Indiana Dunes National Park is located in Northwestern Indiana. It contains 15 miles of coastline along the shores of Lake Michigan and offers beaches, rugged dunes, forests, and wetlands. One day at Indiana Dunes National Park is the perfect amount of time to spend visiting this newer National Park. There are plenty of things to do at Indiana Dunes National Park from hiking trails to wildlife watching and viewing of unique homes. It makes for an easy day trip from Chicago and can easily be part of a Chicago itinerary.
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History of Indiana Dunes National Park
The earliest people who lived in this area date back to 200BC with the Hopewells. In the 1500s, the Europeans began to expand into the area. Throughout that time, villages popped up scattered around the area. Then by the early 1800s, a small town was established in the area but a fire destroyed the remains in 1850.
In 1926, the area opened as Indiana Dunes State Park helping to start to preserve the area. 1966 saw the addition of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore adding it to the National Park system. Finally, in 2019 the area became Indiana Dunes National Park making it America’s 61st National Park.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to spend one day at Indiana Dunes National Park is in the late spring, or fall. Summers can often reach over 100 degrees with humidity and winters get bitter cold and windy due to its location along the lake.
How to Get to Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana Dunes National Park is about an hour away from Chicago. To get to the park you will want to fly into Chicago O’Hare International Airport or Chicago Midway International Airport. More international flights fly into Chicago O’Hare and it is much larger than Midway. However, Midway is a little bit closer to Indiana Dunes National Park.
The park is also a two-hour drive from Grand Rapids, Michigan, or a 2.5-hour drive from Indianapolis, Indiana, so you could also visit from those places as well.
From Downtown Chicago, you will want to take the 41-South to the 90 East. From there, you will get on the 20 east which will take you to the entrance of the park. Note that you will have to pay some tolls on this route.
Transportation Around Indiana Dunes National Park
To get around during your one day at Indiana Dunes National Park, you will need a car. There is no local transportation or transportation around the park. I recommend renting a car from Autoslash as I always find the best rates there.
Hours and Admission
Indiana Dunes National Park is open 365 days a year from 6am-11pm. Make sure to check the park website for information about trail closures. It costs $6 to enter the park or it is free with the America the Beautiful Pass. In the off season it is free to enter the park.
Where to Stay
It is easy to spend one day at Indiana Dunes National Park as a day trip from Chicago. If you choose to stay in Chicago, opt to stay close to the Millennium Mile in Downtown Chicago as it is the most centrally located.
If you want to stay closer to the National Park, opt to stay in Portage, Indiana. We opted to stay here as we paired a trip to Indiana Dunes National Park with a visit to Notre Dame University and a football game. The Hampton Inn Portage was a convenient place to stay as it was 15 minutes away from the park and included breakfast.
Things to do During One Day at Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana Dunes National Park has a total of 14 hiking trails that wind throughout the park. You can easily complete several of the shorter trails during one day at Indiana Dunes National Park. I recommend visiting the park from East to West if visiting as a day trip from Chicago.
Day 1
Indiana Dunes National Park Visitors Center
Hours: Summer 9am-6pm, Off Season 9am-4pm
To start out your one day at Indiana Dunes National Park, head to the visitor’s center. This is a great place to pick up a map of the park and check out the small exhibits they have about the park.
Mount Baldy Trail
Distance: 0.75-miles
Your first trail stop during one day at Indiana Dunes National Park should be Mount Baldy Beach. This is the park’s tallest dune at 126 feet. You cannot climb on the dune, but there is a short trail that goes around it and ends at the beach. This spot offers gorgeous views of the coastline. Plan to spend 30-45 minutes completing the trail complete with picture stops.
Lake View Beach
Lake View Beach is a picnic area that overlooks Lake Michigan. It is the perfect place to view the lake, watch a sunset, or stop for a snack.
Century of Progress Homes
Next, stop by the Century of Progress Homes. These five homes were built for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Each house has a different theme and design which includes Florida Tropical, Rostone, Armco-Ferro, Cypress, and the House of Tomorrow. Once a year they offer tours for these homes where you can view the first floor. Other times, you can just view the outside of them and read information signs about them.
Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk
The Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk is one of the newer areas of the park. This area contains a wonderful pier and riverwalk perfect for fishing, and tons of seating areas. In the peak season, there is a “green” building that offers ranger-led programs and community events as well as food service. It is a nice place to hang out for the afternoon. Make sure to check what programs are happening at the visitor’s center or online.
Dune Succession Trail
Distance: 1-mile to 3.4 miles
The Dune Succession Trail is the other popular trail to take during one day at Indiana Dunes National Park. This trail is a one-mile loop trail or you can add on the West Beach Trail to make it 3.4 miles. This trail goes past several dunes of the park, including the popular Diana’s Dune.
West Beach
The West Beach is just a short walk from the parking lot past a bathhouse. This is one of the popular beaches of the park. On a clear day, you can see the Chicago skyline from this spot. There are also areas to grill and picnic in this area. If you only want one spot to hang out for your one day at Indiana Dunes National Park, West Beach is a good choice.
3 Dune Challenge
If looking for another hike to complete, head to the State Park portion of Indiana Dunes. Here you can complete the 3 Dune Challenge where you hike a 1.5-mile trail over the tallest dunes in the park. Once completed, you can get a free sticker from the visitor’s center in the state park!
Although it is not the largest National Park, there is plenty to keep you busy during one day at Indiana Dunes National Park. It is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of Chicago. If you have more time, head out to South Bend, Indiana to explore the Notre Dame Campus or to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
