Last Updated on: 21st September 2025, 08:28 am
Indiana Dunes National Park is a unique and biologically diverse park that’s just one of only several National Parks in the Midwest. While many visitors come mainly to relax on its beaches, the park is home to noteworthy hikes like the Paul H. Douglas Trail and the Dune Succession Trail.
Confusingly, the area is home to both Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes State Park which is smaller and surrounded by the National Park on all sides.
While this guide only focuses on the National Park, we’ll be covering the State Park’s ‘3 Dune Challenge’ hike in a separate guide. Ideally, you could spend your day by doing a few hikes in the National Park followed by the 3 Dune Challenge.
But considering how the National Park costs $25 per vehicle and the State Park costs $12, those on a budget wouldn’t be missing much by solely sticking to one park.
My visit took place a little after peak season on an especially gloomy day. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to reschedule, but the park surely looks a lot prettier when the sun is out. With swimming out of the question, I solely focused on hiking and some of the area’s architectural landmarks.
While I didn’t try every hike at the park, I completed most of the better-known ones. Frankly speaking, not all of them were worth doing. We’ll nonetheless be including them below so you have an idea of what they’re like, while the recommended attractions are marked with an asterisk in the Table of Contents below.
For more information on park entry fees and where to stay in the area, be sure to check the end of the article.
Paul H. Douglas Trail
Much like Ohio’s Cuyahoga Falls National Park, Indiana Dunes National Park is situated right in the midst of residential and even industrial areas. And the far western part of the park is isolated from the remainder of park territory.
But if you’re coming from Chicago, the western section by Gary is what you’ll pass by first. And this part is home to one of the park’s most interesting trails, the Paul H. Douglas Trail.
Note that a sign near the small parking lot indicates that the area opens from 8:00, but I didn’t have any problems arriving and parking before that.
In total, this is an 3.5 miles (5.6 km) out-and-back trail that should take about an hour roundtrip.
After an initial boardwalk section, you’ll find yourself walking along a sandy trail. The hike takes you through an oak savanna which is said to be rare in the world.
Over time, wetlands formed in the midst of these massive dunes which is why the area is so green today. Throughout the park, many of the hills you’ll encounter are actually dunes disguised by overgrowth.
Eventually, you’ll reach the shores of Lake Michigan, with the highlight being the view of the Chicago skyline across the water.
While the Chicago skyline is visible from various beaches in the area, this is the closest Indiana Dunes beach to the city, and it therefore offers the best view.
In the other direction, sadly, you’ll be able to spot industrial plants in the distance. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was established in 1966 to protect the dunes from encroaching development, while it was later converted to a National Park in 2019.
But Indiana Dunes State Park had already been established as far back as 1926. Nevertheless, advocates still felt the need to protect the surrounding dunes.
Long Lake Trail
The next two hikes are situated near the West Beach section of the park. For those following this guide in order, you’ll want to continue east along Highway 12 before turning onto N County Line Rd and then W Beach Rd.
You’ll pass an entrance station at which you’ll either have to purchase a day pass or show your annual pass (more below). You’ll then arrive at a large parking lot.
Supposedly, West Beach is one of the most popular gathering spots during the summer months, which is why the parking area is so large. But it’s also home to two trailheads.
The trails here are the Long Lake Trail and the Dune Succession Trail. I actually combined the two hikes as part of a longer loop hike.
Confusingly, this combined trail is often referred to as the 3-Loop Trail, with the small portion along West Beach itself counting as one of the trails. The combined trail is 3.5 (5.6 km) in total.
But looking back, I wish I’d skipped the Long Lake Trail portion and simply done the Dune Succession Trail. Anyway, we’ll briefly be going over the hike so you have an idea of what it’s like.
If you’re heading west from the parking lot, the very beginning of the Long Lake Trail is the most interesting part. You’ll immediately ascend a large dune from which you can see Lake Michigan in the distance.
But as we’ll cover shortly, the Dune Succession Trail offers similar but even better views.
