Indiana Dunes

Why Every Chicagoan Should Visit Indiana Dunes

Long gone are the days where you can't swim in the lake past your knees without a lifeguard yelling at you! If you wanna actually SWIM at a beach, Indiana Dunes is the answer.

Indiana Dunes is only a 45 min drive from Chicago. This park is one of the newest national parks and the ONLY national park directly accessible to Chicagoans. Each time we visit it's a must to hike the Cowles Bog Trail (Hard). The trail leads to a secluded beach that you can only reach by foot or boat, which means no lifeguards on duty!! This trail features lush indigenous vegetation ending at a giant dune to climb down. From the top you can see a panoramic view of Lake Michigan and on a clear day the pristine Chicago Skyline standing tall in the distance. We like to rank this hike as hard because the sand is loosely packed on the beach making the dunes tough to climb. I'd advise visiting after a recent rain shower in hopes of the sand being more packed and easier to traverse. Also the sun exposure is not to be played with! There is absolutely NO SHADE on the beach or dunes so bring extra water and sunscreen, maybe even bring a hat. These dunes will make you wish you didn't skip leg day but there's always room for a challenge! If you're feeling fit and adventurous try the 3 dune challenge, where you can get your heart racing as you climb up and down massive sand dunes throughout the park. 

When you visit be sure to pack a small cooler to leave in the car, you can carry your lunch and keep your beverages cold. This is not a necessity but you will want something ice cold after being in that heat. Sometimes we pack a picnic to enjoy on the beach. We bring Trader Joe's raspberry butter cookies, lentil rings, PB&J sandwiches, gummy worms and more! Just remember what you bring is what you carry! 

Need help getting started here's a list of things you should bring to hike to Bally Beach at Indiana Dunes 

Highly recommend getting here early because the parking lot fills up quickly. Otherwise you will need to turn around and park at the nearby Green Belt Trail lot and then walk about a quarter mile to the Cowles Bog trailhead. Don't forget to pay for parking or leave your national parks pass in your window!! It used to be free but now it's $25 for 7 days of access. I guess everyone has bills to pay and the money goes to keeping the park clean so it's well worth it.  I suggest investing in  the national parks "America the Beautiful" pass to enjoy unlimited visits to all national parks across the country for a year at the cost of $80. It pays for itself very quickly and happens to be an outdoorsman flex. Think of it as the National Park's "VIP card", accepted everywhere.

It should also be known that you can just chill at an adjacent beach (Waverly Beach) if hiking is not on your agenda. Just drive in and follow the signs to park at the beach via route N25E.