Indiana Dunes

https://www.nps.gov/indu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Dunes_National_Park Indiana Dunes National Park is on the southern shore of Lake Michigan in Indiana. It has a string of sandy beaches, and trails through dunes, marshland, and jack pine forests. The Dune Succession Trail at West Beach has views of the Chicago skyline and the lake’s bird-rich wetland. Near the Little Calumet River are the Bailly Homestead, an 1820s fur-trading post, and the restored Chellberg Farm. Lake Michigan's might has influenced Indiana Dunes for millennia. Wind and waves have shaped the land, leaving a rich mosaic of habitats along these 15 miles of Indiana coast. Over 50 miles of trails lead through shifting sand dunes, quiet woodlands, sunny prairies and lush wetlands. Known for its striking plant and bird diversity, it's easy to find inspiration throughout the park’s 16,000 acres. Visitors can access the national park via Interstate 94, the Indiana Toll Road (Interstate 80/90), U.S. Highway 12, U.S. Highway 20, Indiana State Road 49, and various other local roads. The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center is located on Indiana State Road 49, between U.S. Highway 20 and Interstate 94 (1215 IN-49, Porter, IN 46304). For a driving map to the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center or other locations, check out our maps page. Indiana Dunes Visitor Center (Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center) View lobby displays and pick up brochures about Porter County, Indiana, Dunes State Park, and Indiana Dunes National Park. Enjoy educational displays and watch two short orientation videos. Shop in the Eastern National bookstore. The visitor center is open everyday with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center is located on Indiana State Road 49, between U.S. Highway 20 and Interstate 94 (1215 IN-49, Porter, IN 46304). GPS Coordinates: 41.633349, -87.053762 (Decimal Degrees). Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education is your gateway to the stunning Paul H. Douglas Trail through Miller Woods. This facility connects you to the natural environment through educational hands-on exhibits, ranger-guided hikes, lectures, animals, crafts, and a Nature Play Zone. Open hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Central Time every day. The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education is located in the western portion of the national park at 100 North Lake Street, about one mile north of U.S. Highway 20 in the Miller neighborhood of Gary (100 North Lake Street, Gary, IN 46304). GPS Coordinates: 41.606286, -87.267483 (Decimal Degrees). Central Avenue Walk-in Sites The Central Beach Walk-In Sites has 5 sites, and you will walk a distance to get to your campsite. There is a primitive toilet (porta-potty) by the Central Beach parking lot for the entire season. There is no drinkable water in the area so you must bring your own water. Standard Night Fee 25.00 $25.00 per night. Access Pass 12.50 The Access Pass provides a 50% each night. Senior Pass 12.50 Senior Lifetime and Senior Annual Central Avenue Walk-in Campsites Map Overview Central Avenue Walk-in Campsites Map Central Avenue Walk-in Campsites Map Dunbar Group Site The Dunbar Group Site holds up to 30 people and is located less than 500 feet from the beach. The site overlooks the Great Marsh and Lake Michigan. Parking and restrooms are located in the Dunbar Beach parking lot, 400 feet from the site. Group Site Rate 100.00 The group site rate is valid for up to 30 people in 10 tents. There are no discounts on group sites. Dunbar Group Picnic Tables Picnic tables are placed in the middle of the group camp site Dunbar Group Site has picnic tables for use. Dunbar Hill The hill to walk up dunbar has uneven terrain Dunbar Group Site is situated on a hill overlooking Lake Michigan Dunbar Group Site Camping The camping area of the site is grassy The camping area of the site has grass and minimal tree coverage Dunewood Campground Campground consists of two loops containing 66 camp-sites (53 conventional drive-in sites and 13 walk/carry-in sites). Four sites are wheelchair accessible (numbers 15, 30, 41 and 55). Each loop has modern restrooms and hot/cold showers. Some sites have limited recreational vehicle length. Convenience stores and a gas station are located 1/4 mile north of the campground at the intersection of U.S. Highway 12 and Broadway Ave. in the town of Beverly Shores. Campground closed during winter, Nov 2 - Mar 31. Standard Night Fee 25.00 $25.00 per night. Access Pass 12.50 The Access Pass provides a 50% each night. Senior Pass 12.50 Senior Lifetime and Senior Annual Dunewood Campground Site Map Dunewood Campground Site Map Dunewood Campground Site Map Dunewood Campground The Dunewood campground check-in building surrounded by trees. Exterior of the check-in building at Dunewood Campground. Road through Dunewood Campground A road winds through woodland in early morning