Reviews of Indiana Dunes National Park (Park)

Susan Price

We loved hiking over the dunes on the boardwalks and stairs. While hiking between the dunes and the forested areas we were surprised to see cactus in the fields.

Nikki Osko

Great hike. Not as "strenuous" as i had read unless you go down the hill completely to the beach. Then its a short hike back up the sand. Well worth it.

Irfan Mustaqim Mazlan

This place is nice but I expected more scenic views from the dunes. Still beautiful anyway

Gina T

Elizabeth at the visitor center was incredibly kind and helpful. The park is beautiful and the 3 Dune Challenge was a fun experience.

Melissa Ferns

Went yesterday and it was super crowded. First went to west street beach but got turned away. Not wanting to disappoint the kids did a quick Google search and ended up here. Paid the $6 for parking which wasn't that bad but the parking lot was huge so I figured it would be a big beach with a lot of room. That wasn't the case though. You could barely move without bumping into someone. Having the lifeguards was nice which not all the beaches have. After about 20 minutes though someone opened up their umbrella next to my friend due to overcrowding it was literally right next to her face. The umbrella was covered in sand and it threw sand in her face and got in her eye so we drove over an hour away back home. Maybe it's not always this bad but after this experience we will not be back. The staff was very friendly though despite all of this especially the concession girls. It was more the rude crowd than anything else.

Dave Sobilo

A great national park to visit. Very reasonable and they let you bring you coolers. There are many things to do such as walk on the Lakeshore go swimming go hiking or try to look at local wildlife and fauna. A destination experience especially for the price. they have a concession stand so you can also get a few things you need there. Girlfriend really enjoyed our trip and will be back for sure. A local favorite!!

Amber Cornett

Great family vaction!! Must see destination..Parks are beautiful and a grand area to cover, lots to do. Swimming in Lake Michigan is amazing. West Beach is very nice as you can see Chicago on a clear day or an evening. Eat time to go to West Beach as it is the most popular is of an evening time,crowds thin out then and very wonderful time

Amber Cornett

Great family vaction!! Must see destination..Parks are beautiful and a grand area to cover, lots to do. Swimming in Lake Michigan is amazing. West Beach is very nice as you can see Chicago on a clear day or an evening. Eat time to go to West Beach as it is the most popular is of an evening time,crowds thin out then and very wonderful time

Jennifer Baughman

I love Porter Beach at the Indiana Dunes National Park! My friends and I go every year. It is a great getaway. Only complaint is not enough parking so make sure to come early.

Melissa Young

It was very nice. The day I went wasn't too crowded, just right. There were always lifeguards in sight.

Bruce Provencher

This is a really nice area and I appreciate that it was a National lakeshore. I'm just not sure what happened to move it up to a national park. Pretty braces, nice lake.

Jared Meservy

One of the best parks I have been to. Went hiking loved it. Amazing views.

anna pass

We liked this park a lot. We were so incredibly luck as to find a volunteer at the visitor's centre that took a lot of time to explain what, where and how we could spend our day. We did exactly as she instructed and we enjoyed our time very much. We took the three dune challenge, which is not that terrible, went to see the moving dunes, strolled along the like and spent time in both visitor's centre. Great experience

Jay Vitek

Great Park. lots to do and see diverse areas of trails through marshes, up dunes, along the beach. Free entry to most all of the places. Great for hiking swimming camping pretty much everything you can think of in a park

Charles Whittemore

Was an amazing time. It made my trip from North Carolina that more special.

Patrick Robinson

It's a great place to relax and enjoy what Mother nature gave us. Could use more parking.

Loulou's Picture

Wonderful national park, not that far from Chicago. Taking the train is fast and very convenient for those that can't drive.

Mark Digerness

Very nice park. Lots of sand and nice hiking trails, however very limited parking near Dune Ridge trail and east end beaches. West end of park is nicer and much less crowded.

Bo

Free entry, diverse topography/ecology, hiking trails & well developed facilities its wonderful that this area was preserved.

Nita Rents

Get there early! Parking is free at most places, but fill up quickly! It was hot & family was not interested in the Dunes Challenge! Lake Michigan is beautiful! Perfect spot for a pitstop, 20 minutes off the interstate on our way to OH.

Ed Feldmanis

The whole Dunes area is fantastic. The Nature Center setting is unrivaled. The National Park Visitor Center is fantastic. The Indiana Dunes State Park is well worth it as well.

Ter Bear

Best family beach, wish it didn't take me so long to discover it. Definitely going to be one of our new destinations.

Sandie Kisting

It was my first visit to the dunes. It was very beautiful. I started out with the beach and the lake and then decided to take the smaller hike to the dunes. Although the sand was very hot on my feet, and the stairs were long and many, I absolutely loved my adventure.

Sarah Becker

They need to move their sand so there is more beach area. It has almost completely corroded away from erosion. The dunes view is very scenic however.

