Pets allowed
Allowed with Restrictions
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Indiana Dunes National Park is a very diverse shoreline with more than 15 miles of beaches on the Michigan Lake’s southern shore. It includes a total of 15,067 acres of protected primitive, beautiful, and historic landscape. It is one of the National Park Service's newest units.

If you'll be hiking, please stay on designated trails and remember that dune sledding is prohibited. The park exists to protect and preserve the landscape. Animals and plants are very sensitive and can be easily affected by erosion of their natural habitat by foot traffic. Always keep Leave No Trace principles in mind. Swimming is allowed in designated areas only, for everyone’s safety. If you have a dog with you, they’re allowed on all beaches except in the swimming beach.

Besides hiking and swimming, there is also camping, birding, biking, jogging, paddling, cross-country skiing, fishing, and hunting. The park not only has dunes and beaches, it also has a marsh with a wetland observation platform, several nature centers, pavilions, prairie preserves, and bird observation platforms.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

None

Open Year-round

Yes

Pros

Sandy beaches. Dunes hiking. Wildlife. Biking trails and picnic areas.

Cons

Surrounded by industrial parks.

Features

Family friendly
ADA accessible
Flushing toilets
Potable water
Historically significant
Picnic tables
Near lake or river
Geologically significant
Wildlife
Bird watching
Bicycling

Access

Vehicle

Location

Comments

01/17/2024
It's amazing to learn about the stuff related to the park.
02/27/2019
It's a National Park now!
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