Randy & Doreen Fosgard Celebrate 1 Year Anniversary at Lake Ann’s Sleeping Bear Resort

For more than 25 years, Randy and Doreen Fosgard made the trek from their home in St. Clair, Michigan to vacation near the Sleeping Bear Dunes area of Northwest Michigan. Drawn to the outdoors and everything the Traverse City and Leelanau Peninsula region had to offer, they explored the lakeshore, natural sites and cultural attractions with their children – Dane and Julianne.

When an opportunity to relocate to Lake Ann came about in May, 2012 they couldn’t resist. That summer, they managed the Sleeping Bear Resort – spread out on 450 feet of frontage on the 40-acre Herendeene Lake. Just six months later (December 27, 2012), they purchased the resort and have just celebrated their first year as owners of the property.

“With Dane at Lake Superior State University and Julianne at Grand Valley State University, we decided it was time to pursue a dream,” says Randy.

Founded in 1971 as the Herendeene Lake Resort, the property was owned by the Mark Gabrick family from 1999 until 2012 – becoming the Sleeping Bear Resort in 2007. With its six cabins, five bedroom log home and six bedroom remodeled farm home, the resort can accommodate as many as 60 guests at any given time. Located 15 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Traverse City, the year-round property offers countless on-site and nearby activities.

“We often take rides into the Leelanau Peninsula and visit the wineries and the little villages of Empire, Glen Arbor, Lake Leelanau, Leland, Northport and Suttons Bay,” Randy says. “The people in Northwest Michigan are so friendly and they all seem to have a smile on their face – that’s part of what attracted us to the area and makes us feel at home here.”

SLEEPING BEAR RESORT
7670 Reynolds Road — Lake Ann, Michigan
(231) 642-7000
rentals@sleepingbearresort.com
www.facebook.com/SleepingBearResort

Winter Exploration Awaits at Sleeping Bear Resort

No matter the season or the reason, Sleeping Bear Resort in Lake Ann welcomes visitors to explore the natural wonders that exist around Herendeene Lake. The Resort consists of six cabins a five bedroom log home and a six bedroom remodeled farm home. Sleeping Bear Resort can accommodate as many as 60 guests for a weekend, or longer. The resort is located 15 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and 15 miles from Traverse City.

RESORT FACILITIES

The Lodge (five bedrooms and two bathrooms, accommodating 12 individuals) and The Bear’s Den (six bedrooms and three bathrooms, accommodating 18 individuals) each offer entertainment rooms with a ping pong table, foosball table, pool table and large flat screen TV for hours of family fun. The six individual one- and two-bedroom cabins each sleep five.

Every unit at Sleeping Bear Resort includes a fully-equipped kitchen, with stove, refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker, as well as cooking utensils. Linens and towels are also provided. The entire resort offers wireless internet access, grills and a central fire pit, for warming up after a day of playing.

NEARBY ACTIVITIES

With its 450 feet of lake frontage on the 40-acre Herendeene Lake, Sleeping Bear Resort is more than a summer vacation destination. In the winter months, the iced-over lake welcomes fisherman to drop a line in search of panfish and largemouth bass.

Countless opportunities exist for hiking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing just miles from the resort. Guided snowshoe hikes with a National Park ranger are offered on Saturdays and during winter holidays, starting at 1pm at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire. Self-guided snowshoeing is also permitted on all snow-covered dunes, fields and forests in the Lakeshore. A popular trek is the Empire Bluffs trail, which offers exceptional views of Lake Michigan, the towering snow-covered dunes and the Manitou Islands in the distance.

The resort is located within 20 miles of six different cross country ski trail networks with miles and miles of trail offerings. The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail is groomed for cross country skiing, with access at the Dune Climb, Glen Haven village and on Forest Haven Road in Glen Arbor. The famed Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive also welcomes Nordic skiers. Countless other non groomed trails can be found throughout Benzie and Leelanau counties.

Downhill skiers and snowboarders can head 21 miles south to Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville for access to 45 slopes. Hiking, mountain biking and snowshoeing in the Michigan Legacy Park or cross country skiing along 40km of groomed trails is also available. A full-service spa is also available, allowing for a bit of pampering after a day out in the snow.

To the north, skiers will find The Homestead – America’s Freshwater Resort, located in Glen Arbor. Two surface lifts, three chair lifts, 15 unique runs and a terrain park are set overlooking the Sleeping Bear Dunes and the deep blue waters of Lake Michigan. Cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating and an intimate spa facility are also offered.

Discounted skiing vouchers to both Crystal Mountain and The Homestead are available to Sleeping Bear Resort guests.

Those seeking speed can access more than 135 miles of Benzie County’s groomed snowmobile trails, accessible from Sleeping Bear Resort. Staging areas can be found at the Platte River Association Hall, east of Honor; in the village of Thompsonville; and at the downtown Beulah Trailhead & Visitors Center. A trail map for the area – including Leelanau County – can be found here. Please note, snowmobiling is not permitted on the lands or waters of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Additional activities, such as wine tastings, local restaurants, cultural venues and shopping, can be found on the Sleeping Bear Resort website.

SLEEPING BEAR RESORT
7670 Reynolds Road — Lake Ann, Michigan
(231) 642-7000
rentals@sleepingbearresort.com

www.SleepingBearResort.com
www.facebook.com/SleepingBearResort