Melanie Beth Scott

Lake Michigan is way more beautiful than one would think. We went to west beach first. It was a tad crowded, but still pretty clean. The next week we tried going to Beverly Dunes, but it was a Saturday and there wasn't any parking. We went to Mount Baldy, the walk to beach was longer but pleasant, wasn't crowded at all. Beautiful sand and scenery. If I could rate the park staff separately, I would give them 2 stars. I asked for a map of parking and she gave me one but then proceeded to tell me that ALL the parking lots are full and there's 1.5 hour wait to get into some other beach. I asked for alternative parking ideas and was given very little. We wondered how they knew they were ALL full. When we did arrive at Mount Baldy, the parking lot was only 1/3 full!

Anirudh Pillai

Great place to be on a weekend. I would highly recommend going early and stopping at vistor center first to get an idea about all the places and maybe get a map. There are 5-6 places I believe which are driving distance apart and worth checking out. Beach is clean and trails are wonderful.

Will Jocobsmeyer

Not my favorite NP, but a property that needed to be preserved. Set up in multiple parcels so a little unusual to visit. I really enjoyed the lakefront property near the lighthouse. I'm more of a geology guy and this Park is all about biological diversity.

Sheila Curtis

Free admission at this National Park was an awesome suprise! The park ranger at the welcome center was informative and nice. The map of the area is great and available at the visitor center.

Nick Ayen

Great to see if you are in the area it's pretty fascinating when you pull into the drive and get the visual of that big wall of sand! The trail leading back to the beach is heavily wooded and there tends to be snakes and wood ticks.

Nancy Mathews

What a wonderful National Park & within 1 hour of Chicago! One of my favorite places on Earth!

Alfred Valle

This place deserved to receive "National Park" status. One of the most breathtaking things our God has put on this planet. (It isn't man-made, and wasn't the result of an accident. It has a rhythmic ecosystem that shows intelligent design. It doesn't even require mankind to maintain it's balance. If only he would stop destroying it for the "Almighty Dollar", and appreciate it as a gift from The Almighty Himself.

Larry Watson

My grandson and I had a lot of fun. No fish this time. But there always tomorrow. Had the fish done the part , would have been a 5 star trip.

~Amy ~

Great local beach destination. Can't wait to come back during the summer season.

Lori Woerner

Transform your day and go to the beach. Beautiful, extremely clean beach. A great place to spend time with my daughter, and her husband for a while on a day that is 88 degrees.

Philip R

Any beach day at one of the Great Lakes is a good day. Sugar sand beaches, boats in the water, smooth rocks and assorted other treasures of the beach to collect. Fun. Two parking areas, restrooms (5-6-19, closed for work), a block length walk to the beach.

Roy Hughes

Love the Dunes National Park! Today was PACKED with lots of families on the beach and in the water. Water felt great, and there were a lot of footballs and frisbees being thrown all over the place, both in the water and on the beach. Highly recommended!

THAT FREE SOUL

Awesome hiking trails around here that are dog/ kid friendly. Even just some nice spots to lay a blanket out and tan or relax next to the water. Bug spray and sunscreen are a MUST. Bugs aren't too bad though! Can make a day trip out here and grab some local food.

Shrinivas Pai

Less crowded. Great place for 1 day outing from Chicago. One time visit. There is water fountain, washroom and grill are available. You cannot see sunset from this location. So if you are planning to see sunset this is not the spot. Hope this was helpful. Thanks.

anna pass

We liked this park a lot. We were so incredibly luck as to find a volunteer at the visitor's centre that took a lot of time to explain what, where and how we could spend our day. We did exactly as she instructed and we enjoyed our time very much. We took the three dune challenge, which is not that terrible, went to see the moving dunes, strolled along the like and spent time in both visitor's centre. Great experience

Alfred Valle

This place deserved to receive "National Park" status. One of the most breathtaking things our God has put on this planet. (It isn't man-made, and wasn't the result of an accident. It has a rhythmic ecosystem that shows intelligent design. It doesn't even require mankind to maintain it's balance. If only he would stop destroying it for the "Almighty Dollar", and appreciate it as a gift from The Almighty Himself.

Brianna Gonzalez

Love that this area was turned into a national park! Definitely recommend doing the #3DuneChallenge while you’re here. It’s cool that they put info signs at the top of each one. You can definitely do this park in a day and it’s worth the trip. Hot tip: bring bug spray since certain areas can be pretty buggy after it rains.

Lindsay Cassidy

Wow! Very impressed with this national park! We took our 2.5 yr old and hiked the succession loop. The first portion was all in the sand, but then it turned into steps and boardwalk which was so nice! We went in the morning and it was completely empty. Tons of wildlife to watch and waves from Lake Michigan to listen to. We really enjoyed our time! Was saddened to see plenty of trash on the ground—people need to clean up after themself! Picked up what we could but much of it was off the boardwalk and not reachable.

Ash A

Disappointed with the lack of things to do in the area, things closing too early, and the fact 2 of the 3 beaches we visited were under construction and over crowded. Summit of Mt. Baldy was closed off along with other hiking trails in the area. Portage Lakeview beach area was a nightmare to get down into. Scenes are beautiful and the beaches were clean. Nice facilities around the beaches for changing/bathrooms. Great area for locals.

