Along the shores of Lake Michigan sits Indiana Dunes National Park.
We drove to the Visitor Center for the night to set up camp. There were lots of other groups camping nearby in tents and vans. Not all Visitor Centers allow overnight camping but this was such a convenience as we were able to jump out of bed in the morning and walk right in to get our National Park stamps and park maps. Read more about what I bring back from the parks here.
After confirming with a park ranger that our plans would give us the best views of the park we drove to West Beach. Here we hiked the Dune Succession Trail.
The trail was marked by several flights of stairs and sandy pathways. The mile long loop leads you to Lake Michigan, which feels more like an ocean. Across the lake you can just barely make out the skyline of Chicago.
Indiana Dunes became a National Park in 2019, meaning the surrounding area is very developed. It was less like other National Parks I’ve visted and more like a local beach.
We wrapped up our visit here pretty early in the afternoon and decided to continue the drive towards Ohio to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
