National Park Trekkers
Beach Indiana Dunes
All parks
Indiana. Established 2019.

Indiana Dunes

Lake Michigan beaches, tall sand dunes and surprising plant diversity near Chicago

Beach grass and sand along Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes.Photo by Gigin Krishnan on Unsplash
Hours
Most areas 6 am to 11 pm daily
Entry
$25 per car
Reservations
Not required
Size
15,349 acres

Indiana Dunes Weather Now

Loading the forecast for Indiana Dunes…

Indiana Dunes protects about 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline plus dunes, wetlands, prairies and forests at the southern tip of the lake. The dunes formed from sand left behind by retreating glaciers and blown inland by the wind. Botanist Henry Cowles studied plant succession here around 1900, helping launch the science of ecology. It became a national lakeshore in 1966 and the country's 61st national park in 2019.

The park packs more than 1,100 native plant species into a small area, making it one of the most biologically diverse parks in the system. It is also unusual because steel mills, towns and a state park sit right next to wild beaches. Mount Baldy, a living dune, moves inland about 4 feet a year. Summer is beach season, while spring and fall bring big bird migrations along the lakeshore.

The park and surrounding area

ChicagoGaryEvanstonMichigan CityIndiana Dunes
  • Park boundary
  • Other parks
  • Major highway
  • Road
  • Rivers and lakes
  • Town

Plan your trip

Best time to go
June through September is best for swimming and beach days, while May and September through October bring migrating birds, wildflowers and fewer crowds.
How long to stay
One day covers a beach and a couple of trails; two days lets you add Cowles Bog, the historic sites and a sunset.
Getting there
Chicago Midway (MDW) is about 1 hour away, Chicago O'Hare (ORD) about 1.5 hours and South Bend (SBN) about 1 hour; the South Shore Line commuter train also stops near the park.
Wildlife
Look for white-tailed deer, great blue herons, sandhill cranes in migration, red foxes and hundreds of bird species.

Plan and book

Some links below are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works

Where to stay

Tours and activities

What to pack for Indiana Dunes

A first day, start to finish

  1. Indiana Dunes Visitor Center
  2. West Beach and Dune Succession Trail
  3. Cowles Bog Trail
  4. Mount Baldy beach trail
  5. Sunset on the beach at Kemil Beach

Don't miss

  • West Beach and Dune Succession TrailA swimming beach with a bathhouse, plus a loop trail and long stairway that climbs the dunes for wide Lake Michigan views.
  • Mount BaldyA large moving dune near Michigan City; the 0.75-mile beach trail is open daily and the summit is open only on ranger-led hikes.
  • Cowles Bog TrailA loop of about 4.7 miles through wetlands, forest and dunes that ends at a quiet stretch of beach.
  • Paul H. Douglas Center and Miller WoodsA nature center in Gary with an easy trail through rare black oak savanna to the lakeshore.
  • Bailly Homestead and Chellberg FarmA 1820s fur trader's homestead and a Swedish family farm linked by an easy wooded trail.

Know before you go

Do

  • Check beach and rip current conditions before swimming, since lifeguards may not be on duty.
  • Arrive early on summer weekends, when West Beach parking can fill.
  • Take the South Shore Line train from Chicago to reach the park car-free.

Don't

  • Climb on closed dunes or leave marked trails, because dune plants are fragile.
  • Expect your national park pass to work at Indiana Dunes State Park, which charges its own fee.
  • Bring glass or build fires on the beach.

Most public areas are open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm. West Beach and Porter Beach close at 9:00 pm, Kemil Beach is open 24 hours, and Portage Lakefront closes overnight except for fishing. Dunewood Campground is open April 1 through November 1.

Climb the Dune Succession Trail at West Beach late in the day for a sunset view, and on clear days you can see the Chicago skyline.Trekker's tip