Experience these sightsat Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: waves crashing on sandy beaches, Karner Blue butterflies landing on wild lupines, sweaty draft horses working the Chellberg Farm fields, peaceful silence lingering along winter trails, and Bank swallows flying from their nest inside the dunes.
The Basics
Hours:
Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center Open 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The building is located near the southeast corner of U.S. Highways 49 and 20. Shared with the Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission and Indiana Dunes State Park visitors receive information about the Indiana dunes and surrounding area.
Calumet Dune Interpretive Center This building, located at the corner of Highway 12 and Kemil Road, served as the national lakeshore's visitor center for many years. Today, it is operated as an Interpretive Center for scheduled programs for the public and education groups.
Calumet Dune, Ly-co-ki-we, and Dunewood Trace trails and parking lot are open from 7 a.m. till dusk, daily. They have restrooms and informational signs.
West Beach Bath House 9 a.m. - dusk from Memorial Day weekend till Labor Day; a user fee is charged.
$6.00 per car per day $1.00 bicyclists/walk-ins per day * $30.00 per bus per day
Park Headquarters
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
Address:
1100 North Mineral Springs Road
Porter, IN 46304
Phone:
219-926-7561
Directions
Visitors can access the national lakeshore via I-94, the Indiana Toll Road, I-80/90, U.S. Highway 20, Indiana State Highway 12, and various state roads. The Visitor Center is located off of Indiana Highway 49 between U.S. Highway 20 and Interstate 94, Chesterton, Indiana. The majority of the national lakeshore facilities can be accessed off of U.S. Highway 12. As you travel on nearby highways, watch for the large brown signs that will direct you to the national lakeshore's different areas.
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Climate
The national lakeshore's weather is greatly affected by Lake Michigan and can change quickly. Summers are generally in the mid-80s°F (30C) with lows in the mid-60s°F (18C). There are about 15 days per year above 90°F (32C). Highs in winter are usually in the low to mid 30s°F (0C) with low temperatures in the low 20s°F (-5C). There are about 15 days per year below 0°F (-18C). Winters tend to be cloudy except for periods of extreme cold when skies are clear.
Reservations not accepted for camping. Picnic shelter can be reserved for $25.
Things To Do
The sounds of waves massaging the soft warm sand beaches of Lake Michigan, has it always been this way? What would the sands of time tell us if they could speak? Citizens holding signs, politicians giving speeches, industrialists demanding a decision, what was to become of this place? Would it be turned into an industrial complex with thousands of jobs and tax dollars for the surrounding communities? Could environmentalists convince congress to turn it into a national park? Politicians had a tough choice to make; a struggle ensued over who would control the southern shore of Lake Michigan.
Joseph Bailly, Anders Kjellberg, Stephen Mather, Frank V. Dudley, Dorothy Buell, and others came to the southern shore of Lake Michigan and discovered what the Potawatomis knew long ago--the dunes are more than just sand and beaches. More than 1,400 vascular plants species are distributed about the 15,000 acres of dunes, marshes, woodlands, river, and bog.
Botanist Dr. Henry Chandler Cowles wrote, “The Indiana dunes are a common meeting ground of trees and wildflowers from all directions.” Today, the park is a common meeting ground for people from around the world who are discovering the many wonders of Indiana dunes. We certainly hope our website will inspire you to come and explore the dunes yourself.
Picknicking
Tables are provided at Mount Baldy and Inland Marsh Overlook.
Tables are provided at the below locations. Cooking fires are permitted in the provided grills or approved grills in the following areas only:
Charcoal must be cooled and safely disposed of in a noncombustible container or removed from the area. Shelters and restrooms are located at West Beach, Bailly-Chellberg Visitor Center, Lake View, and Tremont areas.
*An approved grill is a noncombustible container with an enclosed bottom and enclosed sides with a minimum depth of 2 inches.
Hiking
A wide variety of hiking trails traverse the various habitats of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The varying lengths and difficulty levels make it easy to choose the trail that’s right for you; from a short easy stroll to a challenging all-day trek. Trail maps are available at the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center. Here are some highlights of the park’s trails:
Bailly Homestead & Chellberg Farm Trail – Moderate; two loops; 2.5 miles through beautiful woods and old fields; connects the historic areas. Southeast of the homestead, the Little Calumet River Trail will add 2.2 miles. Excellent for spring wildflowers and fall colors.
