When winter snows fall on Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan the rangers will be leading snowshoe hikes.

The hikes will be offered every Saturday throughout the winter. The first hike will be on Saturday, December 27, at 1 p.m. The snowshoe hikes will continue to be offered every Saturday at 1 p.m. through March 7. To join, meet at the lakeshore’s Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire. If you don’t have your own snowshoes, a pair will be loaned at no charge. Participants need only purchase the park entrance pass or have an annual pass to join.

Reservations are required whether you need to borrow snowshoes or have your own. Ranger-led snowshoe hikes are limited to 30 participants. To reserve a spot, call 231-326-4700, ext. 5010. If you make a reservation but then need to cancel, please call so staff can contact visitors on the waiting list.

Snowshoe hikes are fun for all ages. Inside the visitor center, a park ranger will first provide basic snowshoeing instructions and then everyone will travel by car to the trailhead or area of the national lakeshore preselected for that day's hike. Once there, the park ranger will help participants learn about the park’s unique features and winter’s effect on them by exploring and discovering clues on site. Be prepared and plan to be outside until about 3 p.m. Dress in layers and wear waterproof boots to be the most comfortable.