Joseph Kerski

After many years of wanting to go here, I finally was able to go on a field trip with some university students… Absolutely fantastic landscape highlighting the Earth’s geomorphology. I highly recommend it… Spend time on the trails and on the lake shore as well.

Jeremy Denton

This is a great place to go for the day. There is large dunes for kids to run up and down on and plenty of room to find a spot in the sand. Only bad thing is there isnt much for food or drink vendors there. Maybe one of each. The bathrooms are large but no lockers or changing room. There sre showers outside though. I've went 2 years in a row now and plan on making it a yearly event.

Benny Waters

Fantastic trails, views and beaches. Lots of small places nearby to load up on everything you need for the day. Go early, can get very crowded.

Sim M

While Indiana Dunes may not feel like a typical "National Park" as its an hour from Chicago, has restricted hours and feels like a public beach area, it has its little charm in the morning! I made a quick sunrise stop and had all the privacy. The light lit Lake Michigan wonderfully and I was surprised by the sprinkling of flowers around. I wouldn't necessarily center my travels around it but I'd add it as a detour to somewhere else.

Melissa Walther

Gorgeous beaches! Wonderful to have a nice place to take the dogs, and there's plenty of room. The water had actually warmed up enough to splash around in. The only drawback was the flies that bombarded us on our inland hikes. My poor pup was miserable!

rajani Kumar Sindavalam

A nice place for kids to enjoy. The beach is beautiful and the place is neat. Bit crowded and it will be hard to get parking space sometimes. Plan to carry your own food as you dont have much options to buy.

Tiff Harper

I went here for the first time today and it was great! Yes the beach is a little bit of a walk but I'm 7 months pregnant if I can do it then anyone can. The beach itself was nice! No trash or garbage laying around anywhere. Just tree bark in the sand which is normal for a woodsy area like that. The bathrooms very clean and well kept! Great place for kids had lifeguards on duty. And the best part only 6$!!!! To go in an park definitely will be going back

Branson Henderson

4.5 out of 5.0 easy. Beach was clean and the surrounding areas well kept. The biggest thing to know is that Monday through Friday there's no lifeguard on duty so swimming is not allowed. Swimming is open again on Saturday and Sundays though. Great place to take the family for a beach day, campout, hike, or bike ride.

Larry Dommer

The National in National Park is misleading. you still have to pay Indiana State Park admission or purchase a State Park pass, and even after taking your money the maintenance of the park is poor. The pavilion is completely closed off and vendors in trailers overcharge for everything. This was our first visit in over 30 years, and we're not inspired to go again.

Amit Kramer

We hiked to the beach through vowels bog trail. It's about 2 miles to the beach. Most of the trail is shaded but bring insect repellent. Many birds and frogs along the trail. The beach had few people and was beautiful.

Alexander B

Seriously? A state park suddenly becoming a national park with no seriously redeeming features??? Lots of areas further up Lake Michigan far more deserving. Looks like a Pence shyster ploy

Victoria Coronel

The beach was really nice. I didn’t think it was too cowered. They have changing rooms and bathrooms. Two different parking lots for the beach. I went with my family and had no cell reception so we lost them for a while. But the beach wasn’t that big that we eventually found everyone. The only con was that we got there later in the afternoon so the wait to get into the park was over an hour. Just be prepared to wait in the car for a while.

Shrinivas Pai

Less crowded. Great place for 1 day outing from Chicago. One time visit. There is water fountain, washroom and grill are available. You cannot see sunset from this location. So if you are planning to see sunset this is not the spot. Hope this was helpful. Thanks.

Adam Johnson

The Dunes offer breathtaking views, beautiful beaches, and miles of wooded trails. Trails range from easy to moderate, and can be dirt or sand covered. The Nature Center is a favorite for small children and is a short walk from the campground (which includes electric and water hookups). The main beach has outdoor showers, private changing rooms, bathrooms, drinking fountains, bike racks, and concessions. Note that on weekends and holidays, there is a long line of cars to get into the park! Consider arriving before 10 am, or walking/biking from the nearby train station (less than a mile to the beach from there). Walkers/bikers still need to pay an entry fee, but it is steeply discounted. If you are camping, reserve a spot online at least two weeks in advance.

tina pfeifer

It's was a great little hike. Lots of steps and some beautiful views. Flies were really bad down by the beach and they were biting. Make sure to take something with. Would have enjoyed our trip a little more if we'd have known.

Blake Soller

You can't beat the Dunes National Lakeshore. I have traveled around the world and cannot find anything comparable to what the Dunes offers. I love it here.

THAT FREE SOUL

Awesome hiking trails around here that are dog/ kid friendly. Even just some nice spots to lay a blanket out and tan or relax next to the water. Bug spray and sunscreen are a MUST. Bugs aren't too bad though! Can make a day trip out here and grab some local food.

daniel ethington

This place is a blast. Not too many beaches in this part of the world but this was a good one. It was fairly clean. They did have some food options and a little bit of souvenir stuff. I have to say that we picked the worse time to come here. It was for the 4th of July weekend and I have to say it was crazy busy. It took us over an hour to get into the park. You can tell the staffing is not meant for the crowds that were there. I'm sure any other weekend would be much better. Overall a good place to take the family and have a good time in the water.

