Take the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive in Michigan
Lindsay Knake
| 3 min read
Key Takeaways
- Take a 7.4-mile loop through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to see iconic spots in Michigan, including Lake Michigan, the Manitou Islands and the Glen Lakes.
- The drive features 12 stops and takes about two hours to complete, with opportunities to hike, picnic and take photos.
- The route is open to vehicles from May until late October, depending on weather, and is also accessible on foot or by bike year-round.
You can see some of the most iconic spots in Michigan on one drive not too far from Traverse City.
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is a 7.4-mile loop that provides views of Sleeping Bear Dunes, Big and Little Glen lakes, Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands. There are 12 stops along the drive to see and learn about Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the beech forest, the pine plantation and the geological history of the area. The dunes and the Glen lakes were formed by glaciers, which carved and shaped the land thousands of years ago.
You can enjoy the views through your vehicle windows or get out to see some of Michigan’s most famous sites and hike in the park. This is also a great destination in Michigan to pack a cooler and plan a picnic along the way. There are plenty of pull off spots for photos.
Here are a few highlights along Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive:
Covered Bridge
The first stop on the route is the Covered Bridge. With a history going back to the 1970s, the picturesque wooden bridge in a tunnel of trees is a landmark of the U.S. National Parks. While the bridge was originally built to protect a wooden bridge formerly beneath it, it now serves as a welcome to Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and is a great spot for photos.
Glen Lake Overlook
The second stop on the drive offers you views of both Glen Lakes and Alligator Hill. Little Glen Lake, which is closest, is shallow and often looks turquoise, while Big Glen Lake is a deep blue. Glen Lake was once a bay of Lake Michigan until the waters receded and formed sandbars to split the lakes and landlock them about 2,000 years ago.
Lake Michigan Overlook
This is the most famous overlook at Sleeping Bear Dunes. The sand bluff sits 450 feet above Lake Michigan, allowing you to see the blue waters of the Great Lake, the North and South Manitou islands and the sandy coastline for miles.
While you can climb down to the water, the climb up is strenuous and can take more than an hour. The National Parks Service does not recommend it.
North Bar Lake Overlook and Picnic Area
Like the Glen lakes, North Bar Lake formed in a sand bar near the coast of Lake Michigan. The overlook, stop 11 on the scenic drives, gives you a view of North Bar Lake, Point Betsie and Platte Bay. North Bar Lake is a great spot for swimming and recreation within Sleeping Bear Dunes.
What to know about visiting Pierce Stocking Drive
Before you visit Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, here are a few important things to know:
- Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is at 8500 Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, a few miles north of Empire.
- A National Parks entrance pass is required to enter. You can purchase a one-week standard pass, an annual pass or an America the Beautiful pass online or at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire.
- The speed limit at Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is 20 miles per hour. Much of the drive is a one-way, hilly route of twists and turns. Drivers should be aware of cyclists on the route. Trailers aren’t permitted.
- The route can take about two hours if you visit each of the 12 stops.
- Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is open to vehicles from May until late October, depending on the weather. You can visit on foot to hike or ski year-round.
While you’re in the area, the nearby town of Glen Arbor, which is just to the north of Sleeping Bear Dunes, offers restaurants, shops and inns.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Mike Miller and Lindsay Knake
