Indiana Dunes National Park
Did you know that Indiana had a beach or two or three you could enjoy? Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes State Park stretch along the southern shores of Lake Michigan. The parks offer some of the most diverse habitats in the nation, whether you’re heading to the beach for a swim or hiking the trails in the serene forests and towering sand dunes. Since the Indiana Dunes State Park basically sits inside the National Park, you will (most likely) visit both parks on your trip. The Indiana Dunes State Park has a $12 entrance fee for out-of-state vehicles. The Indiana Dunes National Park was free when we visited, but starting March 31st, 2022, the park will have an entry fee for the first time ever. The Indiana Dunes was reclassified from a National Lakeshore to a National Park in 2019. Since its name change, the National Park has doubled the number of visitors they see every year.
how TO SPEND 1 DAY AT INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK
Since Indiana Dunes is a smaller national park, we were able to do all the hikes and sites we wanted to see in one day. Here's how we spent our time:
The Night Before
We drove to Portage Lakefront to enjoy the sunset. To our surprise, there was a pavilion with concessions. We enjoyed some snacks and a few drinks. We walked along the boardwalk before walking down to the beach. If you decide to check out the lakefront for sunset, we suggest getting there early because the parking lot is very small and fills up fast!
Stop 1 - Indiana Dunes Visitor Center
First, we visited the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center. There you can take a picture of the park sign, get your passport stamped, or check in with the rangers about hiking options or events. There were some neat events to do at night, but we were not able to attend any. If you have more time to spend at the Dunes, we highly suggest attending one of the many different offerings.
Stop 2 - Mt. Baldy Area
We hiked the beach trail, which is steep. Due to erosion in the area, the trail to the summit is closed. There are ranger-led hikes that you can learn about at the visitor center. As we worked our way along the shoreline to our next hike, we drove along the Lakefront Dr. and saw the 1933 Century of Progress Homes that were built for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Although they were built to demonstrate modern architecture and new technologies then, many of the homes still remain modern-looking today.
Stop 3 - Indiana Dunes State Park
Our next hike took us out of the National Park and into Indiana Dunes State Park. The park does have a fee, but you can leave and come back if you would like. The park has some of the tallest dunes in the area, resulting in the 3 Dune Challenge. With around 552 vertical feet of climbing and 1.5 miles in the sand, the 3 Dune Challenge is quite the workout. If you wish, you can even hike barefoot. How often can you do that? If you are up for the challenge, we highly suggest it. It felt amazing every time we climbed a higher dune and the views were well worth it. When you finish, you can stop by the state park’s visitor center to get a free sticker celebrating your accomplishment!
Stop 4 - Dune Succession Trail
After visiting the state park, we went back to the National Park side to hike the Dune Succession Trail. There was a small entrance fee as well to park in the West Beach Parking lot. This short loop is also known as the Diana of the Dunes Dare. This hiking challenge dares you to be like dune advocate Alice Mabel Gray, or Diana of the Dunes, as you enjoy the history, ecology, and preservation of the dunes. Once complete, don’t forget to stop back by the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center or Paul H. Douglas Center to get your badge of honor in the form of stickers!
Once we were done hiking, we decided to go back to the Indiana Dunes State Park and relax on the beach. There is a beach at the end of the Dune Succession Trail, but it was very crowded so we took a chance at the other beach. Although, the winds were too strong while we were there and we could not go swimming in Lake Michigan.
Where to stay?
We chose to stay at an Airbnb near Portage, but we did stumble across the cutest and quirkiest little town: Chesterton! When visiting, be sure to check out the town’s shops and restaurants.
