SBDNL pulls off historic June with nearly 300k visitors

This summer is off to a blazing start in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and it’s not just the weather. With the greatest June attendance in the park’s history (297,220), the park is poised for what may be its biggest summer and potentially its busiest year ever.

In 2021, the previous June record was 278,256. At the year’s end, a record 1,722,955 recreation visits were made in that year. The park has already seen 1,361,488 visits so far in 2025, through August. The data for July, which is usually the largest month, are still pending.

“We had a great summer,” Superintendent Scott Tucker said last year, reflecting on the 2024 season. “The main reason was the weather was spectacular in July and August, and it’s 85 degrees right now.”