All parks › Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: fees, hours, camping and when to visit
- Private vehicle entrance
- $25[1]
- Busiest month (2025)
- July[2]
- Recreation visits, 2025
- 1,601,747[3]
- Campgrounds
- 8[4]
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a National Park System unit in Michigan[5]. A private vehicle pays $25 for a 1 to 7 day entrance pass, and NPS says fees here are cashless[1][6].
Entrance fees and passes
Fees as listed by the National Park Service. Fees change, so confirm on the park's official fees page before you go.
| Fee or pass | Price |
|---|---|
| Private Vehicle[1] | $25 |
| Motorcycle[7] | $20 |
| Per Person[8] | $15 |
| Annual Entrance - Park[9] | $45 |
The America the Beautiful pass is accepted here[10].
Entrance fee payment is cashless (card or mobile payment)[6].
America the Beautiful passes cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation sites.
| Pass | Who can get it | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Annual Pass[11] | US citizens and residents | $80 |
| Non-Resident Annual Pass[11] | Non-US residents | $250 |
| Senior Annual Pass[11] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $20 |
| Senior Lifetime Pass[11] | US citizens and residents 62+ years old | $80 |
| Military Annual Pass[11] | Current US military and dependents | Free |
| Military Lifetime Pass[11] | Gold Star Family members and veterans | Free |
| Access Pass[11] | US citizens and residents with permanent disability | Free |
| 4th Grade Pass[11] | US 4th graders | Free |
| Volunteer Pass[11] | Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours | Free |
When to visit and hours
NPS says the lakeshore itself is open 24 hours a day, while campgrounds, visitor centers and other facilities keep their own hours[12]. In 2025 the busiest month was July with 468,198 recreation visits, and the quietest was November with 8,525[2]. In summer NPS lists temperatures from 50 F to 83 F, and NPS warns that heat exhaustion is common on very sunny days, especially when hiking the dunes, so carry plenty of water[13]. NPS notes that fall colors tend to peak around mid September[13]. Winter brings temperatures from 15 F to 40 F and snow cover for much of the season[13]. Some sites close seasonally, such as the Glen Haven Cannery and Boat Museum, which NPS lists as closed from 2026-09-30 to 2027-05-21[14].
Show visits by month
| Month, 2025 | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 11,112 |
| February | 13,195 |
| March | 19,007 |
| April | 26,869 |
| May | 78,729 |
| June | 297,220 |
| July | 468,198 |
| August | 393,453 |
| September | 142,450 |
| October | 128,597 |
| November | 8,525 |
| December | 14,392 |
Camping
NPS and Recreation.gov list 8 campgrounds in the lakeshore[4]. Platte River Campground is the largest with 179 sites[4]. The D.H. Day Campground has 87 sites[4]. Smaller options include island campgrounds on South Manitou and North Manitou[4]. NPS lists nightly fees for individual sites from $10 to $31[4].
- Platte River Campground, 179 sites[4]
- D.H. Day Campground, 87 sites
- Weather Station Campground - South Manitou Island, 23 sites
- Village Campground - North Manitou Island, 8 sites
- White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits, 7 sites
- Popple Campground - South Manitou Island, 7 sites
- South Manitou Group Campground, 6 sites
- D.H. Day Group Campground, 4 sites
Pets and dogs
Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be crated, caged or kept on a leash of up to six feet wherever they are allowed[15]. That rule also keeps pets out of public buildings, public transportation and designated swimming beaches, with service animals excepted[15]. NPS marks several activities here as pet friendly, including Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and the Glen Haven Historic Village[16].
Before you go
- Bring a card or phone payment, since NPS says entrance fees are cashless[6].
- The America the Beautiful pass is accepted for entrance[10].
- NPS lists a Sleeping Bear Dunes Annual Pass at $45[9].
- Visitors on foot or bike who are 16 or older pay $15 each, and NPS says children under 16 do not need a pass[8].
- Fees and hours change, so confirm on the official NPS page before your trip.
Questions people ask
- How much is the entrance fee at Sleeping Bear Dunes?
- NPS lists $25 for a private vehicle pass good for 1 to 7 days[1]. A motorcycle pass is $20[7], and a person entering on foot or by bike pays $15[8].
- Does Sleeping Bear Dunes take cash?
- Not for entrance fees. NPS says entrance fees here are cashless, so plan to pay by card or mobile payment[6].
- When is the best time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes?
- It depends on what you want. July was the busiest month in 2025[2], and NPS says fall foliage peaks around mid September[13].
- Are dogs allowed at Sleeping Bear Dunes?
- Where pets are allowed they must be crated or leashed, with the leash at most six feet long, and they are barred from designated swimming beaches and public buildings[15]. NPS lists several pet friendly activities, such as Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive[16].
- How many campgrounds are at Sleeping Bear Dunes?
- NPS and Recreation.gov list 8 campgrounds, with nightly individual-site fees from $10 to $31[4].
Facts and sources
- Entrance fee, Private Vehicle: $25. National Park Service
- NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 1,722,955, 2022: 1,501,117, 2023: 1,598,248, 2024: 1,670,025, 2025: 1,601,747. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- Campgrounds in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (list on this page). National Park Service
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Lakeshore) in Michigan. National Park Service
- Entrance fees at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore are cashless (cards or mobile payment, no cash) according to NPS. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Motorcycle: $20. National Park Service
- Entrance fee, Per Person: $15. National Park Service
- Annual Entrance - Park: $45. National Park Service
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore accepts the America the Beautiful (interagency) pass for entrance. National Park Service
- America the Beautiful pass prices (table on this page). NPS Passes
- Operating hours, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: The Lakeshore is open 24 hours a day. Campgrounds, visitor centers, and facilities have separate hours, however, please see descriptions of those facilities elsewhere. National Park Service
- NPS weather and seasons overview for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. National Park Service
- Operating hours, Glen Haven Cannery and Boat Museum: https://home.nps.gov/places/000/glen-haven-cannery-boat-museum.htm Listed exceptions: Seasonal Closure 2026-09-30 to 2027-05-21. National Park Service
- National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
- NPS lists 7 things to do at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: Port Oneida Fair, ParkPuzzler, Visit Glen Haven Historic Village, Explore Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, Biking in the Lakeshore, Paddle and Fish Loon Lake, Float the Platte and Crystal... National Park Service