Located within Benzie and Leelanau counties, the park extends along a 35-mile (56 km) stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline, as well as North and South Manitou islands, preserving a total of 71,199 acres (111 sq mi; 288 km2).

The park is known for its outstanding natural features, including dune formations, forests, beaches, and ancient glacial phenomena.

The lakeshore also contains many cultural features, including the 1871 South Manitou Island Lighthouse, three former stations of the Coast Guard (formerly the Life-Saving Service), and an extensive rural historic farm district.

[4] In 2014, a section of the park was named the Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness by the United States Congress.

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore protects 71,199 acres (111 sq mi; 288 km2) of the shoreline of Lake Michigan.

The Leelanau County sections of the park include the dune climb, Empire Bluff, Pyramid Point, and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.

[10] In 1962, Senator Philip Hart first introduced a bill to create Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.

The residents living in what is now Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore believed themselves stewards of the land and did not want it to be overrun by tourists.

The government eventually won out, in part by supporting the local schools to offset the lost property tax revenue and by including North Manitou Island in the national lakeshore area.

Impressed by the mother bear's determination and faith, the Great Spirit created two islands (North and South Manitou islands) to commemorate the cubs, and the winds buried the sleeping bear under the sands of the dunes where she waits to this day.

[23] Furthermore, in addition to federal campgrounds within the national lakeshore itself, there are many other camping areas nearby, which cater to the large number of tourists visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes each year.

[24] Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers a number of hiking trails.

Originally a dock for Glen Arbor (1855-date), the site soon became a fuel supply point for ships traveling up and down the lake.

Here, Charles McCarty decided to open his own business and built a dock to supply the ships with wood.

The piping plover, a federally registered endangered species, nests at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.