Calumet Dune Trail – Accessible, paved .8 mile. Follows the Calumet Dune Ridge behind the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center (Calumet Dune Interpretive Center).
Cowles Bog Trail – Moderate to rugged; two trail heads; 3 loops; 5 miles. Features include interdunal ponds, marshes, stand of northern white cedars, forested dunes, foredunes, and open beach. A great way to experience several different habitats. Excellent for fall colors.
Dunewood Trace – Easy to moderate; 1.8 mile linear trail. Follows along wet woods between the Dunewood Campground and Kemil Road. Ends near the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center (Calumet Dune Interpretive Center).
Heron Rookery Trail – Easy to moderate; 2 mile (one-way) linear trail running parallel to the river on the south side. Forested watershed, reclaimed farmland, excellent bird watching, and spring wildflowers. CAUTION: The trail can be eroded in spots; watch your footing. REMEMBER: The north side of the river is a bird sanctuary. Entry to the north side of the river is prohibited.
Inland Marsh Trail - Moderate; two loops; 3 miles. Trail skirts the edge of a marsh and crosses through an oak savanna. Excellent for bird watching.
Ly-co-ki-we and Horse Trail - Moderate; two trail heads. Series of loops, up to 6.4 miles. Horseback riding permitted March 16 through December 14. Trail winds through climax black oak forested dune ridges, wetlands, and reclaimed prairie. Pets are prohibited. The linear Ly-co-ki-we extension will add 1.2 miles.
Miller Woods Trail - Easy; 1.5 mile trail around a lovely wetland and through Miller Woods. Features include wetlands and black oak savanna.
Pinhook Bog Trail - Easy; 0.75 mile trail through Indiana's only "true" bog. Available by ranger-guided tour only. Tour details can be obtained at the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center.
West Beach Trail - Easy to moderate; two loops, 2.5 miles. The Dune Succession Trail adds a moderate extra mile starting at the beach. The Succession Trail is temporarily closed for repairs. Dunes, woods, prairie, Long Lake, and ponds.
Located at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, the national lakeshore is an important feeding and resting area for migrating birds. Lake Michigan influences the migration patterns of bird species. During the fall migration southbound birds follow the north-south shoreline and are funneled into the Indiana Dunes. Also, the large expanse of open water and miles of shoreline can attract large numbers of wintering birds.
The Indiana Dunes provides an excellent opportunity for birders to see a variety of bird species. Birders can observe hawks during migration from the top of a sand dune, watch waterfowl with a spotting scope from the shoreline, or look for wetland birds in remnant sections of the Great Marsh. Whether you have beginner or advanced identification skills, the Indiana Dunes is a great place for birders.
Horseback Riding
The Ly-co-ki-we Trail is the only horse trail. Horseback riding is prohibited on all roads. There is no horse rental concession. The trail is open to horses from March 16 through December 14, unless there is sufficient snow cover for cross-country skiing. In the parking lot and picnic area, all horse excrement must be bagged, removed from the area, and disposed of appropriately.
Hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing are popular. Visitors must bring their own snowshoes and cross-country skis, as there are no rentals available.
The best option for cross-country skiing is the Ly-co-ki-we Trail. The 6.4-mile trail is a series of interconnecting loops through gently rolling wooded dunes. This trail can be accessed from either the Calumet Dune Interpretive Center (old Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center) or the nearby Ly-co-ki-we Trailhead parking lot. The 3-mile Inland Marsh Trail is a good choice for advanced skiers. There are some difficult hills that can be tricky to navigate. A six-inch snow base is recommended for skiing. Trails are not groomed.
Hikers and visitors using snowshoes are asked to walk to the right of the cross-country ski tracks whenever possible.
Sledding and snowmobiling are not permitted.
Shelf Ice
Shelf ice often forms along the edge of Lake Michigan during periods of cold weather. Don’t be fooled! Despite its appearance, the shelf ice is not solid. In fact, due to the way it is formed, the shelf ice has numerous air pockets. It can be difficult to tell where the ice ends and the beach begins. Don't walk on the shelf ice! A person applying even a small amount of weight on the ice can easily fall through and into frigid water that can quickly kill. Enjoy the beautiful and unique ice formations from the safety of solid ground.
