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.

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.

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.

This has been one of the prettiest national parks that's driving distance from me. We were on the…read moreway home from Milwaukee and wanted to see a new national park. What makes this park different compared to the others in the East Coast is the fact it's mainly sand dunes. Some of the hiking trails were the sand dunes themselves which made for a good work out. There is also one of the lakes so it felt like I was at the beach. The only downside was it was too cold at the time to get in the water. If you visit any national parks in the east coast, make Indiana Dunes a priority.

Beautiful beach bordering the Induana dunes. Twe came here on Juneteenth and thr beach had families…read moreand groups of friends, allowed tents and small grills. It's a no frills beach with soft dune sand and a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline

A great park with amenities for a picnic, a hike, a beach adventure and for just listening to the…read morewaves. We found parking quickly and we're able to download the app and pay for an hour to sit and have our picnic lunch near the water. They had plenty of pavilions and tables for eating, as well as benches along the paths. We loved the various play equipment and options for families and especially the green spaces right next to the dunes. Something for everyone! We only saw portapotties, so that might be the only small issue but we were also there before the official start of the season. A fun spot and will definitely return when in the area!

Indiana beaches are better than Chicago Lakefront!! I will say this for many reasons…read more 1. Clean 2. Crowds are well-behaved 3. Showers available. I like that they have multiple restrooms available as well. Things to keep in mind. Indiana dunes are classified as a national park, so you will pay accordingly to the park. At the time of review, single car pricing is $25. However, you can visit multiple times within 7 days. West Beach has significant parking available. However, I recommend arriving before noon. Otherwise, you will be circling the lot.

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.

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!