light. Dunewood Campground offers a peaceful, wooded setting. Central Avenue Beach Indiana Dunes National Park Michigan Lake beach with green grassy dunes in the background, under a blue sky. Central Avenue Beach at low water levels, spring 2006. Sunset at Indiana Dunes National Park Sunset on Lake Michigan Sunset at Indiana Dunes National Park Sunset on Lake Michigan Sunset on Lake Michigan Sunset on Lake Michigan Mnoké Prairie in Bloom Prairie in Bloom Mnoké Prairie Porter Beach Access Point Porter Beach Access Point Porter Beach Access Point Central Beach Central Beach Central Beach Sunset at Lake View Sunset at Lake View Sunset at Lake View Peace on Lake Michigan Peace on Lake Michigan Peace on Lake Michigan Emerging Concern Among “Every Day Chemicals” You may have heard the saying “all drains lead to the lake,” but it can be hard to remember that includes what is sent down sinks, toilets, and washing machines. Many things we do in the course of a day can contribute to the contamination of surface waters (lake and streams) in ways we cannot see. Some of these “every day chemicals” are known as contaminants of emerging concern. Person in stream collecting water sample 2010 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2010 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Prescribed Fire protects Douglas Center from Wildfire at Indiana Dunes National Park The 16-acre Miller Woods Unit #7 prescribed fire at Indiana Dunes National Park in March 2019, helped firefighters protect the park's education center when a wildfire ignited two weeks later. Smoke and flames on a small forested hill. Great Lakes Mapping Great Lakes Network staff assisted Midwest Region staff in a mapping project that reveals a whole new way of looking at the Great Lakes parks. oblique view of the Gull Island shoal, Apostle Islands NL, Lake Superior Experimental reintroduction of state-endangered beach pea (Lathyrus japonicus) to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore The author discusses best practices for successful reintroduction of this longlived plant species as revealed by the multiyear experiment. The beach pea flower is compact and erect, its color a showy purple. Park Fire Management Staff Complete Emergency Medical Responder Training and Certification The fire management staff at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore recently completed a national-standard emergency medical responder (EMR) course, and eight firefighters successfully earned both national and State of Indiana EMR certifications. The lakeshore fire management staff saw the NPS EMS program as an opportunity to train to be able to better respond to medical-related incidents on the fireline, for park visitors, and when they are dispatched to other parks and forests. A man in a National Park Service uniform uses a blood pressure cuff on a man Wildland Fire: Joint Annual Refresher Training at Indiana Dunes In March 2013, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore fire management staff and Midewin Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) conducted several joint training exercises in preparation for the 2013 fire season. They heard from a fire manager about fire management, leadership, and how to succeed in their career, reviewed a Facilitated Learning Analysis of a tree-felling incident that had recently occurred at Indiana Dunes, and participated in rescue training refreshers. Letter to the Editor The EPA updated its criteria for assessing water and sediment quality. This enabled a more nuanced analysis of water quality conditions in the Great Lakes. Our analysis suggests that parks would benefit from additional work on water clarity. Nearshore water quality monitoring station near Sand Island, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Community Protection through Prescribed Fire at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore On April 20, 2014 a wayward spark, possibly from a passing train, started a wildland fire that had the potential to threaten the town of Ogden Dunes, Indiana. As a result of a preventive prescribed fire conducted by the fire management staff of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in fall 2013, the fire did not become large and devastating. Great Lakes Fire Management Zone Fire Departments receive much needed wildland fire supplies and equipment. Three Fire Departments protecting NPS units in the Great Lakes Fire Management Zone received over $95,000 in wildland fire equipment this year through the Rural Fire Readiness Grant. NPS and Burns Harbor Firefighters stand in front of donated fire engine Nearshore conditions in the Great Lakes national parks: A baseline water quality and toxicological assessment Field survey results suggest generally good water quality, although nutrient concentrations were unexpectedly high near several parks, and metals and legacy pollutants continue to affect sediments and fish. Nearshore water quality monitoring station near Sand