Empire, MI Real Estate, Homes For Sale, School & Area Information

My favorite northern Michigan hike, the one I share with almost all of my visitors, is a short trek to an amazing view at Empire Bluff! The trail is pretty easy though granted the three-quarter-mile is completely uphill. Initially, the path through the woods from the parking area takes you past an old farm with only new growth trees and old equipment to mark the site. Just past post four, you are rewarded with a sneak peek of Lake Michigan and South Bar Lake. Once you reach the Bluff, the views of Lake Michigan, South Manitou Island, and South Bar Lake are exposed and just beautiful!

Some days on Empire Bluff are windy and wild, and some are calmly serene. Often you will find a crowd gathered to watch the sunset on the Bluff boardwalk. If you are up for more of a challenge, an unofficial trail continues south for several miles past the boardwalk heading through the woods and up and down dunes along the shoreline. Further south this de facto trail intersects a path that starts at Norconk Road by the Tweddle and Treat Farms. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a beautiful place to explore and Empire Bluffs is one of the highlights of this treasure! For more information on this and other Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore hikes check out the link below.

One of our family's favorite hikes is the Empire Bluff Walk. Located just south of the village of Empire, it is a groomed path that meanders through the woods and ends up overlooking Lake Michigan, Empire, and Sleeping Bear Dunes in the distance. A truly breath-taking view! In the spring, I enjoy the path bejeweled with Trillium, leeks and Dutchmen's Britches (a relative of the Bleeding Heart perennial). The boardwalk and resting area on the bluff is a great place to picnic before you head back down the trail.