The 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Adventures

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Freshwater Dunes

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com



Sleeping Bear Dune

The tallest fresh water dunes on in the world are on our Great Lakes. 
The tallest Great Lakes dunes are on Lake Michigan on the shores of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. They rise over 400 feet above the lake.

Perched dunes have layers of stone mixed with the sand

Perched dunes are steeper than dunes made of pure sand. The layers of stone stabilize these dunes.

Close up of stone layer in perched dune




Wind sculpts the top of this dune

Dunes without plants or trees growing on them are called "living dunes." These formations are still responsive to wind, waves, and gravity.

Small sand eroisions pulled by gravity 


Gravity acts on sand


Dune frosted with clouds



View from Empire Bluff Trail


Here's a link to info on the Empire Bluff Trail, one of my favorite hikes.


Climbing the dune at the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive (the black dots are people!)


Perched dune along Pictured Rocks on Lake Superior

Explore our Great Lakes!

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