Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive

The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is a scenic route within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, in western Northern Michigan. [http://www.nps.gov/archive/slbe/pssd.htm Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive] ] [http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/psscenicdrive.htm Sleeping Bear Dunes - Scienic Drive] ]

pecifics

The road is a 7.4 mile (12 kilometer) loop that can be driven or bicycled. It provides access to overlooks of Lake Michigan, the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Glen Lake, North Manitou Island, South Manitou Island, Pyramid Point, Sleeping Bear Bay, the Little Glen Lake Mill Pond, and the historic D.H. Day Farm.

The road is open generally from the end of April through the first part of November. The hours are from 9:00 a.m. to one half hour after sunset. The speed limit on the drive is 20 mph (32 kph).

History

The road is named after Pierce Stocking, who spent his youth working as a Michigan lumberman and used to walk these bluffs above Lake Michigan. Stocking conceived the idea of a road to the top of the dunes so that others could enjoy the beauty.

As a lumberman he had experience building roads. Stocking began building a road to the top of the dunes in the difficult terrain around the early 1960s. The road was originally known as the Sleeping Bear Dunes Park when he first opened it to the public in 1967. He operated the scenic drive until his death in 1976.

The road became part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in 1977 and the name eventually changed to the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. The scenic drive is designated an area of the National Lakeshore within the National Park Service system. The drive gives the visitor insight to the history of the area as well as a sampling of the vegetative communities found within the park.

Touring the Scenic Drive

A Park Pass fee is required for using the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive (except for Golden Age Passport/Senior Pass holders).

A free interpretive guide for the scenic drive is available at the visitor center in Empire, Michigan, or at the entrance gate. [http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/psscenicdrive.htm Scenic Drive includes] ] Along the scenic drive are numbered signs that relate to the information on the guide. [http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/psvirtualtour0.htm Pierce Stocking Virtual Tour] ]

There are scenic views of Lake Michigan, the Manitou Islands and the dunes from several stops. The first stop, for example, is a covered bridge. [http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/pscoveredbridge.htm Wooden Covered Bridge] ]

There is a strenuous convert|1.5|mi|km|sing=on dunes trail at number 4 called the Cottonwood Hiking Trail [http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/trailcottonwood.htm Cottonwood Hiking Trail map] ] Here the hiker will see areas that are stabilized with native dune vegetation such as buffaloberry and bearberry. [http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/pscottonwood.htm Cottonwood Trail description] ]

Interpretive guide

In the interpretive guide, handed out by the National Park Service that manages the Scenic Drive, it is recommend that a person not descend the moraine bluff dune at the Lake Michigan Overlook located at spot number 10. The guide says that some people do this anyway even though it is composed of large quantities of loose rock and gravel. It points out that many are hurt and can't renegotiate the extremely difficult climb back up (even when they are in excellent health). The guide points out there is a nearby Dune Climb area provided where hikers can climb safely.

The interpretive guide also points out that bicycling is allowed on the scenic drive, however recommended for expert-level cyclists only.

References