Island, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore National Parks in the History of Science: Plant Succession (Video) In the 1890s the dunes now protected as Indiana Dunes National Park hosted the first research on plant succession. That research helped establish ecology as a science, made succession an enduring concept, and explains why you mow your lawn. historical photo of a group of people sitting on a hill New Wildland Urban Interface Fuel Break Protects Community in Indiana Dunes National Park To reduce the threat of wildfire and ease prescribed fire preparations, the fire staff of the Great Lakes Fire Management Zone, based at Indiana Dunes National Park, constructed a permanent fuel break along the southwest property line of Dune Acres. This fuel break provides a prepared defensive break to protect the community from wildfire encroachment, while at the same time maintaining the northern edge of the 800-acre Cowles Dune Prescribed Fire Unit. Junior Ranger Activities Indiana Dunes National Park has a lot to explore, both in the park and online. Check out this page for fun things to do to explore the park virtually. Become a Junior Ranger Today! Sand dune with pine tree and Lake Michigan in the background. Series: NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Since 2002, the National Park Service (NPS) has awarded Environmental Achievement (EA) Awards to recognize staff and partners in the area of environmental preservation, protection and stewardship. A vehicle charges at an Electric Vehicle charging station at Thomas Edison National Historical Park Series: Parks in Science History Parks in Science History is a series of articles and videos made in cooperation with graduate students from various universities. They highlight the roles that national parks have played in the history of science and, therefore, the world's intellectual heritage. A woman looking through binoculars Protecting the Century of Progress Homes and the Community of Beverly Shores The Century of Progress Homes are situated among the oak trees and dune grasses of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. These homes which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, are in the Wildland Urban Interface leaving them vulnerable to wildfire. For the last several years, the area south of the homes has been burned in a series of prescribed fires to reduce the amount of vegetation in the area should a wildfire occur. Two firefighters monitor a fire while standing in a road in front of a fire engine. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. dune with view of lake superior Sunshine Flowers of Fall Park Ranger Julie Larsen gives us her unique insights about the goldenrod wildflower species found thought the Indiana Dunes. Find Your Park on Route 66 Route 66 and the National Park Service have always had an important historical connection. Route 66 was known as the great road west and after World War II families on vacation took to the road in great numbers to visit the many National Park Service sites in the Southwest and beyond. That connection remains very alive and present today. Take a trip down Route 66 and Find Your Park today! A paved road with fields in the distance. On the road is a white Oklahoma Route 66 emblem. Protecting structures from wildfire at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore During spring 2021, firefighters from the Great Lakes Fire Management Zone based at Indiana Dunes National Park, traveled to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to work toward protecting structures in the event of a wildfire. Firefighters near a woodchipper in a break in a thick forest. Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Robin White Robin White experienced profound loss and the injustices of discrimination as a child. Surrounded by women, she grew up understanding the importance of nature, family, cultural heritage, and her own worth. During more than 40 years in the National Park Service (NPS) White valued community engagement and diversity, first as an interpretative ranger and later as a superintendent. Robin White in her NPS uniform and ranger flat hat stands in front of a brown sign. Songbird Monitoring at Indiana Dunes, 2014-2018 Summary of songbird monitoring data collected at Indiana Dunes from 2014 through 2018. A yellow bird with a black mask sits on a branch and lifts his head to sing with his beak open. Pollinators in peril? A multipark approach to evaluating bee communities in habitats vulnerable to effects from climate change Can you name five bees in your park? Ten? Twenty? Will they all be there 50 years from now? We know that pollinators are key to maintaining healthy ecosystems—from managed almond orchards to wild mountain meadows. We have heard about dramatic population declines of the agricultural workhorse, the honey bee. Yet what do we really know about the remarkable diversity and resilience of native bees in our national parks? Southeastern polyester bee, Colletes titusensis. Protecting