Indiana Dunes National Park

Since we were staying in Nappanee for a time, we made it a point to visit Indiana Dunes National Park. It was about an hour and a half away and made for a nice day trip. The park designation was changed in 2019 from a national seashore to a national park. Within the national park boundary is Indiana Dunes State Park. You need to pay attention to where you're driving unless you want to pay the entrance fee to the state park. 

We drove to West Beach and took the Dunes Succession Trail. I think it was 168 steps to the top of the first dune. Thankfully, there weren't many people around, and we felt safe enough to leave the masks off for this outdoor climb. Then we walked along part of the West Beach Trail before deciding that we had walked enough. 

Before the climb

View from the top

Down the other side 

Lake Michigan shore line

For the most part, you are not allowed to climb the dunes on your own. You are to stick to the trails in order to protect the dunes. This was very different from the dunes at White Sands National Park and Great Sand Dunes National Park where you could go sand sledding and sand boarding. These dunes also had a lot more vegetation on them.

Next, we drove to the Mt. Baldy area of the park. Mt. Baldy is the tallest dune in the park. It's also the most active, and the summit is closed for the public's safety. We noticed that the dune had partially covered one of the roads out of the parking area. 

Road closed

Indiana Dunes National Park felt very much like a park in an industrial environment. Steel mills and railroads were nearby, and the Chicago skyline was visible across Lake Michigan. Dunes Park Station is on the South Shore Line for easy rail access to Chicago. Both the state park and national park have campgrounds which would make for a quiet retreat from the city.

Where Are We Going Next?