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Indiana Dunes State Park is a 2,182 acre (8.8 km²) park established in 1925 and located in Chesterton, Indiana. The beaches are bounded by Lake Michigan and the National Park Service operated Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The 1,530 acre (66.2 km²) Dunes Nature Preserve makes up the bulk of east side of the park and includes most of the park’s hiking trails and dune landscape. There is a fee for entrance into the park. *
Notable Attractions
- Sand dunes
- Singing sand
- Smelt Fishing
- Haunted Shores (Diana of the Dunes)
Facilities and activities
- Swimming and Sunbathing Only a small portion of the shoreline is set aside as public swimming beach and protected by lifeguards. It is a clean, all sand beach. However there is a stream discharging into Lake Michigan which bisects the swimming area. It is cordoned off and posted as a health hazard due to pollution. The remainder of the beach (one or two miles?) is open for hiking, beach combing, and similar activities. Dogs are permitted on the non-swimming portion of the beach.
- Beach house with showers and concessions
- Observation platform near the top of 'Mt. Tom.' Looking west, Gary can be seen above the forested sand dunes. On a clear day Chicago is also visible.
- Birdwatching (A bird observation tower is located along Trail 10.)
- Nature Center The nature Center was closed in 2005 due to environmental problems inside the building according to the IN DNR.
- Picnic Shelters
- Hiking trails 16 miles (26 km)
- Guided Hiking Tours
- Interpretive Naturalist Service
- Arts and Crafts
- Camping The campground was totally rebuilt in 2004. It has some 136 roomy campsites laid out on sand with new, level, asphalt paved pads, 30 amp electrical hook-ups, picnic tables. Drinking water hydrants are located throughout the campground. The roads are newly laid out and paved in 2004, arranged in several connecting loops. The smoothly paved loops of roadway lend themselves to bicycling, rollerblading, etc. Most of the trees were spared during the rebuilding so that many sites have full or partial shade. The scrub growth was cleared so there is little or no screening or privacy between campsites, although there is plentiful 'elbow room.' The lack of scrub growth makes it easy for parents to keep an eye on their children, even when they are far from their own campsite. There are two, large, newly built shower house/restroom structures. There is a short, level forest path to the swimming beach.
The park also has a "Youth Tent Area" separate from the public campground.
External links
Indiana state parks | National Natural Landmarks of the United States
"Indiana Dunes State Park"