I was here for the lighthouse and enjoyed much of the walk. I would have gone the whole way but the…read morewind was too strong for my comfort. And also, I hadn't purchased a park pass and didn't want to stay long enough that they might notice. The park and the riverwalk are lovely. The view of the lake is amazing. Well worth the visit. If you're planning on buying an annual park pass, it's even better. [Review 20619 overall - 150 in Indiana - 1600 of 2023.]

It's ok for Indiana. It's small, next to steel mills. Water kinda gross. Too bad Indiana doesn't do…read moremore with their shoreline compared to Illinois and Michigan.

State park is $7 per car for Indiana residents and $20 for all other. Great nature views. Dunes…read moreare fun to climb and run/walk down. Beaches are beautiful and water is cold early in the season. The day I went there was a high wave advisory so they didn't let people in the water. Best views of the lake are from observation tower located west of the pavilion. Waves are loud if the wind is blowing from the north. You can see the City of Chicago skyline from anywhere on the beach when it is clear weather conditions. No pets on the beach and it does tend to get crowded when the weather is nice. Walking/hiking paths are available and some go the the highest points in the park where the views are breathtaking.

Driving between Cleveland and Chicago, we like to make time for a stop at Indiana Dunes State Park…read more This time it was a blustery chilly day (Nov 2025), so it wasn't going to be a swimming or hiking day. But we didn't mind the $12 vehicle fee just for the view. South of the park on SR-49, you'll see a Visitors Center, and if we were staying longer, it's a nice stop for local park info, campground reservations, souvenirs, and refreshments. The drive into the state park to Porter Beach takes you through thick woods, and we saw a buck crossing the road, which was a real treat and a reminder that these parks are wild enough. At the end of SR-49, there's an ornate pavilion, and it was closed due to the upcoming holiday, even the cafe and store were closed. The restrooms outside on the boardwalk were open. And we brought our lunch in from Culver's down by I-80. There were only a couple other cars during the time we were there. We pulled up and braved the blowing sand to get a look at the thrashing waters of Lake Michigan. With gusts up to 40mph from an approaching storm, the eaves were spectacular! But it was difficult to stay upright in that wind, not to mention the light sand-blasting we were getting. And we were on the road heading for a holiday visit, so we didnt stay long, only an hour or so. It's a beautiful park, even in the winter. We want to sled down the 170ft dune-canyon known as Devil's Slide!

Headed out her for some early morning time on the beach. I was here when was was little, and this…read morewas my wives first time. We both loved it. Great calm eater on the day we were there. $25 per car. Tins of parking since we got there early. Amazing to see dunes and how big some are. Beach was nice. Fine sand. Paved walkway to the beach pavilion with stairs down to beach. Great skipping stones. Highly recommend. We only had a couple of hours and got to see a bunch but still plenty of stuff we had yet to do. Will be back.

The beach was littered with trash when we first got on it, trash cans closest to the beach were…read moreoverflowing, there were gnats and flies eating us alive. The people there were uh weird.

Coffee Creek is a terrific place for light hiking in Chesterton. The trails are maintained making…read moreit accessible for everyone.

A very cute nature preserve. It's not very big. I walked the whole thing in under 2 hours, and…read morethat was stopping and taking pictures and enjoying my surroundings. Multiple little bridges, a pond, and even an amphitheater. There are multiple benches throughout the park and there is a pavilion. Super cute. Beautiful area. I recommend checking it out.

Beautiful park for sports, take a nature hike, great place for kids…read more Peaceful. Love to visit around September/October when the leaves change color. Have a open mind and enjoy yourself!

Imagination Glen has some of the best hiking and biking trails in NW Indiana. A great deal of care…read morehas gone into their planning and execution. There are over 10 miles of outback-style single-track bike trails, which range from very easy to quite challenging. The well-paved Prairie Duneland Trail and Iron Horse Trail run along the edge of the park. These easy asphalt trails can be used to hike or bike all the way into Chesterton (to the east) or Hobart (to the west). The backwoods hiking trails are perfect for those who enjoy getting close to nature. I have watched beavers and muskrats working the banks of Salt Creek here. If you enjoy hiking or biking, you will find a wide range of difficulties here, one of which will surely capture your interest.

The beach area has been slightly updated! They cleaned up the front so it's a flatter walk onto the…read moresand and out to the water now- used to be a slight incline to get past. More signage and a lifebuoy have been installed as well at the front of the beach

My family & I love going to Porter beach for the day! We've been doing this for years. It's not…read morethat far away from Rockford, so it makes a nice day trip or overnight, staying at a nearby hotel.

I'm now 22 and I went there when I was 12 a staff there put me on the roof and shot me with a nerf…read moregun and I fell off and died

This is so sad to see such a fun place that used to have so many people visit turned into a…read moredeserted place. I realize they don't want you to climb Mount Baldy, sad, but it's still fun to walk around and climb the dunes that you're allowed. Yup sand is definitely unstable. "And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."Mat7:26-27

Gorgeous views! Free parking, short hike around the dune to the beach (you currently can't climb…read morethe dune itself). Bathroom facilities and a foot wash to rinse off the sand before you leave. Bring whatever else you may need because there isn't much there. Fun short walk to the beach.

We recently roadtripped our way to Indiana from Buffalo NY to spend a couple days at Indiana Dunes…read moreNational Park. We came across Westchester Migratory Bird Sanctuary in a brochure we picked up at our hotel, and noticed it was very nearby where we stayed. So one afternoon we stopped by to enjoy some birds. The sanctuary has a couple of bird viewing gazebos that overlook a marsh area. We observed the marsh for a while, and saw a few woodpeckers, some small yellow birds, and a variety of huge dragonflies. Beyond the viewing area, a trail wraps into a residential area and appears to keep going some distance. We did not walk far down the trail, as it was a very hot day when we visited, but it seemed like it would make for a lovely stroll to enjoy more birds along the way. We didn't see an abundance of birds on our visit, but it may just not be the season just yet for the bulk of the migratory birds to be passing through the sanctuary. It was still a nice stop to see a natural bird habitat in the area while we were visiting.

Went to the West Beach part of the Indiana dunes. Very cute, nice beach area, not overly crowded…read more At the visitor center all the employees were helpful and overall just very friendly. We didn't get to walk the trails, but seen what looked like some neat paths to walk on.

We visited this park during our cross-country road trip after exploring several other National…read moreParks along the way. While we enjoyed our visit, it felt quite different from many of the other national parks we've experienced. One thing that stood out was the number of residential neighborhoods within the park boundaries. Because of that, it didn't have the same expansive, remote feel that we typically associate with a National Park. In our opinion, it felt more like a very large and well-maintained state park than a traditional national park. That said, the shoreline along Lake Michigan is beautiful. Our kids had a wonderful time playing on the sandy beaches and splashing in the lake, and it was a great way to spend part of the day. The combination of beaches, dunes, and scenic views makes it a unique destination. Overall, while it may not have been our favorite National Park, it's still worth visiting--especially if you're in the area or traveling with children who will enjoy the beaches and easy access to Lake Michigan.