What a fun visit. I wasn't sure what to expect, however the park proved to be a very good visit. We…read morestopped by one of the beaches, interesting to see how the dunes looked like they were advancing in on the parking lot. Sand, sand everywhere! The walk to beach looked like you were going for a walk to the ocean! The beach itself was a pretty beach, the water was a glistening blue. We also took a ranger led hike at Pinhook bog located in the park. The only way to hike in the bog area itself, is through a ranger led hike. This was definitely a very fun and very educational hike! We learned the history (and folklore) of the bog. There were carnivorous plants there- like the pitcher plant!! This hike is definitely worth taking. Another interesting side trip, when in the area, is the 1933 Chicago Word's Fair - Century of Progress homes. They are along the lake. Just a short trip from the park proved definitely worth a visit. There are some very interesting architecture in those homes.

Oh I do love the National Park's beauty with the lake, beach, dunes, hiking trails, picnic and…read morecamping areas, etc. The crowds in the summer are horrific. I do appreciate the park trying to help locals a bit by giving us a better deal than non-residents. Hope it helps this coming summer. I miss going here and often hit one of the less crowded/less known beaches in the area just to take it in and relax. The last thing u have to say is this: please clean up after yourself. Do not litter our beautiful lakeshore. It makes me so sad to see. I always take a bucket along to clean up trash, but there is so much I can't possibly get it all when I'm there. Please do your part, and keep it clean. Thanks so much!

A beautiful park, playground and experience. I came here for a few hours because the Plugshare app…read moreindicated that they have Level 1 power outlets here. Yes, they do. All along the fenceline. While the Sprinter van was charging, I took the time to enjoy this space. It was originally a fully functioning farm that was purchased by Colonel Robert Heffron Murray and his wife in 1934. After Colonel Murray passed away in 1972, his estate donated the land to Porter County. Now, it has walking trails, an accessible playground, some learning and caption signs and even cross-country skiing. The park offers seasonal tent camping. No RVs or cars or trailer campsites. But the parking lot is huge and you can certainly park here to visit. [Review 20602 overall - 136 in Indiana - 1583 of 2023.]

This is a great park. There are a lot of events in every season. My favorite is Touch A Truck and…read morethe drive thru Christmas tree viewing. There is also a harvest festival in the fall.

This is NOT hiking at the Indiana Dunes State Park. Just go to the park. No guide neededread more

From the owner: As an Indiana Master Naturalist, Ron Seman has a good handle on the physical things one sees on a…read morehike like birds, bogs, creeks, fungi, lakes, land animals, marshes, plants, streams, swamps, trees, watersheds and .... HOWEVER, Ron explains the unseen, the microbial world. He explains how the Indiana Dunes has the number 4 biodiversity in the United States and how it is NUMBER ONE (1) in biodiversity density. Biodiversity density is important because it helps build our our own biodiversity in our microbiome, which determines our health and is the immune system. We have 99 trillion microbial cells and only 1 trillion human cells. He has all kinds of scientific instruments that he can use to analyze and quantify the things seen on a hike. He can talk about the history of the Indiana Dunes' characters like Dorothy Buell, Diana of the Dunes, Henry Chandler Cowles, Jens Jensen, Paul H. Douglas. President Kennedy, He can talk about the greatest hiking club ever, the Chicago Prairie Club and its impact on the Indiana Dunes. See RonSeman.Com

During a weekend visit to Indiana Dunes we wanted to get a really good hike in. We stopped by the…read moreIndiana Dunes Visitor Center and we were thankful we did. It seems if you know nothing about the area, you can be easily confused and lost. The State park actually is in the National Park boundary. The volunteer at the visit center gave us many hiking options. We ended up choosing the Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm. Both for the history aspect of it and the great hiking trails. It had three loops, a smaller one about .63 mile, a larger one about a mile, and the big loop approximately 2.4 miles with runs into the Calumet Trail. All are pretty easy walks. If your looking for a great hike in the Dunes area definitely give the Bailly Homestead a look. It has a decent size parking lot and restrooms. I'd also highly suggest stopping by the National Park Visitor Center as it is very close by.

This is one of the better hikes in the Indiana Dunes NP. Better yet, it's perfect for anyone as…read moreit's little more than a walk in the woods. And it's full of history. There's a parking lot, picnic tables, restrooms and other park facilities at the trailhead. Check out the map of the trails-and take a pic for reference on your phone. There are a few different trails and spurs that you can take. I like the loop that takes you through the Chellberg Farm, to the Bailey Cemetery and then have a beer or snack at the Homestead. That's about a two mile loop. If you'd just like to see the Homestead straightaway, park down by the Little Calumet River that it overlooks-three lefts from the parking lot. Easy parking down by the fishing hole and just a short walk up the hill to the Bailey Homestead. This was an 1820s fur trading post. This was the NorthWest back in those frontier days. Can you imagine? You can see what a perfect location it is. For me it's a perfect spot for a boozy picnic. Cheers!

I would give a few more stars but i am beyond ticked that the city of Valpo charges admission for a…read morecity park.

Decent facilities needs some updating. Could use a off leash dog area and walking path.read more