About
Length (round trip)1.5 mi
ShapeOut-and-Back
DifficultyEasy
Elevation gain191 ft up
Typical time45 min
TrailheadEmpire Bluff Trail
ParkingParking at the trailhead.
SurfaceBoardwalk
DogsLeashed / limited stretches
What you'll see 🌄 Big views🏞️ Lake🌼 Wildflowers

Distance Round trip is 1.5 miles Terrain Hilly Vegetation Beech-maple forest, fields, and dune plants Trailhead A vault toilet is available at the trailhead. A small picnic area is at the trailhead. Pets Leashed pets are allowed on this trail. Comments The trail leads to a high bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. A QR code is available at the trailhead for download of a trail map. For your safety and to protect the environment: please do not descend the bluff. The trail ends at the wooden boardwalk. First time hiking in the lakeshore? Follow these tips Breathtaking . . . water so clear and blue . . . bucket-list worthy . . . best view anywhere on the shoreline . . . amazing . . . incomparable sunset . . .picture-postcard sight. . . jaw-dropping . . . not like anything else in the Midwest. Interested? Then don't miss the Empire Bluff Trail. The 1.5-mile round-trip trail climbs through a beech-maple forest rife with wildflowers to a high, coastal bluff featuring the iconic double-dune view that's the subject of paintings, posters, and postcards. Boardwalks and an observation deck atop this lofty perch look out over Lake Michigan and a large chunk of the national lakeshore. A few hill climbs (with some stairs built into the trails) on the way up to the bluff make this a moderate hike: one well worth it! As a hike, Empire Bluff is an excellent and popular choice for families and can be done by most people in under an hour. Pack a lunch and enjoy it with looking out at a view with few rivals. Benches line the trail and there are several spots at the top to kick back and soak it all in. And the sunsets! Bring a flashlight and arrive at near dusk on a clear evening for a sunset second to none. Just a short time after those spectacular sunsets are over, the stars come out in a brilliance and profusion that you can rarely find on Lake Michigan. The pure darkness here makes this a favorite destination for viewing meteor showers. But come early, this place will be full of families out to enjoy the show. And bring your camera with you.

🎒 What to pack

A 1.5 mi walk — here's the short list worth having in the pack.

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Trail data: USGS National Map / PAD-US, the National Park Service, state agencies, and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Access and conditions change — check with the managing agency before you go.