There’s nothing like a little national recognition to give tourism a shot in the arm.  One year after ABC’s Good Morning America viewers named the Sleeping Bear Dunes as the “Most Beautiful Place in America” local towns are bustling, the campgrounds are packed, and bookings are way up at area inns and resorts.

Hear what the locals are saying about how area business has changed and how long they think the boom will last.

Crazy, wonderful, and really fun to see – that’s how Lisa Myers, chief of interpretation and visitor services for the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, describes life at the “Most Beautiful Place in America” over the last year.

“We know that visitation is up and has been ever since the Good Morning America announcement,” says Myers.  The bump was immediate and is still reverberating.”

In 2011, viewers of the popular ABC morning show cast tens of thousands of votes for Sleeping Bear, edging out places like Sedona, Yosemite, Aspen, and Cape Cod.

As of July 31, 2012, visitation throughout the park was up 28 percent – a record 860,156 visitors (2,000 per day) compared to 668,527 at the same time last year.  Myers says that overnight use of the D.H. Day Campground is up almost 25 percent.  And even mainland backcountry campsite use is way up, with reservations at Valley View campground in the Leelanau District jumping 55 and 42 percent, respectively.

No Tourist Trap

Calling Sleeping Bear the “best-vacation-spot-in-the-country” on national television probably didn’t come as a surprise to 1.2 million visitors who already make the annual trek to this quiet corner of northwest Lower Michigan.  But certainly surprising is how little the park experience has changed.

As writer, Melissa Anders, noted in a MLive article this summer, the uptick in visitors has translated into some lightly longer lines for Dune Dogs and at other area food, wine and tourist shops.  But, overall, the park and surrounding communities have not complained about any of the other typical trappings of increased tourism – namely traffic tie-ups and trash.  With its 35 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, 71,199 acres of farm country and coastal forest, 26 inland lakes, 12 miles of rivers and stream, and more than 100 miles of hiking, biking, and cross-country ski trails, the park experience is still the same as it ever was.  Maybe even better for the future of Sleeping Bear, Myers told MLive.

“This is America’s national park,” she said.  “It’s for everyone, and so the more people know about it, I think the better it will be protected because more people will realize how important it is and how valuable it is.”

A Place on the Water

Many area inns and resorts, namely The Homestead in Glen Arbor, also recorded a banner year of booking that show no sign of slowing down.  The Homestead hit a milestone in 2011 with guests arriving from all 50 American states, five Canadian provinces, and three foreign countries.

And then there are vacationers who came and fell so in love with the place they wanted to return – some permanently – to the region.

Diane Kemp, Resort Realty Manager at The Homestead, says the sale of vacant land, condominiums, fractional-ownership properties and single-family homes has almost doubled in the last year.

“Almost everybody I talk to mentions the Good Morning America announcement,” she says, adding that this has had a positive impact on property values in the area.  “Sellers at the resort are getting closer to their asking price and buyers – while many are still looking for the best value – are equally motivated by the prospect of getting a home in this most beautiful place.”

Many of the calls at The Homestead for vacations are now from people who have not been to the area before, according to Kemp.  No doubt recent media attention on nearby Traverse City as a top destination for beer lovers, film goers, foodies, golfers, cyclists, boaters, book lovers, and retirees has helped.  But Kemp also gives credit to the state’s Pure Michigan campaign along with coverage in other media outlets, including National Geographic Traveler magazine, Family Circle magazine and others as contributing factors that continue to keep the region in the minds of vacationers and vacation-home buyers.

“Because of that [the continued recognitions],” she says, “we believe this is a trend that can sustain itself for years to come.”

Official Press Release of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

October 6, 2011

Sleeping Bear Dunes Confirms Type E Botulism in Recent Bird Die-off and Expects More This Fall

Four gull carcasses collected from beaches in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) have tested positive for type E botulism toxin (avian botulism). Type E botulism is a powerful neurotoxin that has been linked to large bird die-offs throughout several areas of the Great Lakes in past years. More than 200 birds have already been found dead on National Lakeshore beaches this summer, and based on trends from recent years, that number is expected to increase this fall.

