Established
2019
Size
15,349 acres
Visitors / yr
2.7M
Entrance
$25
Best season
June through September
Nearest airport
ORD Chicago O'Hare International
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Why Indiana Dunes is worth the trip
Indiana · Established 2019
Indiana Dunes is the park that converts skeptics. Fifteen miles of Lake Michigan shoreline within sight of Chicago's skyline, with broad swimming beaches and dunes well over a hundred feet tall that would pass for ocean coast anywhere.
The dunes carry scientific weight, too. Botanist Henry Cowles did his pioneering work on ecological succession here in the 1890s, because these ridges compress bog, prairie, forest, and oak savanna into a few walkable miles. The bird list tops 350 species, absurd for a park this size.
The honest pitch is simpler. Swim at West Beach, earn your legs on a dune climb, watch a summer sun drop behind the Chicago skyline across the water, and be home by bedtime. Millions of Midwesterners live within an hour of a national park. Plenty still have not noticed.
Start with our full Indiana Dunes guide, then use the planning below.
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Top things to do in Indiana Dunes
Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around. Read the full guide.
Start here
20 Indiana Dunes Things to Do (+ Camping at the Dunes)
Read the guide
01
Hiking · nps.gov
Ranger Camp 3-Day Expedition
September 11–13, 2026: The Ranger Camp 3 Day Expedition is a ranger led biking, hiking, and paddling adventure designed for experienced outdoor enthusiasts. Over...
02
Hiking · nps.gov
1966 Hiking Challenge
The 1966 Hiking Challenge is comprised of 19 hikes that cover 66 miles of trail in the park, celebrating the park’s founding in 1966....
03
Hiking · nps.gov
Diana Dunes Dare
What is the Diana Dunes Dare? It is a hiking challenge! It is a ghost story re-told! We are daring you to be like...
04
Self-Guided Tours - Auto · nps.gov
One Hour Excursions
Whether you have an hour, a half day, or a full day, the beaches, dunes, and trails of the Indiana Dunes offer relaxation, inspiration,...
Hiking · nps.gov
Ranger Camp 3-Day Expedition
September 11–13, 2026: The Ranger Camp 3 Day Expedition is a ranger led biking, hiking, and paddling adventure designed for experienced outdoor enthusiasts. Over...
02
Hiking · nps.gov
1966 Hiking Challenge
The 1966 Hiking Challenge is comprised of 19 hikes that cover 66 miles of trail in the park, celebrating the park’s founding in 1966....
03
Hiking · nps.gov
Diana Dunes Dare
What is the Diana Dunes Dare? It is a hiking challenge! It is a ghost story re-told! We are daring you to be like...
04
Self-Guided Tours - Auto · nps.gov
One Hour Excursions
Whether you have an hour, a half day, or a full day, the beaches, dunes, and trails of the Indiana Dunes offer relaxation, inspiration,...
Before you go
Get the Indiana Dunes heads-up
Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Indiana Dunes guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.
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Plan your trip
Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Indiana Dunes.
Where to stay
Gateway towns with lodging, food and outfitters.
Maps & guides
Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.
America the Beautiful pass
$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.
Get the pass
What to bring
Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.
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Trail ShoesLightweight with good traction for maintained trails. View on REI
-
Rain JacketMountain weather turns fast. Pack a shell even on clear mornings. View on REI
-
Merino Hiking SocksPrevent blisters and keep your feet comfortable for miles. View on REI
-
Day Hiking PackA 22-30L pack fits water, layers, snacks, and a first aid kit. View on REI
Getting there
- ORD Chicago O'Hare International 55 mi
- MDW Chicago Midway 45 mi
- SBN South Bend International 50 mi
Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.
Indiana Dunes map
VC Visitor Center
CG Campground
Nearby Park
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When to go
Loading weather...
Month-by-Month Conditions
Tap any month for details
Month
High
Low
Crowds
Roads
Jan
32°
18°
Low
Open
Feb
36°
21°
Low
Open
Mar
46°
30°
Light
Open
Apr
57°
40°
Light
Open
May
68°
50°
Heavy
Open
Jun Best
78°
60°
Peak
Open
Jul Best
82°
64°
Peak
Open
Aug Best
80°
63°
Peak
Open
Sep Best
74°
56°
Heavy
Open
Oct
62°
45°
Moderate
Open
Nov
49°
34°
Light
Open
Dec
37°
24°
Light
Open
Best months to visit
Crowd level (low to peak)
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More Indiana Dunes guides
06
Parks near Indiana Dunes
Within reach if you are building a longer trip.
Worth protecting
Indiana Dunes belongs to all of us
Protections that took generations to win can be rolled back in a single session of Congress. We keep watch so they hold.
Stay in the Loop
Free dispatches on the parks and the policy fights around them, almost every day. Threats tracked, wins celebrated, no fluff.
Threatened Lands Map
Follow what's happening on federal lands across the country with our interactive map.
View the Tracker