Snowshoe Spot: Arcadia Dunes: Baldy Trail Head

Snow-covered sand dunes are my favorite place to snowshoe. They typically offer a great combination of challenging climbs, sweeping views of Lake Michigan, and interludes of flat, meandering paths through the forests that line the lakeshore. Arcadia Dunes certainly delivers on all three.

When it comes to dune hikes in northwest Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore often gets all the glory. It’s true: Sleeping Bear is glorious. But the beauty of the lakeshore does not abruptly end at the parks boundaries.  

Arcadia, Michigan, located along M-22 about 45 minutes south of Empire, Michigan and 20 minutes south of Frankfort, Michigan is a small community loaded with natural beauty and opportunities to enjoy the lakeshore without the crowds of Sleeping Bear.  

If you have a winter day to spend exploring, bundle up, pack your snowshoes, and head to Baldy Trail Head. This 3.8 miles trail is part of the Arcadia Dunes: C.S. Mott Nature Preserve, which offers 15 total miles of diverse and pristine trails.

After your showshoe, don’t miss Stormcloud Brewing Company in Frankfort for a delicious meal (and delicious beer) and, if you’re lucky, an incredible sunset at Frankfort Beach. Isn’t it wild how such a gray day can end in such an explosion of color and light?