Boasting 15 miles of Lake Michigan’s sandy southern shore that sits within view of a bustling metropolis, Indiana Dunes National Park provides a small sanctuary of natural habitat in the otherwise industrial powerhouse of the southern Great Lakes region.
Guide to Indiana Dunes
Indiana Dunes National Park
Many visitors come to Indiana Dunes simply to sunbathe, swim and picnic along the lakeshore, while others seek the hiking trails or a perhaps a winter snowshoe trek. Park visitation numbers are quite high, with more than 3.6 million visitors hitting the dunes in 2018, placing it just behind Yellowstone in terms park attendance.
Although its lakeside beaches may attract the greatest number of users, the park’s 15,000 acres of woodlands, wetlands, bogs, prairies, streams, oak savannas and of course, sand dunes, provide opportunities for exploration in a variety of habitats.
Such areas provide homes for an abundance of wildlife, including 370 species of birds, 46 mammals, 18 amphibians, 71 fish, 60 butterfly and 23 different reptiles, while botanists recognize the park’s wide diversity of plant-life, as the dunes are home to more than 1,100 different species of flowering plants and ferns.
Indiana Dunes National Park offers an opportunity to experience a small slice of wilderness that has been preserved among the towers of commerce that surround a stunning natural habitat which holds a brilliant shoreline, stunning sand dunes, and one of the most diverse arrays of plant life in all of our national parks.
Where is Indiana Dunes
Indiana Dunes National Park is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, about 50 miles east of Chicago, Illinois. The park holds a series of large sand dunes that lie scattered along some 15 miles of lake shore between Gary and Michigan City, Indiana.
The park is easily accessed by Interstate 94, and numerous routes lead into the park, which hugs the shoreline of the massive lake to the north. All of the park’s sites are located near the lake, and a park tour will likely consist of a drive along Hwy 12, which provides access to most of the park’s scenic destinations.
Exploring Indiana Dunes
Indiana Dunes is a complex park in the fact that its attractions lie separated by communities and industrial holdings. This is by no means a wilderness park. Most of the popular destinations here are within view of large billowing smokestacks and the dark decay of the post-industrial midwest.
The park stretches from east to west along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, and nearly all of the highlights are found close to the lake. A series of sand dunes rise up to 200 feet above the lake to the north. Within these sand dunes visitors will find a number of trails that lend passage into lush forests that have slowly overtaken the southern sides of the dunes.
Most visitors will be traveling by car, and will find little problem navigating the roadways that provide access to the park’s scenic features. For others, the South Shore Railroad Line provides public transport from nearby Chicago, and has four stops within the park.
Some visitors who arrive via rail may wish to bring their bike to get around the park. Check out the Indiana Dunes Visiting Page for more information on public transport in and around the park.
Mount Baldy
One of the park’s most visited features is Mount Baldy, rising 126 feet above the lakeshore at the park’s eastern boundary. Access to the dune summit is restricted for safety reasons, but rangers open the summit trail during weekends, holidays or for ranger-led activities. Check with the park visitor center to acquire a calendar of events for Mount Baldy during your visit.
Prior to 2013, Mount Baldy was open to public exploration. That was until July 12 of that year, when 13-year-old Nathan Woessner fell through an invisible stovepipe sinkhole, and was buried alive for more than three hours under more than 10 feet of sand. The young adventurer was recovered alive, and lived to tell the tale, but this led park officials to restrict access to the upper dune.
Such invisible sinkholes can appear in these dunes, usually in the hollow crevice left by a decaying tree that the shifting sands of these large dunes buried decades before. There may be no sign of the hollow shaft below, but the weight of a human traveler above may result in a sudden, collapse without warning. So yeah, use caution out here, and it may be wise to hike with a buddy or two.
The Mount Baldy beach is a nice place for sunrise, and is a relatively quiet destination for daytrippers. The beach itself is narrow and is butted tightly between the lake and the rising dune. The beach is accessed by a short wooded trail and offers two picnic shelters near the parking lot.
Century of Progress Homes
Situated along the beachfront near the Lake View and Dunbar Beach Access Points is a row of homes that appear somewhat out of place. These homes hold a specific curiosity that cannot be ignored.
