Who This Course Is For

This program is ideal for people who enjoy:

• Learning about nature, geology, and history

• Easy to moderate hiking and exploring

• Thoughtful conversation and small-group travel

• Discovering the stories behind beautiful places

No specialized background is required—just curiosity and a love of the outdoors.

What You’ll Experience

During the week we’ll explore:

• The towering dunes and bluffs of Lake Michigan

• Inland lakes, forests, and shoreline habitats

• Natural history and how these landscapes were formed

• Local ecology, wildflowers, birds, and shoreline processes

• Human history—from Indigenous cultures to maritime heritage

Each day includes field exploration, short talks, and plenty of time to observe, photograph, and enjoy the landscape.

Course Details

Dates: May 25–30, 2026

Location: The Homestead Resort, Glen Arbor Michigan

Group Size: Maximum 13 participants

The dunes that drift along Lake Michigan's eastern and southern shores form the largest expanse of freshwater dunes in the world. Established in 1970, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore covers 105 square miles, including North and South Manitou Islands and more than 60 miles of shoreline. Great dunes tower as high as 460 feet above the water, and trails lead to overlooks that reveal stunning panoramas of islands and sea, forests and sand.

Immersed in the beauty of Northwoods spring, we will experience open dunes, forested dunes, a variety of overlooks, spring wildflowers, and many moods of Lake Michigan. The course includes a multi-media presentation and talks on geology, dunes, island biogeography, ecology, maritime history, and Anishinaabe connections to this area.

What’s Included

• Five days of guided field exploration

• Daily learning sessions with Ann & John

• Lodging, meals, and meeting space will be provided by The Homestead Resort, surrounded by the National Lakeshore, with the Manitou Islands on the horizon. We have reserved all lakeview rooms at the resort’s original beachfront inn, where the Crystal River flows into Lake Michigan.

• This will be a small group of 13 participants.

• Local transportation during course activities

• Course materials and resources

• A relaxed, supportive learning environment and personalized attention

Not Included

• Travel to and from The Homestead Resort (Glen Arbor Michigan), at the beginning and end of the course.

• Alcoholic beverages are the responsibility of each participant.

Physical Expectations

Activities involve light to moderate hiking on trails, dunes, and uneven terrain at a comfortable pace. We emphasize flexibility and adjust plans to suit the group.

About Your Instructors

John and Ann Mahan have led decades of Great Lakes field programs through Elderhostel and Road Scholar. From 2002 to 2019, John and Ann were leaders/instructors for 40 "Isle Royale, Lake Superior, and the Keweenaw Peninsula" Road Scholar (Elderhostel) courses until the courses were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ann and John now offer lifelong learning courses (Isle Royale, Apostle Islands, Sleeping Bear Dunes) through Sweetwater Visions. Their work has appeared in numerous books and publications such as National Geographic, Audubon, and Smithsonian. The Mahans have been exploring the Great Lakes, including Sleeping Bear Dunes for most of their lives: hiking, camping, canoeing and sea kayaking.