Avian botulism is a paralytic, often fatal disease of birds that results when they ingest toxin produced by the native Clostridium botulinum type E; an anaerobic bacterium found in nutrient-rich lake bottoms. The bacterium spores rest in the gills and digestive tracts of fish living in many North American lakes. The spores can remain viable for years and are harmless until the correct environmental conditions prompt them to germinate. Type E botulism occurs only when the spores germinate and the bacteria multiply and produce toxin. Changes in the Great Lakes ecosystem have increased the growth of the botulism bacterium, which has led to an increase in birds poisoned by eating toxin-tainted fish or invertebrates.

The National Lakeshore is conducting a study of avian botulism to determine whether any steps can be taken to control outbreaks. Dead birds and fish are identified, counted, and collected for analysis. Dedicated National Lakeshore volunteers have helped discover that die-offs begin in the heat of the summer and reach their peak during the fall bird migrations. It is believed that the large flocks of migrating birds ingest the toxin in offshore waters, where it has been accumulating throughout the summer, resulting in the fall die-offs. These are usually detected when strong autumn storms blow the dead birds to shore. At this time last year, nearly 300 birds had been found dead, and then from early October to mid-November, another 385 birds washed ashore.

In addition to actively monitoring the shoreline for sick and dead birds, the park is collaborating with scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Michigan, and Northwestern Michigan College’s Water Studies Institute, to conduct studies in the Lake Michigan nearshore environment to better understand the mechanisms of toxin transmission. Many of these studies are funded through President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to assure that Great Lakes beaches, fish, and sources of public drinking water are safe, and that the ecosystems that fish and wildlife depend upon are healthy.

Lake Michigan beaches within the National Lakeshore remain safe for swimming and recreation, however, park visitors should exercise caution upon encountering bird or fish carcasses. Type E botulism is not an infectious disease. It is a poison. You must ingest the toxin, usually by eating an undercooked infected fish or animal, to become ill. You are not at risk for contracting botulism by swimming in Lake Michigan. Visitors bringing pets to the park should keep them leashed and away from dead animals on the beach. Pets may be poisoned if they eat dead birds or fish containing botulism.

For more information, please call the National Lakeshore at 231-326-5134 or visit their website at www.nps.gov/slbe. Also, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sbdnl.

By Guest Blogger Diane Ursu

I came armed with vague, childhood memories of great sand dunes . . . and a bike.

Last fall, my parents headed up to Platte River Campground to enjoy the splendor of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. I accepted their invitation to join them since I thought that this might be the best road biking opportunity in Lower Michigan. I really had no idea how true that would be.

I was doomed to experience full days of gloom and rain since I took up residence in a tent, but my patience was rewarded with beautiful, cool days perfect for gallivanting around the lakeshore. I used the rainy days for reading about the dunes and planning my activities. There was so much to do and so little time, so we extended our stay by several days.

North Bar Lake

One of the greatest treasures the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has to offer is the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, named for the lumberman who built the road in the 1960s and operated this Sleeping Bear Dunes Park until his passing in 1976. It became part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in 1977.

The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is special because it contains points of historic significance, provides ecologic educational opportunities, and offers enjoyable, recreational challenges. I visited the drive on two separate occasions so I could take in all that it has to offer.

The Cottonwood Trail

The Cottonwood Trail at scenic point four meanders through the ever-changing dunes. I couldn’t resist the challenge of embarking on this 1.4-mile hike to photograph the curious signs of erosion, the incredible blowouts and phenomenon of ecological succession, and characteristic plant life, such as juniper berries, bearberries, and buffalo berries. The Cottonwood Trail allows visitors to tour the delicate terrain, but it is the fragility of this environment that prompts me to stress the importance of staying on the trail.

Cottonwood Trail

I could see Glen Lake from the Cottonwood Trail. Also visible from scenic posts two and three, Glen Lake was carved out by glacial erosion and separated from Lake Michigan by the development of a sandbar that is now home to the village of Glen Arbor and the D.H. Day Campground.

The D.H. Day Farm is another spectacular view from the Cottonwood Trail. Built in the late 19th Century, the D.H. Day Farm is named for the man who donated 32 acres of land to the State of Michigan in 1920. This land became the D.H. Day State Park that became part of the national park in 1977.

The Bike Lane

The science and history of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore certainly drew my attention during my visit, but my primary reason for journeying to this area was the prospect of riding my bike on its challenging terrain. I couldn’t resist meeting the challenge of the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive on my cyclocross bike, Jake. That painted white line along the side of the road designating the bike lane screamed, “Ride me!” I really had no choice.