The World’s Fair came to nearby Chicago in 1933, as the nation languished in the depths of the Great Depression. Termed the Century of Progress International Exposition, in honor of Chicago’s centennial, this fair sought to highlight technological innovation in an effort to showcase a brighter future during a time of intense economic struggle.
One of the displays included a Homes & Industrial Arts exhibit that advertised the future of architecture and home design. The homes included modern conveniences such as air conditioning, dishwashers and even an airplane hanger. While the airplane hanger has yet to become a mainstay of domicile modernity, the vision of the future was impressively accurate in many ways.
Following the fair, local developer Robert Bartlett arranged to transport the homes via barge from Chicago to Beverly Shores, a beachfront resort community he was building on the shore of Lake Michigan. Five of the homes were brought over and were constructed in what is today part of the national park.
The Beverly Shores development fell upon hard times, and by 1966, when the area became a national lakeshore, the homes had fell into disrepair. In 1986, the homes were added to the National Registry of Historic Places.
Nevertheless, the dilapidated structures continued to be ignored, leading Indiana Landmarks to lease the homes from the park service and initiate repairs. In the early 21st century, the homes were brought back into hospitable fashion, and were subsequently leased to residents.
Today the homes can be observed from Lake Front Drive, in the Beverly Shores area. Park travelers should keep in mind that these structures are private residences, and should respect the privacy of residents. Tours of these homes are available one day per year, and visitors interested in touring the homes should visit the Indiana Dunes Activities Page and scroll down to the Century of Progress Home Tour.
Indiana Dunes State Park
So yeah, in the middle of Indiana Dunes National Park, visitors find Indiana Dunes State Park. This area requires a separate entrance fee, but holds what may be considered the area’s most impressive dunes, or at least the area’s best trail through the dunes, with the 3 Dune Challenge.
The park consists of more than 2,000 acres and 3 miles of beachfront. The state park offers many of the same activities as does the national park, and has a nature center and a campground. For more information on the state park, check out their website.
Cowles Bog
The most untouched area of the park is the Cowles Bog, which is named for Dr. Henry Cowles, the 19th century scientist who first publicized the natural diversity of plant life found in the sand dunes. Much of his research was conducted in this area.
This area offers the most remote terrain in the park, and several distinct habitats are found in this region. Here visitors will find the Cowles Bog Trail, which weaves in and out of marshes, swamps, forests, savannas en route to a large beach with a nice view of an old steel mill which sits just to the west.
Bailly & Chellberg Farms
To the south of the Cowles Bog area visitors will find a couple of old homesteads that provide historic connection to the early and mid 19th century.
The Bailly Homestead is named for Honore Gratien Joseph Bailly de Messein, who was one of the first European settlers in the area and established an early fur-trading post here in 1822. This trading post became a major meeting point for traders and early travelers, providing the only services along the early trail between Chicago and Detroit. Today, it is the only remaining such site in the Calumet Region.
A short walk to the east leads visitors to the Chellberg Farm, which was the home of an early Swedish family who emigrated to the area in 1863 and purchased 40 acres here in 1869, and another 40 acres in 1874.
The grounds of the farm can be explored on foot, and the home is open to the public during festivals and can be toured on ranger-led tours. See the NPS Indiana Dunes website for more information about these tours.
NPS – Indiana Dunes – Bailly Homestead
NPS – Indiana Dunes – Chellberg Farm
Indiana Dunes History
Just over a one hundred years ago, park service director Stephen Mather suggested the formation of a national park to protect these lakeside dunes from massive industrial interests that hoped to take advantage of their convenient location, just 50 miles from the growing commercial center of Chicago, Illinois.
The great amount of sand held by the dunes was coveted by nearby glass making factories, lakeside steel mills wanted more accessible lands on which to build milling facilities, and shipping magnates wanted more ports along the lakeshore that were close to the city.
It took some time for the park to achieve the respected status that Mather had wished to bestow upon it. A 2,100 acre state park was created in 1926, and a surrounding area was given protection when it was announced to be Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in 1966.
Finally, following Congressional approval in early 2019, the signature of President Donald J. Trump marked the end of a battle began by the first director of the National Park Service, more than a century ago.
