Leland, Leelanau County

Nordic (XC) Skiing | Hiking Trails | Snowshoeing Trails

This 10,000-year-old glacial wonder near Leland is an iconic landmark that helps to define our unique Lake Michigan coastline. Whaleback’s fragile bluff rises 300 feet and can be seen from many vantage points in Leelanau. A viewing platform perched on the edge of this 40-acre natural area offers fantastic views of the Manitou Passage—especially at sunset. Huge oak trees and mature hemlocks create a cathedral like canopy that shelters bald eagles and the varied terrain hosts unusual plants, like the thimbleberry, which is extremely uncommon in Leelanau. Over 1200 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline was protected.

Whaleback Natural Area Trail Map