is the Cottonwood Trail which we walked. The trail runs through the sand with some nice views of the Manitou Islands and Lake Michigan.
After the scenic drive and hike, we hooked up with a ranger-led hike on the Dunes-Sleeping Bear Point Trail that the folks at the Sylvan Inn recommended. Our ranger, Peg, knew her stuff pretty well. A wealth of information we received about how the dunes have changed the area’s 
landscape and what effect they have on the vegetation. We were in the company of some sixty or seventy somethings so it was pretty funny when Peg would talk about heading up one hill or another and you would hear a groan from the group.
After a bite to eat at Boondocks in Glen Arbor, we headed up to the Pyramid Point Trail on the north edge of the park. There is a section of the trail called “the meadow” which runs obviously through a meadow but before coming into and leaving there, it takes you through a very thick forest. No bear sightings to report but a great trail altogether. 
We called it a day and headed to our accommodations for the night, D.H. Day campground in Glen Arbor; a very rustic setting (no showers, no electricity) right on the shores of Lake Michigan/Sleeping Bear Bay. With a nice camp fire and the stars dotting the sky, you couldn’t ask for a better setting. My only error was while heading out for an early morning Mother Nature call, I accidentally let the air nozzle to the air mattress out. I came back to a dead mattress. Sorry about that Amy!
After breakfast at Art’s Tavern in Glen Arbor, 
we took our final hike of the weekend at Alligator Hill. You couldn’t ask for a better morning with blue skies and crisp air. While the colors in some parts of the area had reached peak and were quite amazing, the majority of this forest area was still spring green. Crazy, but a great walk it was.
We took the long way home through the heart of the Leelanau Peninsula and up to the Old Mission Lighthouse. The colors were quite a view. A great weekend it was and I didn’t even watch football!
Trail Head
