• Monday-What'sUP August 3 - 12:29 am

The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has many different scenic sites within the park borders. One of those sites is the Grand Sable Banks and Dunes, pictured here by W.R. Maki. According to the National Park Service webpage, "Five square miles of Grand Sable Dunes are perched atop the 300-foot high Grand Sable Banks. Left by enormous glaciers, the Grand Sable Dunes dwarf comprehension." You can actually see both the banks and the dunes in today's photos. Of course first of all, you have to read the word of caution put out for visitors that are considering heading down the "log slide" that's located on the banks of the dunes there, then you can proceed with caution, as the brave folks pictured here. Just remember, it takes considerably longer to climb back up than the seconds it does to slide right down. :->

BEAUTIFUL to look at...but you couldn't pay me enough to "take the slide!"

Didn't know this was at Pictured Rocks. Reminds me of Sleeping Bear Dunes on Lake Michigan.

I didn't know about these dunes either. Thanks for the info. Add another place to visit on the list.

I love this area of Michigan, after the Keweenaw, of course. It's very peaceful and beautiful. The view from the log slide is great from both directions. Great photos!

"Wipe Out" would be the fitting song for the log slide.

LOVE those dunes and the grand marais - munising area.

We were gonna do the Pictured Rocks thing again this year, but decided to stop in Duluth instead. Maybe next year. We'll see.

Great pictures!!

I went down and climbed back up when I was about 20 years old. I will never do it again. We ran down. Then about half way down you realize every step you are taking you are actually covering about thirty feet of ground going down. You begin to wonder if you can stop and also what happens if you stumble and fall at that speed.

I too have been down the Log Slide exactly once when I was younger. It's much safer to park at the bottom of the dunes near Grand Sable Lake and climb up. I spent many hours as a youngster running up and down those dunes.

I have read in some history books of Michigan that the Indians used to dig down into the sand, make a large hole and fill it with snow. Then cover it all over with sand...don't know how much or how deep the snow was buried beneath the sand. They would come back in the summer and dig up the snow. I think they may have used this technique as an "ice box" and stored food in the hole. Has anyone out there heard of this?

Oh, what great memories! I remember jumping (and falling and rolling) down the Log Roll as a kid. I also remember my parents gasping the whole way back to the top. I think my brother and I went up and down quite a few times, but my parents only once! Thanks for the memories and great pictures.