The Pine Plantation

It hurt, but I enjoyed the challenge of the climbs followed by the reward of the descents. One particular hill between scenic posts eight and nine gave me a little trouble. Jake’s gearing wasn’t easy enough for me, so I stalled halfway up. As I was camped out on the side of this hill, several cars went by, including my parents’. They stopped and asked if I wanted a ride, but my pride wouldn’t let me. I told them to go on, clipped in, and proceeded up the hill. After that grueling climb, I turned into the parking lot for scenic points 9 and 10 where visitors looked at me in disbelief. I think they thought that I was crazy. Perhaps they were right.

That grueling climb wasn’t without its reward. I bombed down the final, long downhill to the pine plantation at scenic point 12.

It is short, but the route is interesting enough to do two or three times. I had to use everything I had to climb those hills, from my last bit of strength to sheer determination. The fun and excitement of each descent was enough to convince me to tackle the next hill.

The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive isn’t the only riding opportunity for cyclists in and around the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The incredibly hilly land is a giant playground for anyone willing to brave this adventure. Anyone who experiences the freedom of this area will leave with much more than just memories. One will leave with the goal of returning to finish this great adventure.

Diane Ursu is a blogger and cyclist living in Mid-Michigan who shares her experiences at Moronacity.com.

Official Press Release of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

October 3, 2011

Fall was traditionally “shipwreck season” on the Great Lakes.  One hundred years ago, surfmen of the U.S. Life-Saving Service (LSS) set out each night to hike the shoreline in search of ships in distress.  The public is invited to relive history and join Park Rangers to recreate a traditional evening beach patrol.  Dress for the weather and meet at the Sleeping Bear Point Life-Saving Service Station/Maritime Museum in Glen Haven at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 8 and/or October 15.

Beach Patrol Surfman with Life-Preserver

Before radio communications were used at sea, ships could not call for help.  Spotting a vessel in distress from the shore was the only way rescue crews knew that their assistance was needed.  The beach patrol was one essential part of an LSS surfman’s duties.  Following a more in-depth explanation of the patrol process and some local shipwreck stories told from inside the station, the public will accompany National Park Service Rangers for a lantern-lit hike along the beach.  There are always a few surprises along the way and everyone should carry a flashlight for safety.  Wind and rain will only make the patrol more authentic, so be ready for any weather!

 Unlike the original surfmen, hikers may turn back at any time during the one-hour, one mile roundtrip beach walk and return to the Maritime Museum.  There, they will be welcomed by a volunteer and find shelter, warmth and a chance to see how the Life-Saving Service surfmen once lived in the restored crew’s quarters.  The entire program lasts about two hours.

For more information, please call the National Lakeshore at 231-326-5134 or visit their website at www.nps.gov/slbe.  Also, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sbdnl.

Official Press Release from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

September 15, 2011

(Photo by National Park Service)

If you love the sun, fun, and beauty of our area beaches, it is time again to show it! Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) is celebrating National Public Lands Day (NPLD) and inviting the public to help clean up its beaches on Saturday, September 24 from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m.  Admission to all national parks, including the National Lakeshore, is free that day, and volunteers will receive a voucher to use for entrance to various parks at a later date.  So bring your family, your class, your troop, your group, or just yourself, and join others across the country in protecting our public lands.

NPLD 2011 celebrates service and recreation, and encourages volunteers to get outdoors to explore, enjoy, and improve America’s natural wonders.  NPLD is the largest volunteer hands-on activity of its kind in the country.  Held in September each year, the event brings together thousands of individual and organizational volunteers to refurbish and restore the country’s public lands.  These are the places Americans use for outdoor recreation, education, and just plain enjoyment.  They encompass national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges, forests, grasslands, marine sanctuaries, lakes, and reservoirs managed by government agencies, but belonging to, and enjoyed by, all of us.

The National Lakeshore beach cleanup coincides with the International Coastal Cleanup, which is sponsored by the Ocean Conservancy and takes place around the world every year.  Participants not only contribute to cleaner coastlines, but collect data from the debris they pick up.  That data is then compiled and analyzed by the Ocean Conservancy, and locally by the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit group concerned with the future of the Great Lakes.  Volunteers will collect and tally all the trash they find along the beaches – plastic bags, balloons, cigarette butts – you name it!

