It’s time for the annual Girls Trip! This year we decided to Explore Michigan Lighthouses & Sand Dunes. And we had a wonderful time climbing and viewing 4 Lighthouses. It exceeded our own expectations!
We biked, climbed, hiked, took pictures, laughed, walked and took in the beauty of the outdoors.
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Looking for more beautiful destinations in Michigan? Explore Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula.
Our first stop was Ludington State Park. And it was turning out to be a gorgeous day! After grabbing snacks and water, we unloaded our bikes and started off for the Big Sable Point Light. The trail was sandy at the beginning but the middle part was pretty packed down making it great for biking. It was a short 2 mile bike ride to the lighthouse.
Lighthouse Map: Michigan Lighthouse Fold Map
Big Sable Point Light
We were all equipped with cameras and had fun taking pictures of the lighthouse, Lake Michigan and surroundings.
Next, we bought tickets to climb to the top of the lighthouse.
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We climbed the spiral stairway – 130 stairs! The view from the windows, as you climbed was beautiful!
Big Sable Point Lighthouse is on the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan. It stands at 112 feet tall, with the light keepers house still attached. The history behind this lighthouse is fascinating; including the many dedicated light house keepers. Read more: Big Sable Point Light.
Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse
Next on the list was the Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse. This lighthouse is located west of the city of Ludington in Stearns Beach Park.
It’s an easy lighthouse to access. You can take a leisure walk out via the breakwater. We found the lake to be higher than normal but less windy which was nice! (Less wind meant less water spraying up on a breakwater.)
Lightweight Digital Camera: Canon EOS 4000D DSLR Camera w/Canon EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 III Zoom Lens + Case + 32GB SD Card (15pc Bundle)
On our walk out, this playful mink popped out of a hole in the breakwater! He was keeping an eye on us as we tried to give him space & take a few pictures.
The American Mink is a common site along the Lake Michigan rocky shoreline. I learned they are native to Michigan and are both good swimmers and hunters. The minks enjoy the crayfish, fish, snakes and ducks found along the shoreline.
The Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse is the #1 Lighthouse to visit in Michigan. It’s a 1 mile walk round trip along the breakwater. This steel plated lighthouse has been around since 1924 and stands 57 feet tall.
Little Sable Point Light
We traveled south approximately 30 miles to Little Sable Point Lighthouse. It has been years since we last visited this lighthouse. The location was quieter with fewer visitors.
Thankfully we arrived just in time to buy tickets to climb to the top.
We climbed 139 steps to the top! The view was just as breath taking with lots of sand dunes and Lake Michigan. Each lighthouse has it’s own story, to learn more about this Light, read Little Sable Point Light.
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My daughters and I enjoyed hiking the trails around the lighthouse. Pretty wildflowers were blooming along the paths. The peaceful quiet setting was perfect for refreshing the mind. The landscape was uncluttered & nothing overwhelming!
It was so quiet we heard the rock pigeons cooing from the top of the lighthouse windows.
Little Sable Point Light is located within Silver Lake State Park in Mears, MI. The volunteers at the lighthouse are full of knowledge of these unique lighthouses. Visit Little Sable Point Light for more information.
Explore Michigan Lighthouses & Sand Dunes! We explored three lighthouses and took a break to take in the sand dunes. We’ll have just enough time to take in one more lighthouse before returning home.
Silver Lake Sand Dunes
Now was the time to kick off the shoes and feel the soft sand. The sand dunes are located within Silver Lake State Park in Mears, Michigan. Imagine almost 3,000 acres of sand! It’s one of the largest deposits of living sand along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. It was amazing!
It’s a wonderful place to walk, run, hike, and even bring your own ORV (off road vehicle). They have a section of the sand dunes specifically for ORV’s to follow a trail up and down the dunes. Many places rent dune buggies too.
My teenage daughters had a blast finding the steepest sand dune to climb and run down. You can see them in the middle of photo here. Look past the dunes and treeline and you’ll see Lake Michigan. A photo doesn’t do the view justice. When you visit, you’ll understand.
The forecast wasn’t looking good the following day. We ate a bowl of granola and got on the dunes early. This time we entered on the other side of Silver Lake State Park off of Silver Lake Road, near Ruckel’s Bridge. The trail was quiet and peaceful. We hiked up the sandy trail and found more beach grass, flowers and large “dune bowls”.
We set the camera timer to get this picture of us. It was a fantastic way to start the day. The clouds threatened rain, but we just kept hiking. Lake Michigan could be seen off near the horizon. The Silver Lake Sand Dunes Loop is an easy trail taking you close to the shoreline.
What a great way to unplug and be outdoors! We all enjoyed the refreshing hikes and views. Visit Silver Lake State Park for more information.
White River Light & Museum
White River Light was located approximately 30 miles south of Mears in the town of Whitehall. It’s a smaller but uniquely built lighthouse. It’s also on a peninsula between White Lake and Lake Michigan. This was our shortest climb of 44 steps. Read more on the Lighthouse Friends website.
Along side this lighthouse is a large channel that connects the big lake to White Lake. We walked out on the peer and along the Lake Michigan shoreline. We all enjoyed the beauty of the lighthouse and learning about the rich nautical history specific to Michigan.
Being a lifeguard instructor for over twenty five years I could really appreciate these rescue stations. The Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium desires to protect the public from drowning in the Great Lakes. They displayed rescue tubes, rescue cans, throw rings, and throw bags. Would you like to know more about how to use this rescue equipment & save a life? Check out How to Use Great Lakes Water Safety Equipment.
Explore Michigan Lighthouses & Sand Dunes
I am thankful my daughters get along fabulously and enjoy being outdoors! It truly relieves stress and refreshes our body and mind.
My desire was for you to enjoy these lighthouses and want to check out a few for yourselves. We only visited 4 of the 124 remaining lighthouses in Michigan. It’s amazing at one point Michigan had 247 working lighthouses along it’s shoreline!
We have more lighthouses to climb and more sand dune trails to explore!!
Guide Book: A Traveler’s Guide to 116 Michigan Lighthouses
I would advise packing lots of snacks and water. We didn’t pass many stores and certainly no health food stores for those on restricted diets. Check out Gluten Free Nutritious Snack ideas.
Thanks for joining me today and learning about our latest adventure. What is your most recent adventure?
Pursing Better Health Together,