Category Archives: Sleeping Bear Dunes

Otter Creek aka Esch Road Beach

Empire Bluff from Esch Road (Otter Creek)

Empire Bluff from Esch Road (Otter Creek) , photo by jsorbieus.

For my money, one of the world's best beaches is Otter Creek in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The park calls it Esch Road Beach and it's the site of the former logging village of Aral. (we'll tell you the story of Aral someday).

The photo is part of Jim's Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore set (slideshow) and like all his photos, it's available "biggie-sized" to grace your desktop!

Here's Otter Creek/Esch Rd Beach on the betsiebay.net map!

Sleeping Bear Dunes General Management Plan meetings

From the current edition of the Glen Arbor Sun:

In early June, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (the local branch of the National Park Service) will hold three identical public meetings on consecutive days to present four action alternatives, including the Park's "preferred alternative," for a new General Management Plan (GMP), and solicit public comments in the process. The Park will hold meetings on June 3 at Platte River Elementary School in Honor; June 4 at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City; and June 5 at the Glen Arbor Township Hall — all from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The public can also comment on the alternatives at the Park's website until June 13.

Read the rest in Park unveils revamped General Management Plan to public from the Sun.

View the alternatives, make your comments and get all the details on the GMP from the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The proposed plans include options such as a bike path, a 30 mile bay-to-bay hiking path stretching from Platte Bay to Good Harbor Bay and some changes to recreational use (though not nearly as extreme as the last round).

Photo credit: Sleeping Bear Dunes - photo by Don Miller/Glen Arbor Sun