Frankly speaking, the Long Lake Trail is just dull and boring, with much of it taking you through forest. And you’ll occasionally have to cross West Beach Road which breaks the immersion of being out in nature.
Following the AllTrails app, I was looking forward to arriving at Long Lake which appears as a large body of water on the app. But I arrived to find nothing but a marsh.
Even if you’re not in a rush, the Long Lake Trail is very much skippable.
Dune Succession Trail
On its own, the Dune Succession Trail is just 1.61 km and should take you about 20-30 min to complete. As mentioned, it’s a lot more interesting than the Long Lake Trail, so most visitors to West Beach will be fine just doing this one.
While this trail is arguably the most tiring hike in the park (not counting Indiana Dunes State Park’s 3 Dune Challenge), most of it is along wooden staircases and boardwalks, so it’ll be easy to stop and catch your breath.
The trail takes you right to the top of some of the area’s highest dunes, with great views of Lake Michigan in the distance. Notably, one of these dunes is named Diana’s Dune after a free-spirited woman who used to live along West Beach from 1915-1925.
But you may still be wondering how these dunes formed in the first place. Over the course of the last Ice Age, numerous massive glaciers made their way across these lands, the last of which melted and formed the Great Lakes.
But before it did so, it pulverized mountains and bedrock into sand. And later on, wind blew around the sands which eventually resulted in the dunes we see today.
While there are some other dunes around the Great Lakes, such as in the state of Michigan, they’re especially prominent here thanks to additional sediment coming from the erosion of nearby glacial moraines and outwash plains.
Eventually, the trail will take you down to West Beach itself. From here you can catch another glimpse of the distant Chicago skyline, though it appears a bit smaller compared to the end of the Paul H. Douglas Trail.
As mentioned, this is a popular place to swim in summer, and near the parking lot, you’ll encounter facilities for changing and showering.
The Bailly Homestead
Like many National Parks, Indiana Dunes is also home to some historical structures. The Bailly Homestead was built by a fur trader named Joseph Bailly and his family who’d come to this wilderness region in 1822.
At the time, the large marsh surrounding the area kept it largely inaccessible, making Bailly one of the first permanent settlers here.
While visitors can normally enter the structure, it was closed for restoration at the time of my visit.
Note that there is a small parking lot by the Bailley Homestead, but you can also park near the Bailly/Chellberg Trailhead further east and then get here on foot.
The Bailly/Chellberg Trail
The Bailly/Chellberg Trail is a short 1.1-mile (1.8 km) trail that takes visitors to the former Chellberg Farm, while it also connects with the Bailly Homestead mentioned above.
Note that there aren’t any dunes here, and the entire trail is forested. It should only take 20-30 minutes of your time.
Several decades after the Bailleys arrived, a Swedish immigrant family named the Chellbergs came to the area and established a farm. Along the trail, you’ll find various structures from the original farm, including the large family home.
Dune Ridge Trail
Just to the east of the boundary of Indiana Dunes State Park is the Dune Ridge trailhead. But you can’t drive there directly from the State Park. As such, if you are planning on visiting the State Park on the same day as the National Park, it would be wise to do so following the Bailly/Chellberg Trail.
While the Dune Ridge Trail isn’t exactly essential, you can find it right before the 1933 Century of Progress Homes which are indeed worth seeing.
Note that you may encounter a ranger walking around the Dune Ridge parking lot requesting to see your park pass. This surprised me, as I’ve been to numerous world-class parks like the Grand Canyon and Death Valley where I’ve never encountered this much security.
As for the hike itself, the Dune Ridge Trail could be considered a shorter and easier version of the Dune Succession Trail. But its views are also less remarkable.
In total, the hike is 0.7 miles (1.1 km) long and takes just about 20 minutes to complete.
1933 Century of Progress Homes
Following the success of the 1893 World’s Fair, Chicago hosted another one in 1933. And after the event was finished, a real estate developer named Robert Bartlett purchased five demonstration homes that were displayed at the event and transported them here.
Though part of the National Park, private individuals are subleasing them and the homes can only be viewed from the outside. You’ll find a few small parking lots along this section of Lake Front Drive to allow you to get out and look.
