Indiana Dunes

Indiana Dunes National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Lakeshore Indiana Cover photo by Sob Daum Nature observes an easily remembered rule of thumb here: Age is a function of distance from the lakeshore. The closer to Lake Michigan, the younger the feature, whether sand dune, wetland, or forest. There are exceptions, to be sure, but you need not be one of them. Why not shed your age and rejuvenate yourself by approaching the water's edge from inland? This is a good way to gain an understanding of the past and of the reasons why this area was placed in the National Park System. The landscape veils many processes—some still mysterious—that have been at work for eons. And this landscape adjoins a compelling deep, one of our five Great Lakes. Age is a function of distance from the l a k e s h o r e . . . . On the back of this folder we both map and describe this rule of thumb, but there are more immediate questions. Why are you here? How did you come to be here? Perhaps you have heard that the largest "live" dune here moves away from the lake one giant step each year? Yes, ML Baldy —one look explains the name—moves a short distance away from the lake each year. Or perhaps you have heard there are fine sandy beaches here and a minimum of hustle and bustle. To test this out, just leave your car or bus and walk off by yourself. Stop, look, and listen. What is not here can be as attractive as what is here. Mystery abounds too. Carnivorous plants can be found here . . . and so can quaking bogs. Perhaps you simply want to test a rumor that grains of beach sand and dune sand are different both in texture and in size. This too can be verified. Certain facts are inescapable. You are here because the dunes have caught people's attention. Dunes are created when: 1. a plentiful supply of sand combines with 2. wind blowing mostly from one direction, and 3. a natural trap causes the wind to drop the sand. At Indiana Dunes sand is lifted by winds blowing off the lake. A short distance inland plants, dunes, and hills slow the wind so that it drops its cargo, creating shoreline sand dunes. On windy days you can place a stone on the beach and watch the wind create a miniature dune behind it. With patience, you can lie down and watch yourself creating one. Other people came here long before you did, and not without reasons. The dunes lay along major Indian routes between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. They were a major source in this region's medicine trade. Miami and Potawatomie Indians hunted and gathered food through here in warmer months. U.S.12 follows the Calumet Beach Trail, which connected today's Chicago and Detroit and points in between. You can reflect on our Indian heritage today at the Bailly Homestead. Joseph Bailly was a fur trader who exchanged jewelry, guns, and blankets for furs supplied by Indians and voyageurs. He settled here in 1822. Chellberg Farm gives a good picture of early agriculture. This Swedish farm was begun in 1874 by Anders Chellberg.The Chellberg family farmed the land for nearly a century. The mid-1800s saw man-caused change begin in earnest, and economic interests have determined land use here since that time. Conservation campaigns sought to reverse this trend, notably with creation of the Indiana Dunes State Park in 1925; and the National Lakeshore in the 1960s. Illinois Senator Paul Douglas gave impetus to the latter drive. The National Lakeshore was authorized by Congress in 1966 and formally established in 1972. Enjoying the Lakeshore and Dunes Environs What to Do . . . Swimming. Beaches with parking are at West Beach (parking f e e in summer), Kemil Road, Central Avenue, and ML Baldy. Be careful—Lake Michigan waters can be treacherous. Lifeguards work West Beach and Kemil Road during summer. West Beach has showers, bathrooms, and concessions. The others have portable toilets (no water). don't make your own trail through the grasses. Stick with the main trail. Dune Climbing. Be careful of grassy areas when climbing dunes. Roots and runners may be just below the surface and break easily. Stay on open sand if possible. Too many trails mar the dunes, so Hiking. This list of trails and their features will help you see the park's natural and cultural attractions: Bailly/Chellberg, historical structures, woods, river; Calumet Dune, woods and old dunes; Cowles Bog, marsh, woods, dunes, ponds, beach; Hoosier Prairie, wet prairie; Little Calumet River, woods, river, flood plain, old fields; Ly-co-ki-we, woods and sandy areas; Miller Woods, dunes, ponds, woods, beach; ML Baldy, dunes, woods, beach; Pinhook . And Ho*.