North bar beach
Empire, Michigan · on Lake Michigan · Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $25 per private
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About North bar beach
North Bar Lake is a shallow, sand-bottomed swimming hole within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore just north of Empire, Michigan, separated from Lake Michigan by a dynamic sand bar that periodically opens into a channel. The National Park Service promotes it as a warmer lake to swim in than Lake Michigan itself, with the big lake's beach and waves only a short walk across low dunes.
The lake sits in a former Lake Michigan bay once flanked by Empire Bluffs to the south and Sleeping Bear Bluffs to the north; wave action wore down the headlands over time while sediment filled the shallower parts of the bay, leaving North Bar Lake as the remaining deeper water body, per Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore's account of its formation (a process that also created Glen, Crystal, Elk, and Torch Lakes).
Swimming at North bar beach
North Bar Lake offers shallow, clear water over a sandy bottom that runs warmer than Lake Michigan, making it popular with families and children. Swimmers who want cooler water and wave action can cross the low dunes separating the two water bodies in about two minutes to reach the Lake Michigan shoreline.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Empire, Michigan, take LaCore Street north to Voice Road, then follow Bar Lake Road to the North Bar Lake parking lot, per Leelanau.com.
Parking: A large parking lot is provided directly at North Bar Lake with restroom/changing facilities on site (per Leelanau.com).
The hike in
- Time on foot
- ~2 minutes one-way for the optional dune crossing to Lake Michigan; no walk required for North Bar Lake itself
Difficulty: easy
No hike is needed to reach North Bar Lake itself, the sandy beach is directly adjacent to the parking lot. A separate, informal, unnamed dune-crossing trail links the North Bar Lake beach to the Lake Michigan shoreline; Leelanau.com describes it as crossable 'in just a couple of minutes,' passing dune grass, pitcher's thistle, wormwood, and sand cress, but gives no exact mileage.
Treat the dune crossing as optional bonus access to the bigger lake, not a requirement to swim, the primary swim spot (North Bar Lake) is walk-up from parking.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Shallow, clear water over a sandy bottom that runs warmer than Lake Michigan makes North Bar Lake 'ideal for the kids to play' (Leelanau.com). No lifeguards are on duty, per NPS, so young children should still be supervised, especially near the dynamic sand-bar channel connecting to Lake Michigan.
Parking
Free
Large dedicated parking lot directly at North Bar Lake; no separate parking fee found beyond the standard Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore entrance pass (see prior dossier for pass pricing). Leelanau.com also notes a self-service fee envelope option at the site.
Restrooms
Yes
Restroom/changing facility located at the North Bar Lake parking lot (Leelanau.com).
Water clarity
Clear
Locals describe North Bar Lake as having 'shallow, clear water over a sandy bottom,' warmer than adjacent Lake Michigan; no independent firsthand reports were available to cross-check this.
On the water
No source found confirming kayaking, canoeing, or paddleboarding specifically on North Bar Lake. The NPS boating/paddling page mentions North Bar Lake only as a landmark for wind-hazard warnings to Lake Michigan paddlers passing offshore, not as a launch site. Left null/empty per iron rule rather than assuming small non-motorized craft are permitted.
Rentals nearby
Kayak, canoe, and stand-up paddleboard rentals (also bikes and winter gear); signature offering is a 2-3 hour guided/self-guided paddle down the Crystal River within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, suitable for all ages
6249 W River Rd, Glen Arbor, MI 49636 (Crystal River, roughly 10-13 miles northeast of North Bar Lake, not on North Bar Lake itself)
Backstory
North Bar Lake formed as a remnant of a Lake Michigan bay once bordered by Empire Bluffs and Sleeping Bear Bluffs; it became ponded behind a sand bar as wave action reshaped the shoreline, per NPS geologic explanation reported by Leelanau.com. The same lake-forming process created several other well-known northern Michigan lakes (Glen, Crystal, Elk, Torch).
North bar beach: FAQ
Does North bar beach charge a fee?
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore requires an entrance pass for all visitors: $25 per private vehicle (7-day), $20 per motorcycle, $15 per person on foot/bike, or $45 for an annual park pass; America the Beautiful passes are also accepted. Fee locations moved to cashless payment (credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay) as of March 1, 2023. Leelanau.com also describes a self-service fee envelope option at the site.
Is North bar beach kid friendly?
Shallow, clear water over a sandy bottom that runs warmer than Lake Michigan makes North Bar Lake 'ideal for the kids to play' (Leelanau.com). No lifeguards are on duty, per NPS, so young children should still be supervised, especially near the dynamic sand-bar channel connecting to Lake Michigan.
Do I need to hike to reach North bar beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for North bar beach?
Large dedicated parking lot directly at North Bar Lake; no separate parking fee found beyond the standard Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore entrance pass (see prior dossier for pass pricing). Leelanau.com also notes a self-service fee envelope option at the site.
What are the rules at North bar beach?
Standard Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore rules apply: an entrance pass is required, and there are no lifeguards on duty at any lakeshore beach.
What water body is North bar beach on?
North bar beach is on Lake Michigan, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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