The most remarkable of the bunch is probably the Wieboldt-Rostone House, designed by the architect Walter Scholer. The house was intended to showcase a new composite material called Rostone which was advertised as never needing repairs.
But Rostone, in fact, quickly deteriorated under normal Great Lakes environmental conditions, and this house had to be covered in concrete stucco.
Other houses in the area include the Florida Tropical, Armco-Ferro, the House of Tomorrow, and the Cypress Log Cabin. You can learn the history of each by reading the informational signboards placed along the road.
The Great Marsh Trail
Just southeast of the 1933 Century Homes of Progress is another short trail called the Great Marsh Trail which I tried just before leaving.
It’s just a 1.4-mile (2.25 km) trail that culminates in a view of a marsh. Sadly, despite this being a short and easy hike, I didn’t really feel that the view was worth it.
Though I wouldn’t end up stopping there, the eastern edge of the park is home to Mount Baldy, the area’s tallest dune at 126 feet tall. There’s even a beach right by it.
Additional Info
At the time of writing, Indiana Dunes National Park costs $25 to enter (learn more here).
If you’re visiting from abroad, note that in contrast to many other countries, US parks typically charge per vehicle rather than per person. However, if you’re traveling by bicycle instead, they’ll charge you for an individual pass which costs $15, while those on motorcycles will be charged $20.
If you plan on visiting many National Parks within a single year, the best option for most will be to buy an ‘America the Beautiful’ Annual National Parks Pass.
These cost $80 for the year. In most cases, you’re already saving money by just visiting four National Parks/Monuments anywhere in the country within a full year.
What’s more, is that only one person in your vehicle needs to have the pass. Additionally, seniors can buy the pass for just $20. So if you have someone over 62 in your party, just have them get the annual pass and everyone else will be set.
As for where to get the pass, you can purchase it in person at most National Parks or Monuments. But you can also order it in advance online.
Fortunately, a park pass/entry ticket is all you need to visit Yellowstone right now, as the park has not implemented any permit or timed entry systems like other popular parks have.
Note that Indiana Dunes State Park costs $12 for out-of-state vehicles, regardless of whether or not you’ve already paid for the National Park or have an America The Beautiful Pass.
While by no means a bad place, Indiana Dunes National Park doesn’t hold a candle to most of the parks you’ll find in the western half of the country. Once the novelty of seeing dunes next to a lake wears off, it lacks the unforgettable hikes or stunning vistas you’ll find at the country’s better-known parks.
With that said, considering how the park is roughly just an hour outside of Chicago, it makes for an excellent day trip for those staying in the Windy City during summer.
But unless you’re on a mission to visit every National Park, this is not a place you’d want to go far out of your way for.
Chicago is a massive sprawling city with plenty of neighborhoods to choose from – plus lots that you’d want to avoid. Let’s narrow things down to just several.
The Loop’s right in the middle of things and a great choice if it’s your first visit. Attractions like the Field Museum are also located right nearby. Staying at somewhere like the Palmer House Hilton would also give you easy access to Millennium Park.
River North’s a lively area with good restaurants and hotels like The Gwen. The West Loop neighborhood is also very central, with solid options like the Nobu Hotel nearby. Lincoln Park’s a calmer area and home to popular hotels like Hotel Lincoln. Wicker Park has more of an artsy feel, and is home to places like The Robey.
As mentioned, the Indiana Dunes can be visited as a day trip from Chicago. But if you’d prefer to get an earlier start, consider staying somewhere closer to the park.
I stayed in the nearby town of Portage at the OYO Hotel Portage I-94. It was a rather dingy hotel but fine for a single night. And it was an easy drive to the Paul H. Douglas Trail from there.
To the west of the park is the city of Gary, which is unfortunately known for its high crime rate. Therefore, you might want to consider Michigan City to the east of the park instead (confusingly, Michigan City is indeed located in Indiana).
A highly-rated hotel there is the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, while those on more of a budget should consider the Super 8 by Wyndham.