Dr. Henry Chandler Cowles
Scientific study of the intricate ecology at Indiana Dunes began in the late 1890s when University of Chicago Professor and internationally renowned botanist, Dr. Henry Chandler Cowles, initiated research into dune plants in an effort to understand how dynamic geology, or changing land forms, affects plant communities.
“There are few places on our continent where so many species of plants are found, in so small compass… …this is in part because of the wide diversity of conditions prevailing here.”
Dr. Henry Chandler Cowles – 1896
Indiana Dunes would become one of the more important laboratories in the study of ecology, because as Dr. Cowles pointed out, the rapidly changing land masses here were instrumental to such studies.
The Great Lakes
The unique dunes that rise here today, are direct result of their proximity to Lake Michigan, on whose southern shore they rest. One of the five Great Lakes, this lake has a surface area covering some 22,000 square miles. Together, these lakes form the largest freshwater source in the world. Lake Superior, the largest of these lakes, alone holds 10% of the world’s freshwater.
Needless to say, these lakes hold great power and the lands along their shoreline are often formed by the forces exerted by these giant bodies of water. Indiana Dunes is an example of the lake’s influence on surrounding lands.
The lake, it turn, is the result of past glacial periods that buried this area of the midwest under sheets of ice that were up to 6,000 feet thick. The most recent of these, the Wisconsin glaciation, ended some 14,000 years ago, and its slow retreat left behind what would eventually become the Great Lakes. At the glacier’s southern terminus, it left behind what geologists call, terminal moraine, or debris in the form or boulders, rock and sand that form the rolling hills of northwestern Indiana.
The water levels of Lake Michigan fluctuate greatly, and over time, lake currents have washed sands from the northern areas of the lake to the south. When water levels rise, the sands are deposited higher, and when water levels retreat, the sands are left behind to be sculpted by the prevailing winds that sweep them into the towering mounds we find today.
The Sand Dunes
Indiana Dunes is unique compared to many other dune areas in the park system, such as Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, or the Eureka Dunes of Death Valley National Park, in California.
Here, the dunes are smaller, and are in most places, wooded with forests or covered by grasses, as opposed to the tall clean dunes seen in these other parks which feature dunes that are largely, free of vegetative growth.
A variety of dune ecosystems exists here that includes open beaches, grass covered dunes, dunes covered by woody shrubs, pine-forested dunes, oak-forested dunes, oak savannas, prairies, bogs and swamps that together form the ecological makeup of the park.
Dunes here rise to nearly 200 feet in height above the southern shores of the lake, and are arranged in a series of ridges, blowouts and valleys, with wetland bogs and swamps filling areas of depression between dune ridges. Dunes along the shoreline are the youngest, while those that lie further inland are older.
Types of Dunes
There are two types of dunes here: blowout and foredunes:
Foredunes
Foredunes develop first and are found close to shore, running parallel to the beach. They are commonly found in areas where the wind has been diverted over or around plants, trees, or other obstacles.
Rising to heights ranging from 50 to 75 feet high, they usually become covered by vegetation, such as marram grass. These dunes generally become stable, due to the plant-life’s ability to hold the sand together, slowly encouraging more growth.
Blowout Dunes
Blowout dunes are formed when erosive forces act upon a tall dune. This can be done by strong winds, pounding surf, fire or any disturbance to the structural integrity of the dune, such as people or wildlife. Such actions effectively blow the top off of the tall dune.
Soon, winds create a bowl in the dune’s side, loose grains of sand are lifted and redistributed, creating a “living dune” which can move several feet per year. Mount Baldy, at the park’s eastern boundary is an example of this type of dune.
Playtime
There are a number of activities that lead visitors to Indiana Dunes. Nearly all of the hiking trails here are short and the description of “strenuous” may be considered ridiculous by mountain-bred hikers who pursue such activities in more physically demanding parks.
Hiking at Indiana Dunes
Nevertheless, Indiana Dunes holds more than 50 miles of trail, and if combined with the 2,100 acre Indiana Dunes State Park (separate fee), which is somehow nestled in the middle of the national park, hikers can add the “3 Dune Challenge” to their itinerary.