Historic Structures from Wildfire in the Midwest Wildland Fire Success Story about hazard fuels reduction work to protect historic structures at parks in the Great Lakes Fire Managenmt Zone. Resisting, accepting, and directing change in parks Click the link above to read some in-depth examples of national parks choosing to resist, accept, and direct change. Blue butterfly with white wing tips perched on small white flowers 2021 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service On behalf of the Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers Directorate, we are pleased to congratulate the national recipients of the 2021 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. Through their extraordinary work and dedication, these volunteers have made an exceptional contribution to their parks and communities. Digital painting with white text invitation to join the Hartzog Awards. Taking the Pulse of U.S. National Parks How do we know if parks are healthy? We measure their vital signs, of course! Across the country, there are 32 inventory and monitoring networks that measure the status and trends of all kinds of park resources. We're learning a lot after years of collecting data. Check out these articles written for kids and reviewed by kids in partnership with the international online journal Frontiers for Young Minds. A cartoon of a ranger taking the pulse of the Earth. Great Lakes Invasive Plant Management Team Successfully Restores Intradunal Wetland Thanks to the collaboration between the Great Lakes Invasive Plant Management Team (IPMT) and Indiana Dunes National Park, a globally vulnerable panne ecosystem has been restored after it had previously been overwhelmed by invasive plants. water runs through a flat area of land, greenery surrounds it Things to Do in Indiana Find things to do, trip ideas, and more in Indiana. Beach along a large lake with green grassy dunes in the background under a blue sky. Pile burning to protect NPS structures at Indiana Dunes NP In April 2023, firefighters from the Great Lakes Fire Management Zone, based at Indiana Dunes National Park, burned multiple debris piles around several park structures to protect the buildings from the potential of wildland fires. Piles of stacked logs glowing with fire near a structure surrounded by woods. Porter Beach Restoration Volunteers, park staff and wildland fire managers work together to conduct restoration efforts at Porter Beach in Indiana Dunes National Park. A firefighter and park maintenance staff feed stick and limbs into a chipper. The Current: Spring 2023 The Spring 2023 issue of the Great Lakes Newsletter contains articles on the changing ways we produce and look at data, staff changes, the field season schedule, an overview of a project to look at songbird data from all three Midwest networks, and a listing of new publications. A white page with a black border at the top and the words Collaboration promotes efficiency in Midwest Region fuels projects In April 2023, NPS Midwest Region staff were joined by fire staff from Alaska to conduct prescribed fires in the Midwest Region. Fire activity and needs vary throughout the country, and it is a common occurrence for resources to be sent to other regions to assist where needed. Fuel reduction projects were completed in multiple Midwest Region parks, totalling nearly 4,900 acres. Smoke rises from the ground amid leafless trees. West Beach Bath House The bath house provides visitors with restrooms, showers, and locker rooms; but did you know it also is an iconic representation of Brutalist architecture? A concrete-lined walking path with Lake Michigan at its head. Indiana's Unrivaled Sand-Dunes—A National Park Opportunity Orpheus Moyer Schantz continues to inspire the preservation movement at Indiana Dunes in this National Geographic article from 1919. Historic black and white photgraph circa 1919 of Lake Michigan dune along the shore. Dune Boy: The Early Years of a Naturalist In 1943, naturalist and author Edwin Way Teale released his beloved book, "Dune Boy" that highlights stories from his childhood in the early 1900s. Teale spent summers in the Indiana Dunes region on his grandparents' farm. His experiences there helped shape him into a talented and respected nature-writer. Cover page of Dune Boy book with an illustration of a boy near a sand dune. A Plot to Steal the Remains of President Lincoln Eleven years after President Lincoln's assassination, grave-robbers broke into his tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery as part of a plot to hold the president's remains for ransom in the Indiana Dunes. President Abraham Lincoln's Monument and Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois. Bats of Indiana Dunes Seven species of bat were confirmed at Indiana Dunes through acoustic monitoring. Learn about the project and which species can be found in the park. An NPS biologist stands at the lakeshore next to an acoustic monitoring device. The Current: Fall 2023 The Fall 