Indiana Dunes

Indiana Dunes National Park is a striking blend of natural beauty and industrial backdrop — a place where wind-sculpted sand dunes rise beside the vast blue expanse of Lake Michigan, framed by the distant silhouette of Chicago’s skyline. Spanning over 15,000 acres, the park offers a surprising diversity of landscapes, from beaches and wetlands to prairies and oak savannas.

This area has long captivated visitors for its contrast — the tranquility of its shifting dunes against the hum of nearby cities and rail lines. It’s a sanctuary for more than 1,100 native plant species, one of the most biodiverse regions in the National Park System, and a testament to the resilience of nature reclaiming its space along the Great Lakes.

Hikers can explore over 50 miles of trails that wind through forests, dunes, and along the lakefront, while birdwatchers flock here during spring and fall migrations. In winter, snow-covered dunes and icy shorelines create a whole new kind of beauty — quiet and vast, almost otherworldly. Whether you’re climbing the towering dunes or catching a sunset over the water, Indiana Dunes is where the Midwest meets the wild.