류용운

Beautiful place to stay. It has a Wonderful beach

Bryan Hedrick

Such a diverse environment. Many things to do through out the year. A photographer's paradise.

the one

No way to wash sand off!!!!!!!!!!! Limited parking. Bathrooms closed for season in middle of July! Pathetic! Gave it two stars because the water and shallow sloping sand that goes out for a couple hundred feet is absolutely fantastic for kids. this place could really be awesome if they actually installed stairs going down to the beach so that people aren't getting hurt. I helped a pregnant lady not fall down while she was carrying her newborn down the concrete blocks juxtaposed to the sand bank. Finally, The view of the nuclear power plant really gets the mood going ;$

Cruz Guzman

Super fun and relaxing..not the cleanest beach but can't have the best of both worlds I suppose .

Shawn Robison

Super bio-diverse area. Lake Michigan is the payoff of every hike. You can see the Chicago Skyline from the beach. Definitely check out the homes from the 1933 World's Fair along the beach. Really cool. Downside is you can see the massive Steel Mill nearby and lots of huge electric lines that hum above you as you hike. All the industry kind of kills the National Park vibe.

john smith

While this is a beautiful landscape with breathtaking views and miles of trails, this is the worst and most inconvenient state or national park I have ever been to. Incredibly limited number of parking spaces for a park of this size. No street parking anywhere. To find parking you need to arrive about 4 A.M. Park is fragmented into many pieces. Signage is sparse, overgrown with trees and shrubs or nonexistent. Many trails are unmarked and unkept.

Rhiannon Martin

We are blessed to have this park in our back yard. Highly recommend a visit.. but just remember to clean up after yourself. Keep our beaches clean!

kalyan ashok

Great place to visit with family during the summer time. The place is well organized and maintained. There has been 4 bay-watch towers and lifeguards available Incase of any emergency. Showers and restrooms available near swimming area.

Kellie Sherman

What a beautiful park. So clean, and beaches are sparkling white!

Beau Ravens

During the busy season, make sure you come early in the day if you don't want to wait in line to get in. Cars were backed up about a mile from the gate. Be prepared to pay a $12 entrance fee if you're from out of state. They do take credit cards.

Karen Byers

We absolutely loved our time there! We stayed at the Spring House Inn, it was clean, friendly, reasonable and had a awesome breakfast included ! We were surprised by how clean the beaches and water was.. Beautiful area as long as you don't go up toward Gary, Indiana.. That area was so run down and sad... But Michigan City was wonderful!

Sean McDermott

I have fairly high expectations of any National Park. I found Indiana Dunes a little disappointing as a visitor. Fairy standard nature walks in the dunes at Miller Woods Trail. The big dunes at Mount Baldy area is impressive but closed for access for safety. The Calumet Trail is crazily overgrown for cycling, really needs a mow. It should be just closed if they're not going to maintain it. I'm sure our time would have been better spent in a different area of the park. Visiting Cowles Bog Trail later today, hoping for a review rescue!

Jonathon Cote

Used to be great ... Now the beaches are always closed ... Sad to be honest my family loved that place ... I wish these big companies would stop dumping in the lake .

Paul Lenahan

Beautiful park with camping amenities and beach. The dunes/mountains are a great excursion for the day if you don't mind putting some miles on your feet. Couple nature centers that aren't really that special.

oreo puppy

It's not far from home you can bring your grill and cooler and have a great day or weekend at the beach. Something the kids will remember!

Stephen Aichner

Serene location with trails that are great for hiking and beaches that are perfect for relaxing, swimming, or just listening to the waves crash ashore; and beautiful sunsets with the Chicago skyline in the background.

Diana Pudwill

Such natural beauty at every turn! The drive on Hwy 12 is like going through a tunnel of trees in places. So much diversity at this park. Many different ecosystems are here. You will be surprised if you take the time to explore this park! It's so much more than just the beaches, and the beaches are spectacular!

Sayani Chatterjee

Extremely beautiful place! Never forgot this also a picnic spot too... beach - grill - dunes & many more options for fun. Hiking- biking All together

Leanna Balloffet

This is by far the worst national park we’ve been to. They make you pay to park even with the interagency pass, unheard of at any other NP. When we were surprised by this, the ranger at the turnstile was very snappy and told us we weren’t paying to enter, we were paying for the lifeguards and bath house. As if other national parks don’t have staff and facilities. The bath house is also under heavy construction. We didn’t stay long because you have to wade through an extremely crowded beach to get to the interpretive trail. On the way out there’s a no refunds sign, evidently enough people have felt like this was a real waste of money. If you want a beach day on the lake just go to a free one. I guess I should have expected a NP designated under the Trump administration would be like this.

