Indiana Dunes National Park contains 15 miles of preserved Lake Michigan shoreline. The rugged windswept sand dunes that hug the Great Lakes region are just as dynamic as the waters themselves.

The Great Lakes hold approximately 21% of the world’s surface freshwater and 84% of North America’s surface water. This incredible freshwater system is comprised of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario.

Located just an hour away from Chicago, Indiana Dunes National Park consists of 15,000 acres of diverse dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers, and forests. 

The industrial region outside of the national park is bustling with crisscrossed railroads, steel manufacturing plants, and the Port of Indiana. The sand around the lake was prized by glass-makers for its unique quality--the minerals in some deposits produce beautiful blue glass. Some of the most significant dunes have disappeared over the years. Preserved sand dunes like the park’s protected 120-foot Mount Baldy, provide a glimpse into what the shoreline used to look like when it was formed by glaciers thousands of years ago. 

Approximately 1,100 flowering plant species and ferns make their homes here. The depressions between the dune ridges contain wet low-lying bog areas which hide carnivorous pitcher plants, cinnamon ferns, and pink lady's slipper orchids. On the lakeside, the 350+ species of birds that flit overhead include sandhill cranes, plovers, sandpipers, and seagulls. In fact, Indiana Dunes’ rich biological diversity has been ranked fourth among all of our national parks!

EXPLORING INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK-

North America’s Great Lakes are called many names, including the Inland Seas or the Great Unsalted Seas. These vast expanses of freshwater have played a critical role in our nation’s trade and development. Indiana Dunes is a great place to see the beautiful southern shores of Lake Michigan. Adam and I enjoyed staying at the state park campsite, which was within walking distance to the beachfront. When the sky is clear, you can even see the Chicago skyline from across the lake! 

The 3 Dune Challenge at the neighboring state park was great fun. This 1.5 mile course involved hiking up three of the park’s tallest sand dunes, many with steep 40-degree slopes! We scaled the sandy dunes of Mount Jackson (elevation 176 feet), Mount Holden (184 feet), and Mount Tom (192 feet). We definitely had to pause for breath on these sandy, vertical climbs! The challenge of getting to the top, made the vistas that much more rewarding.

We hiked about 4.5 miles of the Cowles Bog trail--named after North America’s “Father of Plant Ecology” Dr. Henry Cowles. Adam and I were fascinated by the rich biodiversity here, you can quickly see why this area has been the focus of so much scientific study. Bullfrogs croak noisily, red-winged blackbirds lurk in the reeds, snakes slither through the mud, and wildflowers blanket the slopes in color. It is quite a long walk to the beach front, but the views and less crowded shoreline are worth the trek. We quickly learned that the clouds of mosquitoes that live here are particularly friendly and LOVE visitors. (Apply plenty of bug spray!!)

The West Beach Succession Loop #1 trail was more crowded than some of the other trails, but it was one of our favorites as it provided a great overview of many of the environments within the park. It was a fairly easy and short hike but covered a lot of ground. The boardwalk includes a 270 step climb which provides fantastic views. Perfect trail to get a quick but lovely overview of the major ecosystems within the park and easily access the beach.

OUR FAVORITE PLACES-

#1: Three Dune Challenge (moderately challenging climb; rewarding view of the sand dunes and the surrounding landscape; interesting view of the forest)

#3: Cowles Bog Trail (longer and more comprehensive hike; more isolated and quiet waterfront beach area; interesting overview of bog, forest, dunes, and all ecosystems; definitely wear bug spray!)

#2: West Beach Succession Boardwalk (very easy trail; nice climb and excellent view of the ecosystem changes; waterfront beach is a bit crowded/popular for swimming, but if you walk further enough you can find a good spot)

MISADVENTURES-

Beware of the clouds of mosquitoes that take residence in the moist low-lying bog areas during the day at Cowles Bog and at dawn/dusk everywhere else. Summertime in the wetlands is an all-you-can-eat buffet for skeeters and you’re always on the menu! Wear long-sleeved clothes and apply generous amounts of bug repellant if you want to enjoy the scenery without getting eaten alive. We forgot to do that once and had to flee back to our car to change. If you go past the point of no-return on the trail before realizing this… your best chance is to out-run the hungry hordes and keep jogging. You’d think we would have learned our lessons from Florida swamps by now....

Definitely pay attention to maps as well. It can be easy to get lost on these windswept beach dune trails… on one of our hikes, we accidentally took the wrong path back from the beach and ended up walking on an asphalt road in a gated neighborhood for a solid mile and a half in order to return to the main trail-head. As Floridians, we love walking on beaches in sandals. But these dunes are quite a hike--you will be happier in sneakers, even if you have to shake out a boatload of sand every so often.

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK STATISTICS-

Established: February 2019    /      Size: 15,349 acres

Annual Visitors: 2.1 million     /       Location: Indiana

We found Indiana Dunes National Park to be a strikingly beautiful natural wonder. Like Cuyahoga, this area is less remote and has more industrial zones than some of the other parks. But this industrial heritage is also an interesting part of our country’s history and current economy. Between scaling sand dunes, swimming in the Lake Michigan, and hiking the forested trails, there is plenty to appreciate about Indiana Dunes. Each sand dune contains a plethora of life… the ecosystem changes based on elevation, wind exposure, and moisture. It was spectacular to see how dramatically the landscape changed as we explored each side of the dunes. We recommend taking the time to discover its many charms.

~Safe Travels, Nathalie

850 miles traveled and 2 national parks explored