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Indiana Dunes
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Indiana Dunes
Indiana Dunes Status Update: While many of the trails, beaches and parking lots are open they will close if they become overcrowded and the state's social distancing guidelines are not adhered to. Please do your part to keep these amazing opportunities for outdoor recreation open for everyone.
Things to Know Before You Go
Planning a weekend getaway? Things to know before you go:
West Beach, a National Park beach and the Indiana Dunes State Park are open and offer restrooms, ample parking and concessions. Both of these are the locations currently recommended by the National Park.
Kemil Beach and Mt. Baldy, both National Park beaches are open, but have small parking lots.
Restrooms at beach locations open Memorial Day weekend.
Porter Access Beach will open with partial access on Memorial Day weekend. Portage Lakefront Beach will open as well.
Other beaches nearby with restrooms (open Memorial Day weekend) are: Lake Street Beach, Marquette Park and Beach, Wells Street Beach, Dunbar Beach and Washington Park and Beach. Whihala Beach opens Memorial Day. Please note, beach parking fees vary by location.
Beachgoers can also enjoy walking trails at Lakefront Park, Whihala Beach, Indiana Dunes State Park and West Beach.
Heavy spring storms and wind damage have caused severe erosion at many of our beaches and have caused closures at the Portage Lakefront Beach, Central Avenue Beach and Lake View Beach.
Last Minute Updates
For beach and park updates at the National Park, visit here or follow them on facebook.
For an updated list of what is open and closed at the Indiana State Parks, click here.
Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on May 23rd, the public can call 219-395-1003 to get recorded information on available parking at Indiana Dunes National Park beaches and the nearby Indiana Dunes State Park.
Welcome to the Indiana Dunes
Stretching 25 miles east along Lake Michigan's south shore, the Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes State Park welcome nearly four million guests to their sandy beaches and beautiful trails each year. Enjoy a family camping trip, an ecological study or just a relaxing day at the beach.
The Indiana Dunes National Park is comprised of more than 15,000 acres of dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers and forests, offering a wide variety of activities year-round.
Visitors can take advantage of beautiful beaches, unique hiking trails and the historic sites of Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm.
The national park is a beautiful spot for hiking, with 11 trails throughout the park of varying lengths and difficulty levels.
Photo credit: Pete Doherty
At the Indiana Dunes State Park, large sand dunes, located beyond the entire shoreline, have taken thousands of years to form, and tower nearly 200 feet above Lake Michigan.
Three miles of beaches run along Lake Michigan’s southern shore. The park also offers 16.5 miles of trails, several that traverse Mount Tom. Enjoy everything the park has to offer with a stay at their campground.
There is a small fee for parking at the state park.
Photo credit: Indiana DNR
Activities at the Dunes
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Beaches
