2021 Sep-Indiana Dunes NP

Sunday, Sep 5

Weather: Really nice September day, 80 deg, sunny, light breeze.

The Drive: We left a little after 10am and did not run into any significant traffic. The drive was about 95 miles to the NP visitor center and took about 2 hrs.

The Ranger at the visitor center told us the line into the state park(embedded in the Nat Park) was an hour which was where I had planned to hike. He suggested a ranger led hike in the national park. We drove to the trail head, ate our picnic lunch and waited for the ranger led hike.

Indiana Dunes National Park -Miller Woods Hike

The guide was legally blind! Good thing the trail was easy to follow! He said if you had a question just shout it out since he probably would not see if you raised your hand.

The hike goes through rare black oak savanna and around towering sand dunes and wetlands on the way to lake Michigan. It is highlighted as one of the best spots in the park. As we got closer to the water the sand became finer and deeper on the trail. A bit like hiking in snow.

It was OK going on a ranger led hike (informative but, hiking in a group of about 20). He stopped often and told us about the geology and life in the park. The hike was on the far west side of the park in the city limits of Gary, Indiana! He was a native of the area and talked a lot about how in the 70s it was polluted and many plant and animal species were going locally extinct. US Steel had purchased the land we were standing on for expansion but, then donated it to the national parks system. Once under national park control mother nature, with some assistance from the park service, has thrived in the area. You would never know you were just outside the city of Gary. It was pristine.

The hike led us to a beach on Lake Michigan. We hung out at the beach for a while and hiked the trail back on our own. Easier to stop to take pictures and enjoy the solitude. It was a lightly trafficked, easy trail we enjoyed.

A pretty light first day as the hike was shorter than the one I had planned. We headed to our hotel (Hilton Garden Inn, Chesterton, IN). We headed to the small downtown area of Chesterton for dinner. Unfortunately, everything was closed (Sunday night) or closed permanently (sad). So we had to settle for fast food.

Monday, Sep 6th

Weather: Another great day, 80, sunny and a light breeze off the lake

Indiana Dunes State Park - Trail 9

This is the #1 All trails hike in the park and the ranger concurred. The first part of the hike was in deep woods with not a lot of elevation change. Then we looped closer to Lake Michigan and started up and down the very loose sandy dunes. Some really nice views of Lake Michigan and the dunes. An excellent and strenuous hike.

Indiana Dunes State Park - 3 Dune Challenge (Trail 8-4)

The park has a challenge hike that hikes up and down the three biggest dunes in the park. It is a short trail with steep climbs up each of the dunes. It was a challenge! The sand was deep and loose and the dunes were steep. But, we tackled it and were rewarded with some nice views.

Calumet River Trail

After the 3 Dune Challenge we had a picnic lunch.

After two strenuous hikes we finished the day back in the National Park on a flat short trail. It was outside the dunes in a field with tons of plant life, flowers and butterflies. A nice hike to finish off the day.

A very good day of hiking!

Tuesday, Sep 7

Weather: Another great weather day!

Indiana Dunes National Park - Diana of the Dunes Dare

We headed to the West side of the park for our last day of hiking. The first hike was the Diana of the Dunes Dare Succession Trail. Read about Diana here:

Diana of the Dunes Dare

West Beach Loop Trail and Long Lake Trail

We finished the hiking for the day on two more trails in the West Beach area. Easy hikes. Lightly trafficked.

A nice three day hiking trip in a National Park!

After the last hikes we hit the road back to St. Charles. Home Sweet Home.