Of course the longest fresh water dune system in the world needs dune rides. Probably the oldest in Michigan, in operation since 1930, is Mac Wood’s Dune Rides. Next to Silver lake, they are just a 50 minute drive north from Grand Haven.
Impressive beauty of the dunes combines nicely with a rollercoaster type ride, punctuated with short stops for photo ops and informative comments. A light wind driven rain pelted our faces. And as an added bonus, a flat tire added to the fun (really) allowing for longer exploration atop the dunes.
The avalanche of moving sands it slowly eating away Silver Lake. In a hundred years, it will cease to exist. In the last 30 years, the depth of the lake has continued to drop as sand is deposited. One third of the lake is now gone. Cottages and houses are destroyed unless they are moved. The law does not allow for the encroaching sand dunes to be removed.
Some species of trees can continually shoot out new roots from their trunks. Thus what looks like a small tree can actually be 40 foot high, constantly growing higher with an expanding dune. Other species, like pines, are eventually killed by the deepening sands. Interestingly, a boy at the Indiana Dunes was buried (and survived) in 2013 when engulfed by a “sinkhole”, caused by a decayed buried tree creating a void beneath a dune.
Always more fun to be had in Michigan. Everyone should experience a dune ride at least once!