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 15,000 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 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. Summer hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Time (Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Monday of Labor Day weekend). Winter hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Central Time. 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 The Dunewood campground check-in building surrounded by trees. Exterior of the check-in building at Dunewood Campground. 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. National Park Service Staff Explore Strategies for Success at Leadership Conference With a goal of creating better leaders and promoting gender balance, the 2016 Women and Leadership Conference introduced influential policy and business leaders who shared their insights and offered tools to help participants become leaders in their respective fields. A group of men and women stand in front of a blue curtain and an Andrus Center banner. 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. Geoarchaeology of the Tolleston Beach, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore MWAC is conducting geoarchaeological research on the Tolleston Dune, focusing on how eolian processes affect archeological resources. The relation of a sparse archeological record on the Tolleston Dune to past human occupation in that area cannot be answered without understanding the geologic setting – the history of dune migration and its effects on the preservation of archaeological sites. left: sample collected from a shovel test. right: Vibracoring on the Tolleston Dune 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: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available. park scene mountains 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. [Site Under Development] dune with view of lake superior Understanding Dune Prehistory Along Southern Lake Michigan Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore contains 15,000 acres of the last remaining intact dune lands between Chicago, IL and Michigan City, IN. Park-wide inventories indicate difference in distribution and density of materials between the lakeshore’s east and west units. Current research examines hypotheses for these discrepancies, including relative landform age, sedimentary processes within dune formations, and differences in middle to late Holocene human land use. 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. Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) Case Studies 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 Interdunal 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. 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.

Indiana Dunes National Park National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior The SINGING SANDS 2023-24 Park Guide THAD DONOVAN QUICK LINKS • MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT... 3. • THINGS TO DO & BEACHES... 5-9. • EVENTS & RANGER PROGRAMS... 10-11. • BEACH PARKING & PARK MAP... 12-13. • HIKING & TRAIL MAPS... 14-20. • CAMPGROUND & STATE PARK MAP... 21. • ACCESSIBILITY & VOLUNTEER... 22-23. Indiana Dunes National Park Two Great Parks... One Great Place, (Page 2). Superintendent’s Welcome Indiana Dunes National Park emerges from winter with Lake Michigan water levels continuing to drop. Momentum builds on several projects; all designed to update and improve your visitor experience. Within the park boundary is the expansion of the South Shore Line via a second set of tracks “Double Track Project” that will provide additional and faster commuter rail service to Chicago. Those service improvements will provide quicker transit options to the Indiana Dunes from both Chicago and South Bend. Our trail system is growing to coincide with these rail improvements contributing to reduced congestion. Our goal is to provide alternative ways to get to South Shore Line Train The House of Tomorrow Indiana Dunes State Park NATIONAL PARK INFORMATION the beaches beyond driving a car and that journey by foot or bicycle is part of a visitor’s experience, “getting there is half the fun.” Several of Indiana Dunes historic buildings beneft from funding made available by the Great America’s Outdoor Act. The Bailly Homestead and The House of Tomorrow are being stabilized with utility modernization that will allow them to be redeveloped and re-imagined. The Goodfellow Lodge on the campus of the Dunes Learning Center also benefts from these funds and will provide additional space for expanded environmental education opportunities. Bailly Homestead Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk 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, Paul Labovitz 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 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Address: 1215 IN-49 Porter, IN 46304 Our partners at Indiana Landmarks are a critical piece of these complex projects. Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education The entry fee program is generating revenues, and accelerating much needed tune-ups of many park facilities. Planning is underway to renovate and reimagine the Lakeview Plaza as well as the Douglas Center. Park signs are being updated and are replaced continuously. Lake levels are going down giving us time to strategize for the next lake level rise and the need for beach nourishment at both the Portage Lakefront and Mount Baldy. MAILING ADDRESS: Continued on Page 4 Phone: (219) 395-1824 Hours of operation Memorial Day to Labor Day Open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Fall and Winter hours Open 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Address: 100 North Lake Street Gary, IN 46403 Indiana Dunes National Park 1100 N. Mineral Springs Road Porter, IN 46304 Call 1-800-PARKTIP (727-5847) to report emergencies and suspicious or criminal activity. 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 and check out the bookstore. 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. Come on in and stop by! A variety of hands-on exhibits serve as a fantastic introduction to the wonders of the Indiana Dunes and its habitats. Here interpretive naturalists ofer experiences via hikes, live animals, indoor programs, and special events to a range of audiences. National or State, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? DIFFERENCES 2 NATIONAL PARK STATE PARK LOCATIONS Over 25 distinct locations to choose from, stretched across 15 miles of the southern shore of Lake Michigan, measuring over 15,000 acres between Gary and Michigan City, IN. One contiguous landscape, the State Park is composed of a large recreation area and 1,588 acres of state designated nature preserves and national natural landmarks. FEES All are seven day entry permits: $15 walk-in