Phillip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire (Photo by NPS)

Park Rangers will meet volunteers at the Visitor Center located on Highway M-72 in Empire. Volunteers should bring water to drink, wear weather-appropriate clothes (rain or shine), sunscreen or hat, and closed-toed shoes.  Tools and other needed materials will be supplied.  As a token of appreciation, each volunteer will also receive a free, one-day pass good for entrance to any federal recreation land (national forest, national park site, wildlife refuge) before September 29, 2012.  Credit for three hours of community service will also be available, if interested.

For details, please contact Interpretive Park Ranger Ryan Locke at the National Lakeshore at 231-326-5134 or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/slbe.  Also, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sbdnl.

Official Press Release from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

September 12, 2010

Empire, MI - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) will be hosting a presentation on Lyme disease and ticks on Thursday, September 15, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., in the auditorium of the National Lakeshore Visitor Center in Empire.  Visitors are encouraged to come and learn about tick identification, their life cycles, the diseases they transmit, and the measures used for prevention.

Ticks are significant vectors of pathogens that cause human disease.  Tick-borne diseases do occur inMichigan, and can be serious or fatal if not properly diagnosed and treated.  There have been two reported cases of Lyme disease that the individuals affected believe were contracted while camping on North Manitou Island.  Evidence of similar problems has also been found on the mainland portions of the National Lakeshore.

Michigan State Universityand the Michigan Department of Community Health are working together at the National Lakeshore to research the emergence of Lyme disease and the associated ticks that transmit the disease.  Erik Foster of the Michigan Department of Community Health will be presenting the program on ticks and Lyme disease at no cost to the visitors.

For additional information about this presentation or its location, please contact National Lakeshore Chief of Natural Resources Steve Yancho at 231-326-5134.

Official Press Release of the Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau

Jamie Jewell, Visitors Bureau Treasurer and Spokesman

Contact: 231.334.5524 or jamie@thehomesteadresort.com

GLEN ARBOR, MICHIGAN— After viewer votes were tabulated, roughly four million watched last Wednesday when ABC’s top morning show, Good Morning America, crowned the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore “The Most Beautiful Place in America.”

“To be singled out is an incredible honor, especially when you consider the competition,” says Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitor’s Bureau spokesperson Jamie Jewell.

In the days leading up to the announcement, a shortlist of destinations—among them, Cape Cod, Mass.; Aspen, Colo.; Sedona, Ariz.; Lanikal Beach, Hawaii; and Grand Teton National Park, Wyo.—inspired over 100,000 people to cast votes.

Northport summer resident Mario Batali—an international celebrity chef, frequent guest, and friend of Good Morning America —reportedly gave the region a powerful endorsement. This was followed by a surprise visit from an ABC producer who enjoyed a ranger-led tour of Sleeping Bear plus insider recommendations from the sales and editorial team at TRAVERSE: Northern Michigan Magazine on the region’s best accommodations.

“We were tipped off by our friends at TRAVERSE who told the GMA folks, ‘If you want to experience the Sleeping Bear Dunes, you’ve got to stay at The Homestead, which is in the heart of the park,” says Jewell. During her stay at The Inn, The Homestead’s historic hotel located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Jewell says ABC producer Sabrina Parise’s schedule was packed with activities that included hiking a number of trails in the park, a daytrip to South Manitou Island, filming along Sleeping Bear’s Pierce Stocking scenic drive, time at The Homestead sampling local Leelanua Peninsula wines, and surveying the incredible shopping and outdoor activities available to lakeshore visitors in the charming coastal town of Glen Arbor.

“In the short time I was able to spend with her,” says Jewell, “it was evident she enjoyed the area, the region and the people. But in the end the winner of this contest was decided by tens of thousands of viewers who, themselves, have been so touch and inspired by their own memories of this spectacular destination that they took the time to write.”

Media Contact: Jamie Jewell, Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitor’s Bureau, 231.334.5524 or jamie@thehomesteadresort.com. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube! Sign up for our monthly eNewsletter for the latest news and events.

The public cast their votes among ten amazingly beautiful places across America, including locations in California, Hawaii, Cape Cod and North Carolina. All are deserving of the title, but our beloved Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore took the top spot.

Watch todays (8/17/11) Good Morning America news story, “Most Beautiful Place Revealed.”

Watch last week’s (8/9/11) Good Morning America segment, “Most Beautiful Places: Point Reyes, Sleeping Bear Dunes.” 