Tian Zhang

We went to several beaches there and they all felt different. It was amazing.

Thomas Dogan

Absolutely stunning. Beautiful place. You gotta see it. I got married there and performed a wedding there years later. Even the winter is great for bird lovers.

elizabeth gray

Temper your expectations-- this is a National Park in name only. The National Park Service opposed the upgrade in designation from Lakeshore to Park, but Indiana politicians prevailed. Definitely not a destination, but worth a stop by for camping, numerous hiking trails, and beaches. Dunewood Campground in the NP has spacious all-shaded sites, clean bathrooms with hot showers, and the constant din of I- 94 in the background. On dune hikes you also see steel mills, two power plants-including a nuclear plant cooling tower-- and, while we were the in early July, an ever-present haze of smog across the horizon. We didn't visit the Indiana State Dunes State Park, which is in the middle of the many parcels that make up the National Park, and is evidently quite popular with locals for camping, beach, and hiking--Trail 9 is reputedly the best hike in the region, though the parking at the SP is atrocious—very few spots.

Scott Ward

Great dunes. Lake was clean, fairly warm (for a great lake). Beautiful area entering the Park. Needs more parking, but if course that would take away from the area.

Alex Robbins III

One of the most beautiful Northern beaches if you're looking for a quick getaway the hustle and bustle of the city well kept and clean

Anool Mahidharia

We drove down here from Chicago with friends for a day trip. The beach is great, but it was too windy and cold for us to stay there longer. We found a nice, secluded spot, and set up our bar-b-que going. We needed to setup a bonfire to keep all of us warm, even though the sun was bright and shining. Great camping location, we'd definitely come back again, possible when the weather was warmer to enjoy the beach.

Glenna J

I was disappointed in the "dunes". I took pics of the only dunes that I saw. there's not many, because that's all I saw. I had searched the Indiana Dunes on google and thought I would see actual dunes of sand that didn't have trees and bushes growing out of it. Then after I went to the dunes, I looked at the pics online again and saw that most of the pics shown were not in Indiana, they were from another state or country. We drove through the park and there was overgrown forest and swamps next to the road which wasn't at all pretty to look at....no dunes. I'm glad some reviewers enjoyed themselves there but I didn't. It was a waste of my time.

pezdisc

This is an amazing park with great views. It's a relaxing way to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life! We absolutely loved walking along the shore, it's like your walking along the ocean but without the sea smell.

A Ferrari

Miles and miles of sandy beach. Transparent water. Romantic sunset.

Peggy Kilburn

The park is nice, good places to picnic and lots of animals, birds wildlife beautiful scenery great place to drink in nature! I can deal with the woods, I live right next to them, I love seeing the deer roam around my neighborhood and I'm very careful at night when they come out a lot you have to dri8ve real slow with your bright lights on so they don't run out in front of your car. As far as the dunes and the beach goes, I wouldn't swim there the lake is unpredictable, and there is too much pollution.

Stephen Hall

Awesome place ! Be ready for your calves to ache if you come and go twice in one day! The beach is great. The dunes are stellar!

aali farooqi

Lake Michigan is beautiful and clean. Good place for one day picknic. We enjoyed.

Shell Lehman

Beautiful place. Be prepared to walk up and down hills.... It's great cardio

Samantha Campbell

This review is in response to a phone call I just had with the park. I WAS planning on going this weekend, but I wanted to call and see if their signs had been changed to say "National Park." Well when I asked the lady (in a very snide tone) said "No, but if you'd like to give us $300,000 we can fix that right away for you." I just don't think that her tone or sarcastic remark was necessary. People enjoy taking pictures with the national parks signs. There wasn't anything wrong with my question. I just want to let people know that there are some employees at this park who are very rude to patrons.

Candice Loitz

Beautiful area and a lot of fun! Great family vacation spot!

Lynette Smith

Love this beach. I think some of the driftwood should be cleaned up but otherwise the beach is very clean.

Katie

It's family fun, but if you don't like to hike and climb stay away.

Sandy Sommers

Peaceful and beautiful park with many higher sand dunes. Well maintained and elevated wooden walkways that offer great views of the dunes, plants, and the lake.

loreta januskis

Amazing beautiful place, great beach, sand dunes that you can claimb. Overcrauded on weekends. I love going to blueberry you-pick nearby and have a healthy snack on the beach. Or you can visit Valparaiso town with multiple great bars and restaurants.

Mike Foster

Nice place to hang out by the lake but don't look for any dunes to climb because they closed that part due to people apparently just can't stay on the paths. If you want to climb a 260' dune try Warren Dunes in Michigan.

Veronica Ferreira

My whole family loved our time here. Beautiful, clean, peaceful. No seashells but gorgeous stones.

Thomas Hengels

Wife and I had never been camping before. The place and people were so friendly and helpful.