2023 issue of the Great Lakes newsletter contains articles on planning for the future of the Inventory and Monitoring Division, retirement and departure of staff members, a summary of the Western Great Lakes Research Conference, a field season summary from each of our monitoring programs, and a list of new reports and publications. The front page of a newsletter, with a photo of a dragonfly perched on hiking boot. The Dune-Faun Author Webb Waldron chronicles his walk at the Indiana Dunes where he stumbles upon a man living among the sands. Illustration of a coastal sand dune scene along Lake Michigan with the figure of a man. Solicitation For A Request For Expression Of Interest For The Adaptive Reuse Of The Bailly Homestead The National Park Service announces a Request for Expressions of Interest for the adaptive re-use of the Bailly Main House and the 4 associated outbuildings. This is the location of the early trading post established in 1822 by fur trade pioneer Joseph Bailly. The NPS may choose all or part of the content of one or more responses to the RFEI for further development into a public solicitation that the NPS then would advertise to the public. The multi-story Bailly Homestead sits on a manicured lawn. How to Collaborate with a Scientist (or Park Interpreter), Illustrated We teamed up with park rangers and researchers to increase opportunities for sharing science. Humorous illustrations show what we learned in the process. Drawing of a woman carrying an alligator. A boy points. A woman holding his hand looks shocked. The Devoted People behind Big Data in National Parks Citizen science volunteers collect massive amounts of crucial scientific information. They gather it from sources as varied as oceans, mountainsides, and historic archives. Smart new tools are making their contributions even more powerful. Two smiling women stand in front of a national park sign. Amphibian Monitoring at Indiana Dunes, 2019 A summary of amphibian monitoring data collected at Indiana Dunes in 2019. A large green frog sits on a mate of floating green, spindly-leaved plants. Amphibian Monitoring in the Great Lakes Network Parks: 2023 Update A summary of amphibian monitoring data collected in seven Great Lakes Network parks as of 2019. A light green and gray frog sits in the crotch of a tree branch at the trunk. Bat Monitoring in Great Lakes Network Parks, 2024 A summary of acoustic bat monitoring in Great Lakes Network parks from 2015 through 2019. A bat with large, round ears hangs from a rock. Bat Monitoring at Indiana Dunes, 2016–2019 A summary of bat monitoring data collected at Indiana Dunes National Park from 2016 through 2019. A group of dark brown bats with gray bellies hang from a rocky ceiling. Outside Science (inside parks): Keeping an Eye on Pollinators at Indiana Dunes National Park In this episode of Outside Science (inside parks) join the team at Indiana Dunes National Park as they keep an eye on pollinators in the habitat behind the dunes. a title slide for Outside Science inside parks at Indiana Dunes National Park The Current: Spring 2024 Spring 2024 issue of the Great Lakes Network newsletter, "The Current," featuring science stories, a farewell, the 2024 field season schedule, and recent publications. Woman wearing a backpack and carrying a GPS unit and a compass wades through water and shrubs. Prescribed Fire at Ice Age National Scenic Trail Wildland fire success story about the first prescribed fire at Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Fire burns in a field behind a sign that says Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Staff Spotlight: Sarah Sherwood Meet Sarah Sherwood, Park Guide at White Sands National Park, and learn about her career journey from internships to permanent positions! A female ranger in uniform standing at a cave entrance. Dragonfly mercury studies uncover unexpected atmospheric delivery pathways Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on how dragonfly mercury studies uncover unexpected atmospheric delivery pathways: Janssen, S.E., C.J. Kotalik, J.J. Willacker, M.T. Tate, C. Flanagan Pritz, S.J. Nelson, D.P. Krabbenhoft, D. Walters, and C. Eagles-Smith. 2024. Geographic Drivers of Mercury Entry into Aquatic Foods Webs Revealed by Mercury Stable Isotopes in Dragonfly Larvae. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02436 close up of dragonfly larvae on white spoon Jack Pines on Lake Michigan's Southern Shore The jack pine tree (Pinus banksiana) is a unique species at Indiana Dunes. Typical of evergreen forests of the north, this species finds its southernmost natural populations here along our shores. In 1925, Dr. Henry Chandler Cowles published "The Book of Plants" with Bertha Morris Parker. In the book, he includes a chapter on jack pines which sheds light onto why this species can be found so far south. Two lush green jack pine trees frame either side of the photograph Microplastics on Great Lakes Beaches The presence of microplastics in the marine environment poses risks to wildlife and human health. Learn about a recent microplastics study of national park beaches and what it means for the Great Lakes. Multi-colored pieces of plastic in beach sand. A Glimpse into Historic Crow Life at Indiana Dunes Travel back in time to Indiana Dunes in 1916. Learn about American crows in the region through passages and etchings by Earl Howell Reed, an early artist of the Dunes. Two American crows on a sandy beach near the blue water of the shore. Getting Lost and Found at Indiana Dunes In 1910, the Indiana Dunes provided a unique setting for the film "Lost in the Soudan," which used the landscape to mimic the Sahara Desert. Actor William "Bill" Mong, playing the role of a British officer, spent long days filming in the heat and sand. After one scene, however, Mong unknowingly found himself alone in the dunes when the crew accidentally left without him, leading him on an unexpected adventure that he wouldn’t soon forget. B&W photograph of actor wearing tattered clothes and unkempt hair on a beach near a white tent Tragic Wreck of the Flying Cloud Schooner Thousands of ships have been wrecked in the Great Lakes. Many met their fate as shipping and transportation peaked on the lakes during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With them drowned countless sailors, captains, passengers and crew— victims of a time before modern forecasting and navigation. Learn about a wreck that occurred at Indiana Dunes in 1857. Lake Michigan view from the shoreline. Gray day with waves rolling in. A Signature of Time and Eternity In 1958, Senator Paul Douglas introduced a bill to preserve the Indiana Dunes, receiving powerful support from writer Carl Sandburg, who called the Dunes a "signature of time and eternity." This sentiment became a rallying cry for conservation efforts, explored in Ron Engel's book Sacred Sands: The Struggle for Community in the Indiana Dunes. Orange sunset light filters through a splashing wave along Lake Michigan Cessions of Land by Indigenous Peoples in the State of Indiana Explore an 1881 map by C. C. Royce that details Indigenous land cessions in northern Indiana, highlighting areas once inhabited by the Miami and Potawatomi tribes. The map marks parcels of land ceded through treaties with the U.S. government, with numbered sections that correspond to descriptions of the treaties and the specific lands involved. 1881 map of Indiana showing numerated sections representing Indigenous land cession treaties An Early Account of Diana of the Dunes Alice Mabel Gray boarded a train in Chicago on October 31st, 1915. She left the city behind to pursue a life of simplicity and solitude at Indiana Dunes. Travel back in time and read an article written by Honor Fanning, a reporter who found Alice among the sands in the summer of 1916. Black and white photograph of a woman wearing a long, light-colored garment and a hat. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds multi-park prescribed fire and fuels management work in National Park Service’s Great Lakes Fire Management Zone In 2024, fire management staff from the National Park Service’s Great Lakes Fire Management Zone, based at Indiana Dunes National Park, completed prescribed fires and fuels management projects across six different parks in four states using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. Projects consisted of prescribed fires, mechanical fuels reduction, pile burning, ecological surveys, and natural resource monitoring. Flames consume a pile of dead limbs and logs near a brick structure. The Current: Fall 2024 The Fall 2024 issue of the Great Lakes Network newsletter, "The Current." Featuring: NPS science and indigenous knowledge, 2024 field season summary, new staff positions, and the latest publications and data packages. A person in a green coat and hat and wearing an orange life jacket walks through knee-high water. “Cracking the code” on mercury bioaccumulation Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on a model to predict mercury risk park waterbodies: Kotalik, C.J. et al. 2025. Ecosystem drivers of freshwater mercury bioaccumulation are context-dependent: insights from continental-scale modeling. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c07280 A person stands in a field looking at a bug through a magnifying lens. NPS study provides crucial information on White-Nose Syndrome effect on bats. National Park Service, North Dakota State University, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign scientists, recently published a study on the status of four bat species in nine Great Lakes region parks to understand the effects of White-Nose Syndrome. A small brown bat with a white fungus on its nose close up. Dark Night, Safe Flight At night, birds use the stars to find their way. But bright lights from buildings can confuse them. That's why national parks are so important - they're like bird hotels! They give birds safe places to rest and eat, especially after flying across the ocean.

