Empire Bluffs Trail climbs through wildflower-filled beech-maple forest to reach a high bluff offering panoramic Lake Michigan views that photographers return to season after season. The 1.5-mile roundtrip hike (moderate with some elevation) ends at a wooden boardwalk and observation deck 400 feet above the shoreline, with sight lines spanning from Platte Bay to the Sleeping Bear dune plateau.

Spring hikers find the forest floor covered in trillium and other wildflowers, while sunset visitors bring flashlights for meteor shower viewing under remarkably dark skies. The accessible trail near Empire includes benches for rest stops and connects to the Treat Farm Trail for those seeking extended hiking through this designated wilderness area.