EMPIRE, MICH. -- Dog owners can attest: There are few things better than seeing your pup happily frolicking on a beach.

But at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, that frolicking can be at odds with other creatures -- humans and otherwise.

Over the past decade, the park has implemented various guidelines for pets on the lakeshore before settling on the current rules: Leashed pups are allowed in much of the park, with a few exceptions, a list of which can be accessed on the parks website.

The rules are in place to protect visitors as well as park wildlife, including the endangered piping plover, which returns to the region each spring to nest on beaches. Sleeping Bear Dunes provides habitat for anywhere from one-third to half of all nesting Great Lakes piping plovers, of which there are only about 70 pairs.

To keep everyone safe, its key that dogs arent just kept to the approved beaches, but that they remain leashed, said Tom Ulrich, the parks deputy superintendent.

A leashed dog seldom gets a chance to harass wildlife -- as long as someones holding the other end of the leash, Ulrich said.

To help spread the word about proper dog handling at Sleeping Bear, a Bark Ranger program places volunteer dogs and their humans on beaches and trails for monitoring and to educate visitors about the guidelines.

With some beaches less accessible due to high water levels on Lake Michigan this year, heres a refresher on all the beaches where visitors can and cant bring their dogs, which must stay on a six-foot leash at all times.

Leashed pets allowed:

From Platte River Campground/Railroad Grade trail north to Peterson Road

From Esch Road north to the Lakeshore boundary (south of Empire)

From Peterson Road south to Old Railroad Grade Trail/Platte Campground Trail

From the Lakeshore boundary north of Empire to just south of the North Bar Lake stream outlet

From the Maritime Museum east (but not on the Maritime Museum grounds) to the Lakeshore boundary (west of Glen Arbor)

From the Lakeshore boundary north of Glen Arbor around Pyramid Point to CR 669

From CR 651 north to the Lakeshore northern boundary

Glen Lake Picnic Area

A map shows where pets are and aren't allowed in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. | Courtesy NPS

No pets allowed:

The Dune Climb

Maritime Museum grounds

North Bar Lake

Platte Point Beach

White Pine and Valley View backcountry campsites

All group campsites

North and South Manitou Island (this includes all pets, including hunting dogs). Trained aid dogs accompanying the blind or hearing impaired are permitted.

Any other areas where NO PETS signs are posted after a determination by the Superintendent that a specific conflict exists requiring such a closure.

More information on pet rules and safety within the park, as well as a map, can be found on the Sleeping Bear Dunes website.

RELATED:

First endangered piping plover couple of season makes nest at Sleeping Bear Dunes

High lake levels flood beaches, campgrounds at Sleeping Bear Dunes

Visit link:

These are all the dog-friendly beaches in Sleeping Bear Dunes - MLive.com