Andrey sichuga

Wonderful place, one of the most beautiful parts of Indiana ^_^ Stay for the sunset, its the best Please do not leave your used up belongings take it back with you and recycle/compost it please!! The park caretakers let it pile up, it flies around from the wind all night leaving pollution all over the beach and whats left of the trash/pollution bins get tended to in the morning. Camping really needs to be improved, they do not allow you to camp day of in the summer, there are so many spaces there, not everyone needs to plan a reservation a year in advance. There is so much green space there for those that want to sleepover after a day at the beach if we share. This is protected public land, we all have a right to it, I did not enjoy feeling like a stranger in my own home. You dont just leave people to go find somewhere to rest on public land, let alone in nature, no one has a right to deny you access to nature in your own country.

Ashlie Angotti

Even on a busy day, you can find a beach. You just have to keep at it! Hiking here is pretty fun, too.

Mike Plisky

Never heard of it. My son turned me on. Both of my parents knew of it as they would go there for high school parties. Pretty cool, easy hikes. Beautiful dunes!

julia Bumbales

God couldn't have given us a more beautiful place to wander through.

Nevin Zimmerman

A beautiful coastal park with plenty of hiking trails to stay entertained on. Or head out to the beach nice sized waves coming in.

Deb Schaffer

At West Beach the walk is reasonable and the beach has enough room for lots of folks. The trails are fun, but be prepared. The sun can get hot and so can the sand. ☀

Kayla Szarafinski

It's a really great park. Can get crowded, so be prepared for that or to walk out far enough to be by less people. Really good rocks for skipping too. Only big thing is be prepared to wait!! You have to pay to enter and the line takes forever the later you get there. Go early or during the week.

Sai Charan Sundar Somarouthu

Love this place. Been here a couple of times. Will come back for sure. Pets are not allowed everywhere. I have a dog and went to a couple of trails. Few allow them leashed and few don't. A get away place for literally any type of crowd.

Payton Balog

So pretty. The dunes, the water, the sand so amazing. You can see a little bit of Chicago across the water. It's cold but so calming and nice. The sand is clean and cold but refreshing on your feet. Chesterton is such a beautiful town, comfy town. It's a place where everyone smiles. It's safe and small but it's right up by Chicago so that helps with the smallness. The national park though is so great and gorgeous. Seriously you have to see it, just come and stand and watch the ocean or hike. Laugh. You just have to. It's a little gem in the center of big rocks.

Payton Balog

So pretty. The dunes, the water, the sand so amazing. You can see a little bit of Chicago across the water. It's cold but so calming and nice. The sand is clean and cold but refreshing on your feet. Chesterton is such a beautiful town, comfy town. It's a place where everyone smiles. It's safe and small but it's right up by Chicago so that helps with the smallness. The national park though is so great and gorgeous. Seriously you have to see it, just come and stand and watch the ocean or hike. Laugh. You just have to. It's a little gem in the center of big rocks.

Austin Monday

It’s a beach that allows dogs!!! It is a very far walk to the dog beach from parking but our puppy loved it. Clean and taking care of bathrooms

Miranda Steier

This a beautiful place to spend the day. The trails are a bit apart so we have found ourselves driving between them. However, it's well worth it. The types of trails are varied and include sand and beach trails, wooded trails that have well worn walking paths and those with beautifully built wooden paths and trails. Other things to see and access are a Visitor Center, a small farm, and a variety of small animals and birds. A wonderful place.

Miranda Steier

This a beautiful place to spend the day. The trails are a bit apart so we have found ourselves driving between them. However, it's well worth it. The types of trails are varied and include sand and beach trails, wooded trails that have well worn walking paths and those with beautifully built wooden paths and trails. Other things to see and access are a Visitor Center, a small farm, and a variety of small animals and birds. A wonderful place.

thom soap

Typically I can't stand beaches, this one is literally the only exception so far. Bear in mind I am definitely a fan of austere beauty and foggy rainy weather.

Jenn Undefined

Beautiful scenery, nice hike in the sand. Lake Michigan is gorgeous.

LT Kai

Walk from parking lot is a bit of a distance if you have brought lots of beach items with you. Nice updated bathhouse with snack bar. Nice walking beach. Family fun.

Victoria Patton

Friendly staff and volunteers, very knowledgeable. The apple festival (3rd weekend in September) was fun.

pioniere1944

Wonderful place to visit. So much to do for all kinds of interests. Loved taking my son there to get away from the city and see some nature..

Blackout Edits

Great place to visit! Very busy, strong water keep kids close! Great for all day beach day!!

Joel Hernandez

Hey are we at the ocean in the coast? No it's the Midwest. The closest you can get to an ocean front in the Midwest. Beautiful dunes great for exercise or running down them till you fall and roll. Check water conditions before you go for advisory info and bacteria levels.

Angeli S

Fun place to bike, hike, or hit up the beach! Make sure you also stop at the visitors center, it has clean bathrooms and helpful park rangers.

Claudia Gunter

We did a NOCTURNAL HIKE!!! IT WAS AMAZING!!! If you haven't experienced the Indiana Dunes State Park in the day or late PM; you are missing out. The Park Rangers were very knowledgeable, professional, patient and they made the entire team feel right at home among the owls, frogs, coyotes, snakes, rabbits, deer, turtles, bats, beavers..... as the sun set...we broke out the nite lites and glow sticks and walked by the lite of the moon. We heard the nite ANIMALS and appreciated all the beauty and magic of Lake Michigan in the darkest of the nite. Great trip.