This 1.7 mile hike is considered the most “strenuous” in the connected parks and requires a combined elevation gain of more than 550 feet in route to the summits of Mount Jackson (176 feet above lakeshore), Mount Holden (184 feet) and Mount Tom (192 feet). You may find yourself breathing hard if you really get after it…
The Glenwood Dunes Trail offers the longest routes for hikers, and horseback travel is allowed on some segments. The trail consists of a series of loops that can be combined to build a journey of more than 15 miles that wind through forested dune ridges, wetlands and prairies, making it a favorite of runners and hikers alike.
Another option is a ranger-led stroll to the top of Mount Baldy, which at 126 feet tall is the park’s largest moving dune, shifting 4-10 feet per year due to prevailing winds. This dune provides a great view of Lake Michigan, along with the billowing smokestacks of an industrial power plant just to the east of the dune, reminding visitors why efforts to preserve the dunes were originally initiated.
A series of other trails offers rewarding hiking opportunities in any season. If there is sufficient snow during winter months, (4-6 inches minimum), snowshoeing and cross country skiing is a great way to make one’s way through the park’s trail system, while spring wildflowers can be viewed during leisurely strolls along the Little Calumet River in April and May. Summer can be hot, inviting a break from sunbathing with a swim in the cool waters of Lake Michigan and fall brings colors that beckon visitors into the deciduous forests that blanket the dunes south of the lake.
See the Park Junkie Activities Page for a complete guide to hiking in Indiana Dunes National Park.
Kayaking at Indiana Dunes
Kayaking along the shore of the lake is popular, and since the 2011 creation of the Lake Michigan Water Trail, a 1,638 mile trail for paddlers that traces the shoreline of Lake Michigan, the numbers of boaters that take to the water here have increased. Launching personal hand-carried, non-motorized watercraft is permitted from any beach area within the park, except from West Beach’s swimming area.
Lake Michigan is an incredibly powerful body of water, and conditions can turn quickly become dangerous, even on what seems to be a nice, calm day. So be prepared and always use a certified personal flotation device. Canoeing is common on the Little Calumet River, but due to the regularity of rough conditions on the lake, it is usually not advised.
Biking at Indiana Dunes
An easy way to get around in the park is by bicycle, as a variety of trails connect to provide more than 37 miles of mostly paved trails, that run across the park. Trails that range from 1.8 miles to more than 11 miles give options and of course, connecting the trails allows a ride to last either one hour, or the entire day.
See the Park Junkie Activities Page for more information on things to do in Indiana Dunes.
Camping at Indiana Dunes
Camping is available at the Dunewood Campground, which has 54 drive-in and 12 walk-in sites. The state park has a campground as well, which provides an additional 140 sites. There are no lodging facilities inside the park, however a substantial number of hotels are available in the neighboring towns of Gary and MIchigan City.
See the Indiana Dunes Visiting page from more information.
Park Junkie Verdict
Indiana Dunes is another of our recent, somewhat controversial adoptees into the national park club. While the park can not quite offer what the western parks offer in terms of wilderness, adventure and solitude, it does offer the opportunity to explore a uniquely diverse ecosystem in an area otherwise inundated by smokestacks and industry.
For the record, this park lacks much of what many Park Junkies seek in a national park. While there are a great array of plants and a massive amount of sand, the park’s small size and unfortunate location, nestled in between an active power plant, an old steel mill, and another power plant, greatly complicate any exercise of “natural experience”.
Further, the absence of any form of continuity between Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes State Park may lead to confusion and frustration for the common visitor. Admission to the national park does not equal admission to the state park, which holds the area’s coolest hike, the 3 Dune Challenge. The state park is located smack in the middle of the national park…
C’mon… we can do better. Take a look at Redwood National and State Parks in California for pointers.
Nevertheless, there are some nice trails here and I do recommend that visitors make up their own mind. Block off a couple of days, grab a site at the Dunewood Campground and go check out Indiana Dunes National Park. It can provide a welcome relief from the nearby bustling world of everyday life…
It may turn out that you really dig the place.
See you there…
Guide to Indiana Dunes
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