Mario Batali, the well-known FoodNetwork.com star, writer, writer and Leelanau summer resident was interviewed live in the Good Morning America broadcast from his summer home in Leelanau. ABC News created a separate “Mario Batali” segment of the story. When we got the news late in the day on Friday, August 12, 2011 that Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was a contest finalist, we tweeted Mario directly encourage him to vote for Sleeping Bear Dunes. It didn’t take long for Mario to retweet the news to his over 142,000 Twitter followers.  

Traverse Magazine (and MyNorth.com) played a huge role in bringing Good Morning America to the area. This morning’s blog post by Elizabeth Edwards reveals what happened behind the scenes over the last few days.

If you didn’t get a chance to watch the news stories or read some great blog posts about how it all transpired, here are the links:
 

• Good Morning America Comes to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, by MyNorth’s Elizabeth Edwards
• How Sleeping Bear Dunes Bewitched Good Morning America and Me, by MyNorth’s Rachel North
• Good Morning America Gets Taste of Sleeping Bear Dunes & The Homestead, by The Homestead’s Jamie Jewel
• Mario Batali’s Passion for Leelanau, by Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau’s Ileana Habsburg-Snyder

Thanks for voting and watch for our latest newsletter coming out tomorrow!

Blog by Ileana Habsburg-Snyder

An official press release from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Sue Jennings, 231-326-5134

May 27, 2011

Empire, MI - Northern Michigan is “bear country” and seeing one of these magnificent creatures may be a highlight of your visit to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) this summer as bear sightings have increased, particularly near the Platte River Campground.  In 2010, Park Rangers received over two dozen reports of bears and bear “signs” in and adjacent to the park.  This year, several similar reports have already been received.  National Lakeshore Deputy Superintendent Tom Ulrich indicated the park is preparing for increased bear activity, stating, “The safety of our visitors and staff is our first priority.”

 Park Biologists compile data on bear sightings, including whether the bear was seeking food from facilities within the National Lakeshore.  Bears, like humans, are omnivores and although 85% of their diet is made of berries and nuts, with their powerful sense of smell they also are attracted to the food we eat.  Park Biologist Sue Jennings noted, “We’ve been very fortunate there have not been any serious incidents.”  She attributes this to the park’s efforts to educate visitors about being “bear aware,” including the importance of proper food storage in the campgrounds.  “We’ve had very good compliance from our campers,” Jennings stated.

Park Rangers are monitoring the situation closely.  All reports are investigated and Park Rangers have been trained in non-lethal hazing techniques, such as firing blank rounds in the air or “bean bag rounds” at the bear’s rump to scare the animal.  The bean bags will not penetrate the bear, but provide enough of a sting that they will think twice about returning.  Once bears associate people and food, they become habituated and likely to return to the area in search of an easy meal.  If a bear has lost its fear of people, it becomes more difficult to frighten away and often must be lethally removed in order to prevent a serious threat.  Additionally, garbage-fed bears may become malnourished or sustain life-threatening injuries from eating food scraps out of cans, bottles, or plastics.  “Michigan’s black bears in the spring have one main thing on their mind — food,” said Russ Mason, Chief of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Division. “The Sleeping Bear Dunes are a spectacular place to view Michigan wildlife, and campers there should be aware that bears are present and hungry, and should not be fed under any circumstance.  Bears that are habituated to humans associate them with food and can get aggressive.”

For this reason, park staff ask campers to keep their camp areas free of food.  All food, containers, and stoves should be stored in vehicles or campers anytime campsites are left unattended.  Never leave food unattended and empty food refuse into a trash bag.  All trash should be taken immediately to the campground dumpsters.  Pet food should not be left out.  Campers who disobey these regulations may be subject to fines.  It is recommended that homeowners in the area remove bird feeders from their yards and place their trash out the morning of collection rather than the night before.

Park Biologist Jennings advises not to panic if you come in contact with a bear.  The best thing to do is not to run, but to slowly increase your distance from the bear by watchfully walking away.  If the bear starts to show aggressive behavior, such as popping its teeth, swiping at the ground, or making loud noises, you are too close.  You can discourage attacks from an aggressive bear by making yourself look as large as possible, shouting, and banging items together.  Never approach a bear, especially one with cubs as they can be especially aggressive in protecting their young.

Deputy Superintendent Ulrich reminds visitors that “If you do get to see a bear, feel free to take pictures, and enjoy this beautiful animal at a distance.  It would be greatly appreciated if, immediately after your sighting, you contact a park employee at a campground office or the Visitor Center to fill out a bear sighting report.”