*.' to Do !t The best place to begin your visit to the Lakeshore is at its Visitor Center. 5 kilometers (3 miles) east of Indiana 49 on U.S. 12 at Kemil Road. Here you find information, maps, public telephones, activity schedules, the free "Singing Sands Almanac newspaper, an auditorium slide and tape program, bookstore, library, and a short loop nature trail through wooded dunes. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in summer; 8 to 5 in winter. School and other organized groups may use the interpretive services by making special arrangements in advance. Getting Around. The map on the back will help you by car. By rail, the South Shore Railroad between Chicago and South Bend makes stops in the park at Dune Acres, Tremont, and Beverly Shores. A shuttle service and interpretive programs some- Bog, classic bog plants, can be visited only o n tours; West Beach, dunes, woods, prairie, beach, Long Lake, ponds; State Park Trails, dunes, beach, marsh, woods; and Bike Trail, a paved and straight trail along the edge of woods and prairie, with power lines overhead. extensive dune areas, trails, group and family camping facilities, and a naturalist program. Special fees and regulations apply. For information, contact: Indiana Dunes State Park, M.R. Box 322, Chesterton, Indiana 46304. Or telephone (219) 926-1215. Camping. Find year-round camping at State Park and local commercial campgrounds. There is no camping on the National Lakeshore lands. State Park. Set aside in 1925 these lands contain Fishing and Boating. You can fish under Federal, State, and local laws. You need an Indiana fishing license and trout-salmon stamp. Boaters are reminded to stay 152 meters (500 feet) away from all marked swimming areas, even when beaching. times meet the train. Call the National Lakeshore for details. Accommodations. Find motels, restaurants, campgrounds, supplies, and service stations nearby. Pests. Poison ivy is common here. So are insects in summer; use normal protective measures. Park Rangers. Rangers are on duty to help you enjoy yourself and to help protect both you and the Lakeshore; ranger stations are shown on the map. In Emergencies. Contact a park ranger or telephone 926-7722 from Chesterton, Porter, Beverly Shores, or Michigan City; or 762-2294 from Portage, Gary, or West Beach. Important Regulations. Don't litter. Historical and natural objects are protected by law; do not disturb them. Do not trespass on private property. Hunting and trapping are prohibited and firearms must be cased, broken Horseback Riding. The only horse trail is the Lyco-ki-we trail near Rt. 20 and Kemil Road. Winter Activities. Try hiking, crosscountry skiing, and snowshoeing. Along the lake it is windy and cold; lake shelf ice is dangerous, so stay on solid ground whenever ice is forming. No snowmobiling is allowed. Environmental Education. The Lakeshore s environmental education staff offers guided trips and special activities throughout the park —or at your down, and packed away. Ground fires are prohibited; please use grills and portable charcoal, gas, or liquid fuel stoves. Dune buggies, motor bikes, and other motorized vehicles must stay on public roadways. A permit from the park is mandatory for hang g l i d i n g . Pets. They must be c o n f i n e d o r leashed at all times, and are not allowed on designated beaches. school —for students from pre-school age to graduate levels. Telephone the Lakeshore number for further details. Special Activities. Regularly scheduled year-round activities are listed in the free "Singing Sands Almanac" newspaper. Your name can be added to this mailing list free on request. The paper lists ranger-led hikes on subjects ranging from flowers and wild edibles to geology and cultural history, and more. Guest lectures, films, festivals, and recreational