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 shor

Indiana Dunes National Park National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior The SINGING SANDS NPS / Jeff Manuszak 2025-26 Park Guide TABLE OF CONTENTS • FEES AND PASSES, page 3. • THINGS TO DO & BEACHES, pages 5-9. • EVENTS & RANGER PROGRAMS, pages 10-11. • BEACH PARKING & PARK MAP, pages 12-13. • HIKING & TRAIL MAPS, pages 15-20. • CAMPGROUNDS, page 21. • ACCESSIBILITY & SUPPORT, pages 22-23. Indiana Dunes National Park Two Great Parks... One Great Place (Page 2) Superintendent’s Welcome Greetings fellow adventurers! Donald Estep Welcome to your National Park and the land of sand and steel! You’ve arrived at a special and unique place. A place where nature and industry coexist, where the 5th most biodiverse national park in America sits adjacent to steel mills and communities that won world wars and still support a nation. A place where you’ll find opportunities to enjoy a day in many different ways with your friends or family, or sit quietly alone, listening to waves softly lap (or thunder and crash, depending on the season) along the shoreline of one of largest freshwater lakes on the planet—Lake Michigan. It’s a place of protection, restoration, recreation, and reconnecting... with family, community, and nature. It’s a place where all are welcome, where you are welcome. Indiana Dunes State Park Thanks to the outstanding work of park teams, partners, and volunteers you may notice a variety of things that have happened recently or are occurring around the park this summer. Habitat restoration in the Great Marsh is ongoing and has already led to sandhill cranes nesting in the park again after a 70-year absence, bald eagles are more common, and river otters have come home. On the cultural resources front, funding from the Great America Outdoors Act is being used to restore the Good Fellow Lodge, Bailly Homestead and the 1933 World’s Fair, House of Tomorrow, to the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Historic Preservation. A new bridge was recently installed at the park’s Douglas Center, merging beauty with functionality. Walking across this bridge is a portal to wonder, to nature-based exhibits, ranger-guided hikes, lectures, live animals, arts and crafts, and a restored and fourishing black oak savanna, a globally rare ecosystem. Lastly, work is completed, continuing, or starting on various sections of the Marquette Greenway Trail. Someday, we’ll all be able to ride our bikes or walk from hotels, communities, or homes around the region (and NATIONAL PARK INFORMATION PARK WEBSITE Scan QR code or visit: NPS.gov/INDU Park Hours: Open 6:00 am to 11:00 pm Central Time (CT) unless otherwise posted. Indiana Dunes Visitor Center Indiana Dunes National Park Superintendent Jason Taylor beyond) to most destinations in the park, and perhaps even take the South Shore train in the opposite direction. Park staf have developed a helpful shortlist of ways we can all “Be National Park Smart”. We want this place, a National Park, to be special for a very long time and to be able to serve millions of visitors each year. This will take a commitment from everyone to recreate responsibly. We would greatly appreciate your pledge to review and follow the “park smart” tips found on page four. Have fun, stay safe, protect the park. See you on the beach! Phone: (219) 395-1882 Hours of operation Memorial Day to Labor Day Open 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Fall and Winter hours Open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Address: 1215 IN-49 Porter, IN 46304 Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education Phone: (219) 395-1824 Hours of operation Open 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Address: 100 North Lake Street Gary, IN 46403 MAILING ADDRESS: Indiana Dunes National Park 1100 N. Mineral Springs Road Porter, IN 46304 Call 911 to report emergencies. For suspicious or criminal activity, or to report other concerns, call 1-800-727-5847 or (1-800-PARKTIP). Your adventure guide to the National Park Indiana Dunes Visitor Center Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education Scan for Visitor Center’s website Getting here: AND and the State Park Indiana Dunes State Park’s Nature Center Scan for Douglas Center’s website Getting here: 1215 IN-49 Porter, IN 46304 Phone: (219) 395-1882 Find all of your orientation needs here. Talk to a ranger and learn about the park’s locations, activities, programs, and nearby attractions. View an informative flm about the park and the region. Spend some time in the activity room to discover features about the park. Scan for State Park’s website Getting here: 100 North Lake Street Gary, IN 46403 Phone: (219) 395-1824 1600 N. 25 E. Chesterton, IN 46304 Phone: (219) 926-1390 A nature center for all. Interactive nature programs, activities, animals, and exhibits can be found here. Hike through the beautiful Miller Woods to the beach. Children can also explore the outdoor Nature Play Zone. A variety of hands-on exhibits serve as a fantastic introduction to the wonders of the Indiana Dunes and its habitat