Huron-Manistee National Forests

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Supervisors Office

1755 S. Mitchell St.
Cadillac, MI 49601

Phone: 1-231-775-2421

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Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area

Area Status: Open

The Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area is a Federally designated wilderness in Michigan's lower peninsula and encompasses 3,450 acres of National Forest.

Nordhouse Dunes is part of the Ludington Dune Ecosystem, which also includes Lake Michigan Recreation Area, and Ludington State Park. The dunes were formed 3,500 to 4,000 years ago and stand up to 140 feet high. Ludington Dune Ecosystem has the largest area of fresh water interdunal ponds in the world. The interdunal ponds, small water holes and marshes, decorate the area. Dune grass covers many of the dunes and provides habitat for a variety of wildlife species.

The Nordhouse Dunes are interspersed with woody vegetation such as juniper, jack pine and hemlock. Plant life is varied and includes the Federally Endangered Pitcher's Thistle. The sand beach along the lake varies from narrow to wide and is home to the Federally Endangered Piping Plover, a shore bird that nests on the ground in small cobbles.

The wilderness area is popular for hiking, camping, hunting, nature study and wildlife viewing. There are approximately 10-miles of trail that can be accessed from 2 developed trailheads at the end of Nurnberg Road and Lake Michigan Recreation Area.

For more information on the Ludington Dune Ecosystem visit the MI-DNRE website.

Brochure with Map: This brochure is set to print on 8 1/2 x 14 paper, landscape (wide) orientation. To print on 8 1/2 x 11 paper set the print area to "shrink to printable area", this will make the text on the page smaller.

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At a Glance

Current Conditions:	Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area - Nurnberg Trailhead: managed Season starts April 1, 2017 and ends Nov. 30, 2017. Lake Michigan Recreation Area - Day Use Area - Beach Access: managed Season starts April 1, 2017. Day Use Area - Picnic Area: Managed Season starts May 1, 2017 and ends Dec. 1, 2017. This area is gated when closed.
Operational Hours:	Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week unless otherwise posted.
Area Amenities:	Parking
Fees	Recreation Enhancement Act Fee - Nurnberg Trailhead Day Use - Day: $5.00 Week: $15.00
Permit Info:	Special Use Permit - No commercial, event or large group (75 people or more) permits are issued in the wilderness area.
Open Season:	January 1
Usage:	Light
Best Season:	January to December
Busiest Season:	May to October
Restrictions:	Allowed - Nonmotorized/nonmechanized use Pets, on-leash Camping 400 ft from Lake Michigan shoreline, 250 ft from trails and Nordhouse Lake Prohibited - Mechanized, motorized and over-snow vehicles/equipment Pack, saddle and other livestock Collecting woody material from beaches/shoreline Parking in violation of posted instructions As a visitor to the National Forest, you are asked to follow certain rules designed to protect the Forest, natural resources and to provide for public safety of visitors. These rules are available to you on-line or at any office of the Huron-Manistee. General Topic orders apply across the Forests. Applicable Orders - Motorized Vehicle Use of Roads, Trails and Off-road Areas Occupancy and Use Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area
Closest Towns:	Manistee, Ludington
Passes:	Recreation Enhancement Act Fee - Day Use - Nurnberg Wilderness Trailhead Concessionaire Fee - Camping - Lake Michigan Recreation Area Day Use - Lake Michigan Recreation Area
Operated By:	Cadillac Manistee Ranger District - (231) 723-2211
Information Center:	*Cadillac/Manistee Ranger Station* 231-723-2211 Email r9_hmnf_website@fs.fed.us

General Information

General Notes:

Location -Lake Michigan

Nearby Recreation Areas -

Lake Michigan Recreation Area

Trailheads - Lake Michigan Recreation Area, Nurnberg Trailhead

County - Mason

Seasonal and Other Information -

This site is not gated during the off season.
This site is not maintained in winter:
- Parking and/or access road are not plowed.
- Trails are not groomed in winter.

Directions:

Nurnberg Trailhead

From Manistee -

Travel south on US-31 for 7 miles.
Turn right and travel west on W. Forest Trail Rd. for 2.5 miles.
Turn left and travel south on Quarterline Rd. for 1.5 miles.
Turn right and travel west on Nurnberg Rd. for 6.5 miles.

Activities

Beaches & Dunes

SHOW

Fishing

SHOW

Hiking

SHOW

Nature Viewing

SHOW

Viewing Wildlife

The Lake Michigan Shoreline is the summer habitat for the Piping Plover. The piping plover is a relative of the Killdeer. Piping Plovers are smaller, and lighter colored. Breeding adults have a single black band around the neck, while the Killdeer has two. The Great Lakes population of piping plovers is endangered — they are in danger of extinction. The “piping” part of the name is a description of its call, a sweet, soft whistle. Plovers are a group of shorebirds that feed with run-stop-peck movements, somewhat like the way an American robin feeds.

The ultimate wildlife viewing experience is watching animals in their habitat. Here are some helpful tips to become a wildlife friendly viewer:

Use the right tools - A field guide, a pair of binoculars and a camera. Wear clothing that is appropritate for the season and activitiy.
Watch at dawn and dusk - This is the time when most wildlife species are active enough to view.
Keep your distance - Maintain a distance that is comfortable for the wildlife.
Stay quiet - Move slowly and quietly to increase your chances of viewing wildlife, and to avoid stressing the animals you wish to watch.
Do not feed the wildlife - There is plenty of food availale in the wild. Human food can cause digestive problems, provide improper nutrition, and even kill an animal.

An online version of the Michigan Wildlife Viewing Guide is available on the MI-DNRE website.

Species

For a list of common species found in the Ludington Dune Ecosystem please visit the MI - DNRE website.

Viewing Plants

The shoreline is home to the federally threatened Pitcher's Thistle.

The Pitcher’s thistle grows for five to eight years before it flowers. Its non-flowering form is a rosette or cluster of silvery leaves and its flowering form typically has one stem with many branches. The entire flowering plant may grow 3 feet tall. Cream or pink flowers grow at the end of branches and from the leaf axils.

For more information on the Pitcher's Thistle visit the Fish and Wildlife Service fact sheet.

Species

For a list of plants common to the Ludington Dune Ecosystem please visit the MI - DNRE website.