activities are also scheduled. For Further Information. The superintendent's address is Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 1100 N. Mineral Springs Road, Porter, Indiana 46304. The telephone number is (219) 926-7561. GPO: 1980-311 309/34 Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Indiana National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior once only sand, now there is the beginning of soil. As grass blades decompose they break down and then begin to build soils. Change sets in. Ice age glaciation and its aftermath explained both the landscape features (see map) and the strange combinations of plants. Dr. Cowles pieced together the puzzle and formulated basic ecological concepts. At the close of the Ice Ages about 10,000 years ago, the landscape here was covered with the spruce and fir forests now found in Canada. As the glaciers moved back north, the climate warmed and the forests retreated too. But some arctic plants, such as the bearberry, persisted here while plants forced south by the Ice Ages reappeared. And the high dunes, hot and dry like deserts, now made homes for prickly pear cactus. The beech tree found a home in the deep soil and humid conditions of protected moist areas. All this and more caught Dr. Cowles sharp, inquiring eye. You too can "sleuth" landscape features here. Dunes may be forested with pine or with oak, but moist ravines harbor beech-maple forest. Find a ravine on the circle trail connecting Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm. Note how the farm's clearings are hot and dry while the forests are moist and cool. What other insights emerge? Ponds tend to lie between the foredune and pine dune zones. Marshes are usually found farther inland, as are tamarack bogs. Both wetlands are "dying" ponds, ponds that are filling up. Both will become meadow and then forest. For the sharp eye, nature still yields up its secrets, especially at Indiana Dunes. Why Such Strange Combinations of Plants? Professor Henry Cowles found the Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan shoreline area a natural laboratory for developing important principles of plant succession. He arrived at the newly founded University of Chicago on a graduate fellowship in 1896 and retired as chairman of its Botany Department in 1934. He thoroughly believed in teaching outdoors. Both he and his university students conducted extensive field research in this region. He once studied advancing dunes for a 15-year period. His dedication to understanding this area led to the naming of Cowles Bog for him. Here, thanks to the Ice Age, environments had collided and deposited their remnants. The result was some strange combinations of plants that attracted Dr. Cowles' interest. Southern dogwood and arctic bearberry grew together here with Plains flowers and even cactus. National Park Service scientists and others continue to use the Indiana Dunes for research. Something else puzzled Dr. Cowles. Plantlife differed dramatically from dune ridge to dune ridge. Plants growing near the lakefront were not found further inland, and no inland forest trees could be found near the beach. Why? The dunes became a laboratory. Dr. Cowles and his students observed that as plants grow on a site they change it. When they have changed it sufficiently, they have prepared it for other plants. New plants can now be more successful and so crowd out the pioneer species. Once grass becomes established on a dune, for example, that dune changes. Where once there was total sunlight, now there is partial shade; where Mapping Glacial Advances and a Shrinking Shoreline Y o u a r e s t a n d i n g o n a flat bit of e a r t h o n w h i c h t w o things h a v e b e e n p i l e d , sand a n d rocky, glacial till. T h e piles of till, c a l l e d m o r a i n e s , " tell t h e story of a d v a n c i n g g l a c i e r s that d e p o s i t e d t h e m in c o n v e y o r - b e l t f a s h i o n . T h e sand piles, c a l l e d d u n e s , " tell t h e story of a l a k e that s h r a n k by s t a g e s after t h e g l a c i e r s d i s a p p e a r e d . T h e g l a c i e r s had p u s h e d south; t h e l a k e r e c e d e d n o r t h w a r d . O u r major story is t h e