EMPIRE, MI -- If you’re looking for seclusion on your Sleeping Bear Dunes trip consider finding one of the park’s inland lakes for a break from the tourist hot spots. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is known for its miles of beach and bluffs that tower 450 feet above Lake Michigan, but there’s even more natural beauty to find deeper into the park. The national park includes 26 inland lakes.
Nestled deep within forests, several are only accessible by hiking trails or driving a small winding road, according to the park’s Facebook page. RELATED: So what’s the deal with those $3,000 rescues at Sleeping Bear Dunes? Three of the lakes are on the Manitou Islands and are only accessible by taking a ferry ride and then hiking several miles. In some cases, you’ll need to bushwhack and climb over down trees to find the lake.
The North Bar Lake, also known as Perry Lake, is one of the most popular swimming holes because it has shallow, clear water over a sandy bottom and is warmer than Lake Michigan, according to Sleeping Bear Dunes website. RELATED: There are 10 serene little lakes at this Northern Michigan state park The inland lakes offer a quieter respite from the shorelines of Lake Michigan. These secluded areas also home to wildlife, like the intermittent beaver activity recorded on Otter Lake in the Platte Plains Area.
The National Parks Services lists where to find wooden docks extending into the lake, fishing spots and kayak and small boat launches. More i.