Indiana Dunes National Park Beach Vacation

Looking into camping and visiting Indiana Dunes National Park?  There is not too much information out there for this park. Honestly there just is not a lot to do at this park. There is a lot of sand and a lot of Lake Michigan, but if you are looking for a relaxing weekend trip, this is a good place for you. We enjoyed the park in depth and was very happy we decided to check it out.

We found some good hiking trails and spend 2 days within the park. For us, 2 days was the perfect amount of time to spend at the park.  There are some really awesome places to enjoy the beach and the water if you are willing to take the hike. You are up around the windy city so this is a good park to visit if you are passing through, or visiting Chicago. Make sure you bring your jackets as the cool breeze can be a bit brisk at times.

Once you get to the park go and check out a visitor center. The park rangers are exceptionally knowledgeable and will point you in the right direction for the hike you are looking for. Also, if you don’t want to hike, there are options that will take you right to the beach. These options are far busier, have a lot more noise and people, and in general much less peaceful.

In this article we are going to cover some of the trails we hit. We will cover a fantastic center to check out with the kids. We will also cover the campsite we decided to make basecamp for our trip.

Lakeshore Camp Resort Portage Indiana

Ok so first off, I should have done more research when booking a site. There are fantastic campsites in the area of Indiana Dunes National Park. I didn’t put enough time and energy into research and I get what I deserve. My thoughts where it was just a weekend, how bad can it be? It was close to the park. Seems nice. Has resort in the name, so it has to be nice…. right?

Lakeshore Camp Resort is not really a campsite in my mind. It was more of a trailer park that we were “allowed” to camp in a vacant site. We were sandwich in-between multiple permanent sights. Most of what I seen of the park is trailers, not RV’s, that are permanently located on sight. The “neighborhood” all knows each other and gives you the feeling of “you’re not really welcome”.

If you are looking for a party campsite, this would be a good location for you. Everyone is driving golf carts around with large marine speakers, playing music as loud as possible. This starts early in the morning and continues well into the night. Our neighbors even had outdoor Karaoke machine, that they used, until midnight………

The playground and arcade are large and full of kids. When I say full I mean it, there were hundreds of kids everywhere. At all times. Yelling, screaming, and fighting. Even to the point that the campground has to have its own security force.  So, when you see a golf cart flying through the campsite with police lights and sirens on, you know what’s going on. Another fight.

Lakeshore Camp Resort offers full hookup sights with water, sewer, and 30-amp service. They can accommodate up to 40’ units. Sights are gravel and not level. I am not sure if I have said this before or not, but I do not recommend this campsite. Do yourself a favor, do your homework and find a better place to set up camp.

Paul H Douglas Center for Environmental Education

Remember earlier how I suggested checking out the ranger station for tips on what to see. That is what we did and it led us to the Paul H Douglas Center for Environmental Education. The ranger was extremely friendly, explained some easy hikes for the little ones. Told us out this Center and highly recommended it. So, off we went to check out Indiana Dunes National Park

 This area is fantastic if you are visiting with kids. There is a large parking area and they do offer some parking for smaller RV. The parking lot leads to a covered bridge that walks you over to the center. Entering the center, we were greeted by some rangers. They gave our boys some backpacks to use for our hike. These backpacks where filled with tools in that the kids can use on the hike. These tools are great for exploring, including magnifying glass, binoculars, tweezers, etc. It was such a cute idea and it made the hike way more enjoyable.

After we got our supplies the rangers took us to a room that was full of turtles, snakes, and other live animals. They let the boys pet the animals and even feed the turtle. The kids got a kick out of this! It was the perfect place to spend some time letting the kids get in touch with the animals of the area. Also, once we went on the trail, it made the kids way more engaged to the area. Looking for the animals that they just learned about. AWESOME IDEA!!!!

Paul H Douglas Trail through Miller Woods

Leaving the Paul H Douglas Center leads you to the Pal H Douglas Trail through the Miller Woods. This trail has a little bit of everything. It is just a little over 3 miles round trip. Most of the walking is going to be through sand. Keep in mind, 3 miles in sand can be somewhat tough. Part of the trail is narrow and uneven. The trail will take you through some wetlands, along a lake, and eventually out to a very secluded beach.

This beach will resemble the ocean. It is of coarse Lake Michigan, but it is so beautiful. The winds off the lake actually was chilly for us. The breeze was brisk, strong, and never ending. I loved it. We spent most of the day relaxing on the beach, it was a perfect day. The kids spent the day playing in the sand and throwing rocks into the water. That is not an exaggeration, all day throwing rocks in the water. It was mesmerizing to them. They loved throwing the rocks out and watching rocks wash back up on shore. They said the lake was playing catch with them.

 The hike back was a little tough for the kids, since they completely drained all their energy playing on the beach. Not thinking about the walk back to the car.

This is a trail and a beach you will not want to miss. If you are able to make the hike, please take the time to visit the Center and walk the trail. You will not be disappointed. Paul H Douglas trail, Paul H Douglas Center, and beach were my favorite part of Indiana Dunes National Park!

Indiana Dunes National Park West Beach

West beach can be accessed via hiking trails, or the more commonly you can park and walk straight to the beach. The beach is crowded. Like Public Florida Beaches crowded. There is good reason for that, West Beach is a beautiful beach. With lots of sand to spread out on and plenty of excellent swimming in Lake Michigan. If you are wanting to have a relaxing beach day without all the work. This is the place for you.

Dune Succession Trail

The West Lake hiking trails offer some of the best views in the park. There are 3 separate trails that make up the West Beach hiking trails. We chose to take the Dune Succession Trail. It could be tough for some individuals as there are over 270 steps climbing up the dune. Once you are on top the view of the beach and Lake Michigan are unmatched. It is amazingly beautiful up there. Plus, the cool breeze off the lake hits you like an ice storm as soon as you crest the top of the dune. After you get to the top, it is smooth sailing down the other side and right onto West Beach. This loop is only .9 miles long but is considered moderate due to the steps.

Lake Front Drive

So, this may seem silly to you, but I am going to list this road anyway. When we went to Indiana Dunes National Park, it was the first trip we had taken while using the Jeep as a dingy. The jeep was pretty new to me and the family. Something about the beach and the lake just screamed to me, that I wanted to take the jeep on a cruise along the water.

We found this road called Lake Front Drive. It is on the Eastern Part of the park and offers spectacular views of Lake Michigan. There is beach access from the road as well. You will not be disappointed if you time the sun setting with your water front cruise.

If you are anything like my wife, you will enjoy looking at the beach front houses scattered along this road. They are quite impressive and themed perfectly for the area. We drive the road a few times before the sun went down, causing us to get back to the campsite in a hurry. Since we didn’t bring our windows for the jeep with us.

Great Weekend at Indiana Dunes National Park

That it, that was our weekend trip to Indiana Dunes National Park. It was short and sweet. To me It was perfect. I must say, I enjoyed the time at the beach and the hiking trails more than I thought I would. I did not go into it expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. This is a beautiful park and worthy of being a National Park, many people you hear complaining about this park went to the park expecting to see something grand Like Yellowstone. Many people complain too much and expect every National Park to be some spectacular. Not all parks are the same, and I am thankful for that. This park has its own charm and should be enjoyed for what it is.

 Get out there and enjoy the beaches, let your self forget that you are not at the Ocean. It is easy to do at Indian Dunes National Park.

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