A Spin on the Silver Lake Sand Dunes

Silver Lake, Michigan

by Bob Norton

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On the eastern shores of Lake Michigan lies a 1 ˝ by 3 mile (1875 acre) expanse of rolling sand hills. Ever moving, ever growing, these sand dunes provide a unique destination for 4x4 and OHV enthusiasts. Managed as a Michigan State Park, it is divided in 3 distinct regions. The southern portion is leased to a dune ride concession, the founder whom was giving rides on the Silver Lake Sand Dunes as far back as the 1930's! The large center section is restricted to hikers only. And at the northern end is the 450 acres of dunes set aside for OHV use by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

My experience on sand has been somewhat limited. While living in western Michigan in the late 1960's, a friend and I attempted to build a dune buggy out of my dad’s tired (as in rusted) Pontiac station wagon. We had observed the increase in activity at Silver Lake: dune buggies, fancy Jeeps trailered up from Detroit and Chicago... and we wanted to join the fray!

Sans the bodywork, we took our buggy to a deserted beach along Lake Michigan to try it out. Blasting among the small dunes, we learned that the weight distribution was just all wrong, the front wanting to sink in all too easily. Meanwhile, someone living in one of the fancy beach houses up the shore had called the authorities. We found that out when we spotted a Coast Guard landing boat heading directly our way! My friend skedaddled with the buggy, heading back to town without even waiting to hook up the tow bar. And shortly after he arrived back home, a Michigan State Police car slowly drove by his house, looking! (Too bad our town’s police chief was my friend’s next-door neighbor. Drat!) Interests led elsewhere and we never did finish the dune buggy and get a chance to drive it at Silver Lake.

More recently, the bulk of experience in sand with my Cherokee has been attempting hill climbs on the Moab Rim Trail and at the Mussentuchit Sand Dune, both in Utah. The XJ basically behaved much as a “sand submarine”.

Mike is a western Michigan Jeeper whom I had met in Moab and Ouray a few years ago. When he learned I was coming to the area this year to visit my parents, he suggested that I take the Cherokee to Silver Lake. Very skeptical, based on my past difficulties on sand, I finally convinced myself I ought to give it a try. When I finally had the opportunity, work commitments would keep Mike from being able to join me. However, a neighbor of my parents, Bill, owner of a dune buggy, would be happy to be my guide. Too, his brother John would join us with his own buggy. My father would be my passenger and assist with some of the photos.

Certain rules apply to all vehicles that drive in the state park OHV area. For example, a flag of a minimum height is required and must be located at the front of full sized vehicles. Using his considerable ingenuity, my dad had fashioned a secure mount for a borrowed flag. At the state park OHV staging area, he reattached the flag securely as I aired the tires down to 10 pounds. The two dune buggies were unloaded from their trailers.

Now ready for action, I followed the brothers up the long, sandy climb at the entrance, expecting to bog down quickly. But the Jeep kept up the momentum on this hill and I soon found myself completely surrounded by the rolling sand hills!

Bill and John drove over to the base of a huge sand ridge. I was told that this is the famous “Test Hill”. The biggest climb in the OHV area, it is limited to one way traffic for safety. Those that make it over the top, must take a very wide return loop before attacking the hill again.

This being a quiet Monday, the brothers were pleased that the crowds typical here on weekends and holidays were all gone. This would allow us to include driving some sidehill arcs across the face of the ridge. Let me tell you, the buggies could really fly! But the Cherokee just could not get up enough steam and my trying a higher line laterally across the ridge face found the 4x4 bogging down and stopping in a somewhat tippy position. At least I could get moving again with the aid of the front and rear lockers to safely steer downhill.

The wind forms a sharp edge at the ridge top. So sharp, in fact, that it would be certain to high center my Cherokee. So John blasted to the top several times to round it a bit for my attempt at the hill climb. After all, none of us were interested in taking what would be considerable time to dig me out of such a predicament. Too, there were no other heavy vehicles around that could give me a tug or pull.

While we were playing at Test Hill, a couple of trail bikes blasted up and around for a short time. Several rental Jeep TJ’s ventured onto the dunes. But none of their drivers tried out the big hill, content to poke along the easier routes amongst the hills. Nearing the end of the season (the OHV area is open from April 1st to November 1st), activity most certainly was winding down and we seemed to be the only folks there much of the time.

I was instructed by Bill and John that I should get off the gas after the front tires were past the crest of the hill. Otherwise, the Cherokee might leap into the air. Such jumping should only be attempted by those that know what they are doing and have the equipment suited for such. Serious accidents have indeed occurred here. A Cherokee full of mostly unsecured camping gear, a cooler, cameras, water, etc. and with thousands of miles yet to drive during this vacation, is definitely NOT a vehicle suited for such jumping!

Letting off the gas pedal too early on my first attempt up Test Hill, I managed to bog down just short of clearing the top. The Cherokee did successfully make the climb the next try... and I did not sail off into space! The views are grand at the top, including Lake Michigan visible to the west. On subsequent climbs, I tried to stop right at the apex for the right “Kodak Moment”. Not to be... I always anticipated stopping too soon and bogged down in the sand just short of my goal.

Next, I tried a climb from a standing start near the base of the ridge. Unlike the dune buggies, I could only manage to claw upward a little ways. The Cherokee would always require a running start to make it over this one. Oh well, maybe my Jeep should sport some of those mondo paddle tires?

Bill would experience some shifting problems. Rather than risk breaking something, he decided to park his vehicle for the rest of this day.

After climbing Test Hill a last time, we worked our way across the rolling dunes to the shores of Lake Michigan. Here, the Michigan DNR has provided numerous picnic tables, lined up for a considerable distance at the edge of the beach zone. I imagine that an August summer day sees large crowds here. That is about when the big lake finally warms up to allow more than just sticking a big toe in the water!

As the dunes are migrating unabated a few inches each year, trees have been engulfed. Care must be taken while driving about in some areas to avoid the remaining tree stumps in these ghost forests. The dunes are slowly managing to fill up Silver Lake. Too, summer cottages have been overtaken by the blowing sand.

The last part of the dunes that we visited consists of a series of short, parallel ridges. Wavelike, it appears as an ocean of sand. John calls these “whoop-tee-doos”. Slowly climbing one of the ridges, he would suddenly give a spurt of speed and the front end of the buggy would launch into the air. The rear tires would then follow right off the ground. This hopping action among the whoop-tee-doos was indeed very entertaining to watch.

Just before we called it a day, John gave me a ride in his buggy. We sailed across the whoop-tee-doos (without the 4-wheel hopping, for my sake), onward to Test Hill. Zoom... up and over. Other hill climbs followed. Next, a straight and flat drag strip-like section, over to Lake Michigan, and finally back to where we started. I had just been given a grand tour of the 450 acres in just a matter of a few minutes! What fun, easy to see why folks get hooked on wheeling here. After this ride, however, I would be chewing on grit for the rest of the day!

Well, now I have confidence that my Jeep Cherokee can indeed provide some fun on sand dunes and I would not hesitate to try such again. My 4-wheeling adventure on the Silver Lake Sand Dunes, long overdue, was certainly an experience that I will long remember.

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