Vicky Gerken

Central park beach was amazing and my pet was so so happy she could swim and enjoy herself. I feel like parking us an issue and there should be more available.

Carol Chase

The water is very high. Some parts of beaches are non existent. We were looking for colored glass. Could not get to line where they would be.

Your Friendly Review

A beautiful park that truly cares for their wildlife. Lots of greenery, no trash, and compassionate folks. Wish St. Louis, MO was like this. They should be proud of their people since they know how to maintain their land. Simply amazing.

Barbara Woods

I am 69 yrs old, grew up in putnam co., first and last time I will go to dunes..we set in traffic 2 hrs to get in...you should rethink your entrance, and parking I do understand it was packed..anyway..i think we stayed one half hour and left..oh by the way, it was a beautiful view..party on.

John Behan

Beautiful place, great way to spend a day in the warmer months. Water is beautiful, sand is very soft. Always room to find a private retreat to spend the day. No need to go to an ocean with something like this in your backyard.

Jake Grieco

They were awesome. The waves were bigger than expected which was more fun! Beautiful area

Saim khan

This is the best deal and just for the stones and we have the barbecue it was an awesome place and the good thing is it is free for the public. They also have a very good start to take care of your babies as well if you’re not watching them

brendan mosey

Beautiful beaches & dunes to explore & run around on. Ample parking, if you ask me. Pick up a bag of seashells at the local Wal Mart on your way...Toss then onto the sand to let your children find - save yourselves thousands on a trip to the ocean.

L. O.

It's literally better than being at the ocean. And no, I will not explain myself, you just have to go. You're welcome

Brittany Eslary

So lovely to have access to this gem right outside the city. Clean, pretty and dog friendly beaches!

Lennie Thatch

The beach is nice and usually clean with lots of room to spread out. You can grill also. There are also a number of other activities to enjoy.

Jeffery Meyer

Nice beaches picnic areas. Well worth the 6 dollars to get in the west beach if you want change rooms.

Eva Marie Villarin

July 27, 2019 Saturday was the worst. It took us an hour just to get to the entrance and pay in the booth. Either they can set up an app to pay or facilitate payment by having extra personnel to expedite flow of traffic. Kindly improve your service.

Zachary Berg

The dunes is a great place to see. West Beach is amazing. It is like you are visiting the ocean but, it is freshwater so you don't have to worry about things such as sharks or jellyfish. I also like the fact that the water doesn't sting your eyes as with the case with saltwater. If you are not in the mood for swimming there is some great trails to hike or bike on. I recommend that anyone visiting to check out the sand dunes because that is what the dunes are known for just make sure that you adhere to posted signage as they are there to protect the dunes.

Olivia Harris

Absolutely beautiful! Did not know this place existed. I got off route 94 to get gas and decided to continue on the "country roads" for a bit and took route 12. It was absolutely beautiful and worth it! This National Park is the newest one in the country at #61. There are several beaches you can go to and some historical buildings in the park. This area is Mount Baldy Beach. You have to walk on a sand trail through the trees for .36 miles. You end up overlooking the beach. You can either go straight down the steep dune or walk the edge path that declines gently. The water was crystal clear and refreshing but not too cold. It's a beautiful place and well worth the short walk. This beach is NOT recommended for those with mobility challenges as the sand trails would be very difficult. There was no fee to pay here for parking or otherwise.

Norman Mietus

Great beach that is clean and well maintained but I caution everyone on weekends in summer and is does get extremely packed

Emily McGill

Literally the best beach I’ve been to! We even bought some amazing clothes at the gift shop to support the park. The staff was very friendly!!

Amy M. Cox

My favorite destination in Indiana for a break from everyday life. Love the beach and the shopping!! So many wonderful independent places to eat!!

Becca Deutsch

Love having a National Park in Indiana! There’s so much to do. You can go hiking, camping, swimming or just hang at the beach. There’s something for everyone! The park staff take really good care of the park (just wish visitors would as well) and pretty much every beach area has restrooms and water fountains.

Shane Anderson

Always a great place to visit. Walk the dunes, go swimming or just relax in the evening and watch the sunset.

Sam Malkowski

The Lakeshore is beautiful and dangerous and breathtaking. It's also dirty but that's not Nature's fault, so 5 stars. Stop littering!!

Sophia Bell

Fun for the whole family! Beautiful beaches, the water was pretty cold when we went but we still had fun exploring the dunes!

Antoine Whiting

Scenery is beautiful. I just love seeing lakes and oceans. Any large bodies of water actually. Rivers included. The surrounding neighborhoods are nice also. There are some really nice places to eat or have a drink after visiting the beach or before. They have a nice zoo also, even though I don't like seeing any animals caged up. I think that it's mean to take any animals out of their natural habitats. Nothing beats a sunset at the lake.

