Visiting Indiana Dunes National Park

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A photo of the boardwalk over the dunes at Indiana Dunes National Park, showing the varied landscape of beachy sand and pine forests.

As we travel the country, we are trying to visit as many national parks as possible. One of the newest national parks, Indiana Dunes National Park, was right on our path out west, so we decided to use it as a brief stop.

A photo of Lake Michigan from atop the dunes at Indiana Dunes State Park.

Indiana Dunes is worth visiting for its variety of landscapes. Parts of the park consist of forests one would typically associate with Indiana. Other parts are marshy swamps. But the parts that make it most unique are the sand dunes. The portions of Indiana Dunes that give them their name are the dunes formed by Lake Michigan. The strong currents of the glacial lake pushed sediment southward to form the dunes over time.

Here’s how we spent our 2-night stay:

Camping

Indiana Dunes National Park does not have a campground, but the adjacent State Park does. Indiana Dunes State Park is similar to most state parks in that it is wooded, with spacious sites, and provides only electric hookups. The bathhouses were clean, and the campground was quiet.

A camper and truck parked in a wooded camping spot at Indiana Dunes State Park.

Hiking

We wanted to see as much landscape as possible on our hike, so we chose the West Beach 3-Loop Trail. This trail is 3.5 miles and has a 255 ft elevation gain. Keep in mind that most of the elevation is completed in the first section when you have to climb a dune to enter the forest. From there, it’s smooth sailing through the forest and down to the marsh. You can return to the parking lot at several points, but the highlight of the trip is at the end, where a staircase and boardwalk take you through the dunes and onto the beach. If you want, pack your swim things for the hike and cool off in the waters right on the trail.

A father, son, and daughter hiking in sand next to a forest at Indiana Dunes National Park. Their back are to the camera.

Beach Time

Two children, one boy and one girl, standing in the sand at the end of Lake Michigan on the beach at Indiana Dunes National Park.

After our hike, we chose to go back to the campground to walk to the beach on the trail that goes straight from the campground to Lake Michigan. Jim and I lounged on our lawn chairs while the kids splashed in the lifeguard-patrolled waters. It was a great way to spend a few hours. The Park Pavillion provides snacks and even has a restaurant. There are also public changing rooms and restrooms.

Would we go again?

We wouldn’t have traveled to Indiana Dunes from home just to stay there, but it was a great spot while we were passing through, and two nights gave us just enough time to enjoy it.