General information about the National Park
The Indiana Dunes NP is a national park in the northern part of Indiana. Established February 15, 2019, the park protects an area of almost 61km² on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The park is over 15mi long, but only a few miles wide.
Number of visitors
In 2023, Indiana Dunes NP ranked 13th in the visitor statistics of the most visited national parks.
Best time to visit: May to October
Our visits:
So far 1 Besuch: September 2024
Entrance fees and opening hours
- 25$/car and all passengers valid for 7 days
- Covered by the Anual Pass*
- Open all year round.
*The Anual Pass is so to speak the "flat rate" for all Parks managed by the National Park Service. The pass costs a one-time fee of $80 and can be purchased at the entrance to each National Park, National Monument, etc. The pass is valid for 13 months.
Mt.Baldy - Beach Trail
Description: Mount Baldy is the highest dune within the Indiana Dunes National Park. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan and is around 130feet high. It is a moving dune that is constantly shifting. The dune can only be climbed as part of a guided ranger tour. Without this tour, however, you can walk the short trail to Baldy Beach. The trail is only a few hundred feet long but leads over more or less deep sand both uphill and downhill.
Our rating: Nice little trail that leads over a dune to one of the beaches on Lake Michigan. Here you can also see the contrast between the industrial plants and the national park in the immediate vicinity.
Lake View
Description: Lake View is one of the viewpoints along E Lake Front Dr. Here, too, there is a beautiful beach and, with a bit of luck, you can also catch a glimpse of the Chicago skyline.
Our rating: A nice stop to stretch your legs.
Centrury of Progress Architectural District
Description: The Century of Progress Architectural District is a historic district within the Indiana Dunes NP. The district includes five buildings, all from the “Homes of Tomorrow” exhibit at the 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair in Chicago. Intended to showcase the future of housing, the Century of Progress Homes reflect a variety of designs, experimental materials and new technologies. On June 30, 1986, the district was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Our rating: This is also a nice stop on the drive along E Lake Front Dr. The houses are not particularly spectacular, but offer nice opportunities to take photos. It would probably have been a lot more interesting if we had been there at the weekend, when you can visit the houses as part of a guided ranger tour.
West Beach
Description: West Beach offers a combination of hiking and relaxing on the beach. There are various hiking trails that can also be combined. From the top of the stairs of the Dune Succession Trail you have a great view of the dunes and Lake Michigan. After the hike, you can relax on the beach or go for a swim.
Our rating: It was a little too cold for swimming during our visit, but we still really enjoyed West Beach. The spectacular view of Chicago was especially great. You could almost have gotten the impression that the skyscrapers were growing out of the lake.
