March is the best month for maple syrup production in Michigan due to the weather conditions.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore celebrates maple sugar season with live demonstrations, family activities, and samples of Michigan-made maple syrup at the historic farms in the Port Oneida Historic District.
Head to the national lakeshore on March 22 for Maple Sugaring Days, where you can take part in special activities that highlight the tree-tapping process and explore the historic Dechow and Olsen farms.
Maple Sugar Season
This family-friendly event shares the history of maple sugaring from the Anishinaabe, to the settler’s open fire process, to the sugar shack evolving to the present day. The event is presented by Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear, in partnership with the National Lakeshore.
“Visitors to the event will get the full maple sugaring experience,” said Susan Pocklington, Executive Director of Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear (PHSB), a nonprofit preservation partner of the park. “They will get to hike out to a sugar shack, see sap boiling, and sample finished syrup in the historic kitchen.”
Maple sugaring is popular in northern Michigan because of the state’s maple trees and climate. As the winter snow melts, March brings ideal conditions for collecting maple sap. Temperatures run between 20 and 40 degrees, with daytime temperatures above freezing and nighttime temperatures below freezing.
The tree’s internal pressure is greater than the external barometric pressure, causing the frozen sap to thaw and start pushing out to the branches. Once the trees are tapped for sap and it’s collected, they boil the sap to make a sweet syrup.
Experiential Learning
The maple sugaring activities are free and open to the public with a park entrance pass. Visitors can experience the sugaring process through time by starting at the Dechow Farm for a self-guided history hike to see tapped maple trees and the sap-boiling process.
“This is a true experiential experience for the whole family,” Pocklington said. “Re-enactors and experts are valuable teachers, and the kids’ activities make for a really fun day. Not to mention, there is free hard candy, lots of maple merchandise to buy, and maple syrup snow cones.”
At the Olsen farmstead, step inside to observe the final boiling in the historic kitchen and purchase maple treats and books on maple sugaring.
Visit the farms 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a variety of activities:
- Self-guided hikes
- Visit to a historic sugar shack
- Sap boiling demonstrations
- Children’s games and activities
- Maple syrup sampling and taffy making
For those uninterested or unable to hike the various stations at the Dechow farm, there is also a one-stop station at the Olsen Farm that teaches all the various methods in one demonstration.
Visitors can participate in traditional activities outside:
- Test your skills to balance maple sugaring pails on a yoke
- Anishinaabe method of warming syrup
- Practice drilling using a traditional brace and bit
Oldest Agricultural Enterprise
Seeing the process in action is also educational because maple syrup production is the oldest agricultural enterprise in the U.S. Maple sugaring contributes to both Michigan’s agricultural and tourism industries.
Michigan is fifth in the nation in maple syrup production, producing an average of 136,000 gallons per year, according to this blog that includes other events across the state.
The tradition of tapping maple syrup for sap to turn into syrup dates back to Michigan’s indigenous people, including the Ojibwa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi tribes. They realized it was good source of food and energy.
There were historically maple trees lining M-22 as you approach Olsen from the west. Many have died but there are maple sugar trees in other areas of the park. A row of trees remains at the Dechow sugar shack, which is where you observe the maple sugaring process in action.
The sugar maple has the highest sugar content in its sap, making it the preferred option for syrup production.
But you can technically tap most maple trees to collect sap and make syrup. This includes red maple, silver maple, and box elder, but these species may require more sap to make the same amount of syrup.
Explore historic farmsteads
Plan on spending a few hours at the event if you want to visit both locations or explore the farmsteads, which are roughly 1 mile north of The Homestead Resort, between Thoreson Road and Port Oneida Road.
- Dechow Farm: 3991 W. Harbor Hwy, Maple City
- Olsen Farm: 3164 W. Harbor Hwy, Maple City
Parking is available at each farm site. Look for the parking signs with arrows off of M-22. You can either drive and park at each site or follow the groomed path to cross M-22. Portable restrooms are available at each location.
Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear is headquartered in and operates the Port Oneida Heritage Center at the Charles & Hattie Olsen farmstead, four miles north of Glen Arbor.
The Olsen farmhouse and barn have been preserved as museums, offering a glimpse into the historic life of the pioneers in the region. This rehabilitated pioneer homestead showcases the home’s original pantry, hardwood floors, and woodwork
Exhibits share information on Native American and pioneer settlers that settled in Port Oneida and the Manitou Islands from the 1800s to early 1900s. Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear also offers bicycle tours and wagon rides in the summer.
Evening Candlelight Hike
In the evening, come out for a special Candlelight Hike from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, March 22 at the Dechow Farm.
Visitors can take a self-guided hike along lantern-lit paths to a historic sugar shack. This 1-mile hike goes up a hill, across an uneven field to tapped maple trees, and then to the sugar shack.
Rangers and volunteers will be on hand to share information. Dress for the weather, as it’s still early spring with temperatures averaging 40-50 degrees.
The path for the hike at the Dechow Farm can be icy, depending on the conditions. The trail is roughly one-mile and does involve hiking up a hill. The event is free with a park pass and no advanced registration is required.
Learn more at phsb.org/maple-sugar-days or visit the National Lakeshore’s website. Check out the Sleeping Bear calendar for other events or to plan your visit.
Maple sugar season is celebrated throughout Michigan with various events. Michigan Maple Weekend 2025 is also taking place March 22-23 in the Northern Lower Peninsula and April 5-6 in the Upper Peninsula. You can find a list of all the participating farms and centers at MichiganMaple.org.
March means longer days and signs of spring, so it’s a great time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes during the shoulder season.
Marla R. Miller is a freelance travel writer, blogger, and content writer who enjoys exploring the Sleeping Bear area. Visit her website at marlarmiller.com.