🥾 Mount Baldy Summit (0.75 miles, 100 feet elev. gain): This hike can only be done as part of guided ranger programs. Since Mount Baldy is a “living dune,” access is restricted for the preservation of the dune and safety of visitors. Ranger-led summit hikes can be found on the park calendar.
🥾 Cowles Bog Trail (4.3 miles, 216 feet elev. gain): This trail guides visitors through varied ecosystems, including ponds, marshes, forests, and the beach.
🥾 Paul H. Douglas Trail thru Miller Woods (3.5 miles, 124 feet elev. gain): This trail begins with elevated walkways, guides hikers through forests and around ponds, and ends at the beach.
🥾 West Beach Trails (3.5 miles, 255 feet elev. gain): The NPS suggests combining the West Beach, Dune Succession, and Long Beach hikes to result in this longer, varied hike near the Lake Michigan shoreline. Prepare to trudge through sand, across dunes, and up stairs.
🥾 Dune Ridge (0.7 miles, 88 feet elev. gain): This short but steep hike gives some of the best “bang for your buck” in the national park. A climb up a dune offers brief exposure to several of the park’s diverse ecosystems, complete with a great view of the Great Marsh from its namesake ridge.
🥾 Great Marsh (1.4 miles, flat): Birding enthusiasts will enjoy this easy, flat trail that meanders through a marsh inhabited by many of Indiana Dunes’ numerous bird species.
🥾 The Three-Dune Challenge (1.8 miles, 366 feet elev. gain): Located within Indiana Dunes State Park – which charges a separate entrance fee – this hike is short but challenging. It ascends the “peaks” of three dunes in the park: Mount Tom, Mount Jackson, and Mount Holden. It’s great fun for those looking for a workout, in the form of trudging up sifting sand dunes.

⛺ Camping: Dunewood Campground is the only developed campground in the park. Dunewood offers a holistic nature-filled experience in Indiana Dunes.
🏖️ Beach Day: Since the park sits on the shores of Lake Michigan, it is common for visitors to seek a beach day within the park boundaries. Bring your beach towel, swimsuit, umbrella, and sunscreen and lay out by the water. This activity is best enjoyed in the summer, since Lake Michigan can be quite cold. Be mindful of rip currents.
🚴 Biking: Indiana Dunes features a collection of well-paved bike trails that traverse the length of the park. The longest trails in and around the park are the Calumet Trail (19 miles round trip, gravel surface) and the Prairie Duneland Trail (22.4 miles round trip, paved surface).
🐦 Bird Watching: There are many birds that can be found at Indiana Dunes, particularly in the marshy, swampy areas of the park. Hawks, waterfowl, and a variety of wetland birds are all common within park boundaries. Bring your binoculars!

🏖️ Indiana Dunes State Park: This state park can be found within the confines of the identically named national park. If you’re looking for a typical beach-going experience, the state park is the place to be.
🏖️ Warren Dunes State Park: Sitting about 45 minutes to the northeast of Indiana Dunes, Warren Dunes provides a chance to explore a higher concentration of tall, steep, and fun dunes than what can be found at Indiana Dunes. On two occasions, I’ve created a weekend trip that combined a visit to Warren Dunes with Indiana Dunes, which felt like the perfect pairing.
🏙️ New Buffalo: This small lakeside resort town sits between Indiana Dunes and Warren Dunes and features a collection of shops, bars, and local restaurants. It’s a fantastic place to spend an evening and watch a sunset. Check out The Stray Dog Bar & Grill and Beer Church if you visit.
🏙️ Chicago: The Windy City can be easily seen from the shores of Indiana Dunes, and sits about an hour’s drive from the national park. The city needs no introduction.

📅 When to Visit: Indiana Dunes sees its most pleasant and reliable weather in the spring and fall seasons, which is when hiking tends to be ideal. If you want to hit the beach, plan to visit in the summer when Lake Michigan is the warmest.
⌚ How Long to Visit: A weekend is the perfect amount of time to spend at Indiana Dunes, as this will allow you to hit the park’s highlights and potentially squeeze in a visit to some of its nearby attractions.
🚗 How to Get There: Indiana Dunes is easiest to access and navigate by car. If you live nearby, however, you can easily bike into and around the park.
🛏️ Where to Stay: If you’re looking for a camping experience within the park, look no further than Dunewood Campground. If you want a motel or Airbnb, the nearby towns like Michigan City, New Buffalo, and Chicago offer plenty of options for lodging.
🧳 What to Bring: Pack your usual hiking and camping gear if seeking a typical, adventurous national park experience. Beach-goers will need bathing suits, towels, and sunscreen. Hikers should bring bug spray, protection against poison ivy (long pants and Tecnu), and water containers.

✅ DO check the time zone. Indiana Dunes sits in a small pocket of Indiana that operates in Central Time, so it is easy to confuse the time zone if visiting from the north, east, or south.
✅ DO familiarize yourself with poison ivy. The infamous plant is common in the park, and you will do yourself a favor if you can recognize it and avoid touching it.
❌ DON’T underestimate the power of Lake Michigan’s waters, as rip currents are known to injure and endanger swimmers. Check with a park ranger before taking a swim.