d u n e s , so w e a s k e d our m a p Beach and open sand Recent dunes Tolleston Dunes m a k e r to color key t h e four d u n e r i d g e s for e m p h a sis ( s e e m a p l e g e n d ) . Y o u c o u l d easily fail to r e c o g n i z e t h e inland d u n e ridges b e c a u s e t h e y a r e n o w c o v e r e d with v e g e t a t i o n . B u t b e n e a t h their v e g e t a t i o n a n d thin soil v e n e e r s lie m a s s i v e sand piles just like today's b e a c h f r o n t d u n e s . T h e d u n e ridges farthest f r o m t h e l a k e a r e t h e o l d e s t . T h e y mark f o r m e r s h o r e s of a o n c e larger l a k e . As the l a k e shrank b a c k in s t a g e s s h o r e l i n e s Calumet Dunes Glenwood Dunes Wetlands Height of dunes is measured from lake level and given in meters, with feet in italic. f o r m e d . F a r t h e s t inland a r e t h e G l e n w o o d D u n e s , r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e o l d e s t of t h r e e e a r l i e r s h o r e l i n e s . T h e s e o l d e s t d u n e s lie b e t w e e n m o r a i n e a n d l a k e , p r o v i n g m o r a i n e s t h e o l d e r f e a t u r e s . Y o u easily g u e s s t h e n t h a t t h e L a k e B o r d e r M o r a i n e is y o u n g e r t h a n V a l p a r a i s o M o r a i n e . It is also y o u n g e r t h a n t h e T i n l e y M o r a i n e . T h e next major l a k e shrinkage produced the Calumet Dunes Ridge; further shrinkage formed the Tolleston Dunes. The p r e s e n t s h o r e l i n e built t h e "recent" d u n e s . N e a r hmmwva Authorized National Lakeshore boundary State Park boundary Hiking trail Bicycle trail the Ly-co-ki-we Trail, the G l e n w o o d and C a l u m e t R i d g e s a b u t as b o t h f i n g e r out w e s t of R o u t e 1 4 9 . T h e Glenwood Dunes then disappear completely, at t h e e d g e of t h e d i s t u r b e d a r e a — g r a y tint — d u e n o r t h of the G o o d f e l l o w C a m p l a b e l . In this industrial a r e a m o d e r n m a n f l a t t e n e d t h e t o p o g r a p h y and stabilized t h e s h o r e l i n e s . G o n e are old a n d r e c e n t d u n e s a n d t h e d y n a m i c s of living s h o r e s . T h e s e disturbed areas do convey some psycho- Guf Horse trail a Km Information U i Picnic area %m Ranger station mS Campground Lifeguarded swimming area U l Parking I S Handicap access ITITI Restrooms l i J First aid logical s e n s e of t h e g l a c i e r s s t u p e n d o u s l e v e l i n g effects. No bedrock features interrupt the g e n e r a l flatness at I n d i a n a D u n e s ; all i n t e r r u p t i o n s a r e d e p o s i t s of sand or rock. T h e r e a r e no hills h e r e in the s e n s e of t h e R o c k i e s or t h e A l l e g h e n i e s , not e v e n r e m n a n t s . A s you d r i v e t h r o u g h road cuts y o u s e e no b e d r o c k to c r e a t e t h e lay of t h e l a n d ; only piles of t h e g l a c i a l till ( m o r a i n e s ) or piles of sand (dunes). Ironically, road cuts p r o v i d e the best g l i m p s e s of m o r a i n e a n d old d u n e r i d g e c o m p o s i - Snack bar Interpretive trail tions. T h e s e h a v e b e c o m e m a n t l e d with soil a n d plants so y o u d o not s e e old sandy d u n e s a n d m o r a i n e s t o d a y . I n s t e a d y o u find grass- or t r e e c o v e r e d r i d g e s . Y o u c a n s e e this s u c c e s s i o n t e m porarily t h w a r t e d w h e r e the m a p ' s bright y e l l o w b e a c h and o p e n sand —loops b a c k t h r o u g h the color blocks of r e c e n t and T o l l e s t o n D u n e s . O n these b l o w o u t s " y o u find p r e c i o u s f e w plants struggling to g a i n a f o o t h o l d . S u c h is t h e w i s p y life of sandy d u n e s . A Classic Bit of Prairie H o o s i e r Prairie is t h e largest r e m n a n t p r a i r i e tract in I n d i a n a . It c o n tains m o r e t h a n 3 0 0 nat i v e plants, m a n y rare in Indiana. It is a s t a t e n a ture preserve managed by t h e I n d i a n a D e p a r t m e n t of N a t u r a l R e sources. From the Lakeshore, take Interstate 8 0 / 9 4 west t o Rt. 41 s o u t h . T u r n east o n M a i n S t r e e t toward Griffith. Allow 30 minutes driving time.