Join a ranger and hike all the trails in Indiana Dunes National Park. This hiking challenge will take place over the course of the summer with each week featuring a ranger-led hike on a different trail. There will be a total of 19 hikes covering 66 miles to honor the year, 1966, when the park was established. Can’t make them all or want to do some self-guided hikes instead? Then ask for information about the hikes at the Visitor Center, the Paul H. Douglas Center, or look on our website at www.nps.gov/thingstodo/1966-hiking-challenge.htm
The first hike with a ranger will feature spring woodland wildflowers. July 8th – Dunes Kankakee Trail, Visitor Center to State Park Pavilion;
July 15th – Harbor Belt Trail 3.5 mi starts at Douglas Center;
July 22nd – Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Trail 1.5 mi.;
July 29th – West Beach Loop 3.5 mi (West Beach Parking Lot);
August 5th – Marquette Trail 5.3 mi. (Douglas Center to County Line Road)
August 12 – Hobat woodland Trail from Robinson lake
August 19 – Dunewood trace Trail from USGS Office
August 26th – Cowles Bog Trail
Sept 2nd – Little Calumet, Mnoke, Cemetery Trail
Sept 9th – Dune Ridge Trail – Beverly Shores – COP Homes
For more information on this and other programs at Indiana Dunes National Park, call 219-395-1882, visit our website, download the official National Park Service app, or view our Facebook page.
Indiana Dunes National Park has an entrance fee of $25 per car for a 1–7-day pass. A $45 annual pass for the national park is also available. Please purchase passes or pay the entrance fee at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, Paul H. Douglas Center, West Beach Entrance Station (after April 1st) or at www.recreation.gov/sitepass/indu. Veterans/Military/Gold Star Family, Access, and 4th Grade passes are available for free. For more information on national park passes go to www.nps.gov/indu.
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Dunes Learning Center
Indiana Dunes Becomes a National Park
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Maple Sugar Time (Spring)
Visit Mount Baldy
Outdoor Adventure Festival (Fall)
Apples Festival (Fall)
Local Family Fun Amusement Parks
Things To Do in Chesterton
Things to do in Valparaiso
Things to do in Portage
Read More about the Indiana Dunes Click Here!
Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