Shawn Zuk

Nice clean place. If you'd enjoy a little walk (one might call it a small nature walk), you'll like the Dunes. Great place to watch the Sun set,, etc.. You can take your dog as well, ( just please pick up after your pets).

Jellyfish Jam

Lots of trails. The beach has pebbles and rocks so you may want wet/dry shoes or sandals. Bring your bug spray for the mosquitos if you hike the wooded areas. Make sure you have plenty of water if you go in the summer on a hot day.

Angela D

We were so excited to try out the newest national Park... Only 4 hours from home. Although it's beautiful and the staff (lifeguards, rangers, welcome staff) are all great, we were very disappointed in the cleanliness of the park. Trash everywhere. We attempted the 3 dunes challenge, but although they say on the brochures to stay on the marked trails, the trails were not marked and we could not figure out where we were supposed to be or go... Even with a map and another couple hiking near us having the same issue. I'm hopeful that they have plans to improve trails and enforce litter policies and cleanups. So much garbage...on the trails and on the beach. I will say the biting insects weren't as bad as I'd expected. On the trails they would start swarming us if we stood still, but as long as we were moving they weren't bad. Not bad at all on the beach. If anyone is getting bit, it would be me.

Abhishek Master

A very scenic place. We tried the 3 Dune challenge and it was fun. You can also take a slight detour from the 3 dunes to reach the beach and you can see the Chicago skyline from there.

Mark Marcotte

Very nice beach and views of Lake Michigan. Amazing that done moves 20' each year...as we're told.

Javeita Hadley

I typed a review twice, but it doesn't show in the other reviews for some reason. My family had a wonderful time @ our 1st Surprise Proposal Party. I hadn't been to the Pavillion in several years. We all had a great time!!

Pamela

Love this place..we will definitely come back. If you're looking g for a nice beach with beautiful scenery ..this is the place.. Lake Michigan can be a little chilly..but it gets warmer when you go out a little ways..

royal hartwig

Visited the Indiana Dunes National park to run some trails. Parked at the Cowles Bog Trailhead (free parking). Small lot with porta potty, and a trail map. A few different options of Trails to use, we chose the loop that starts to the west of the parking area. About a 4 mile loop (without walking down to lake) Trails were really nice with every changing terrain. Some steep climbs, with lots of tree roots. Some soft sandy areas. Halfway through the loop we were able to walk to the shore or Lake Michigan. This was nice. I'm sure it's never busy there, since you have to walk a few miles to get there. Very private. Overall, really enjoyed our time there. Would recommend to others.

Jaime Whitlock

We camped in the campground and visited the beach. Unfortunately the beach was under a contamination warning due to E.coli being up in the lake so we couldn't swim. The campground is lovely. I would definitely recommend it for any kind of camping (tent, camper, RV). Great amenities, great sites, and super friendly park employees!

Hailey Cooper

It's a great place! You can hike, check out the scenery, go to the beach, walk up the huge sand hill. They have food set up there in case you're hungry and didnt pack anything. Life guards on duty. You're not allowed to bring your dogs here.

Jordan Gatzka

I need to put a little bit of more money into it and some camping closer to the lake would be great in Beverly Shores parking is minimal.

Michael Murphy

Rarely do you find as clean and tranquil a public park. Even the snaps are friendly.

Danae Bye

Not necessarily loving for the dunes, but great biodiversity and trails. The sand is nice and beaches are beautiful. I found the hike I went on was remote and beautiful. Walked through the big. Although there were many bugs a ranger had warned me to wear repellent. I found the experience and helpfulness to be a top notch experience.

christopher clark

I'm very enthused that my home state of Indiana has its first National Park. Made a brief visit today, and I look very forward to future explorations here! The shoreline is home to a rather diverse landscape with natural beauty abounding accompanied by industrial landmarks. A truly unique experience and wonderful addition to our National Parks System !

Ben Keller

I visited this park when I was 1...but I am reviewing all parks I have been to with 5 stars, so you're welcome @NPS.

Ally Fleckenstein

Very busy on a Saturday near the water! We had a lot of fun though. The sand is soft and the water was refreshing. We enjoyed seeing some dunes but didn’t hike any. Was fun to see the boats and jet skis fly by far out in the water, too!

Matthew Shea

The main beach has plenty of parking usually. All other beaches especially pet friendly beaches have 20 parking spots, not lots, spots! Nothing like going to the beach and not going to the beach because you can't park! And what's with the 2 park rangers sitting in the parking lot on lawn chairs reading books or magazines?

Mandy Padilla

Love the Dunes. Always a very fun safe experience. As I was visiting, a child was lost at a beach for about 5 minutes. I was very proud as all the lifeguards and staff acted to quickly and efficiently until they found child quickly. I feel very safe here

Brianna Gonzalez

Love that this area was turned into a national park! Definitely recommend doing the #3DuneChallenge while you’re here. It’s cool that they put info signs at the top of each one. You can definitely do this park in a day and it’s worth the trip. Hot tip: bring bug spray since certain areas can be pretty buggy after it rains.