Indiana Dunes National Park

🌊

Rip currents

Top hazard

💵

$25

Vehicle · 7 days

🏔️

126 ft

Mount Baldy height

🚧

Limited

Mt. Baldy summit access

🏕

$25/night

Dunewood camping

📏

15 miles

Lake Michigan shoreline

🌊Lake Michigan & Dune SafetyRip currents▾

🌊 Lake Michigan's rip currents can pull swimmers away from shore fast enough to overpower strong adults — never swim when rip current warnings are posted or waves are breaking hard, and if caught in one, swim parallel to shore rather than fighting it. Water can carry harmful bacteria after heavy rain; avoid swimming during posted health advisories. In winter, Lake Michigan's shelf ice conceals unstable gaps — NPS is blunt that walking onto lake ice risks death. Ticks are active year-round above 40°F; check yourself after time on trails. NPS safety info ↗

🏔️Mount Baldy AccessSummit closed▾

🚧 Mount Baldy's beach and base area reopened June 15, 2026, but the summit and dune face remain closed — the dune is actively migrating inland, and unstable sand poses a collapse risk. Access to the top is currently limited to ranger-guided programs only. Stay on designated routes and respect posted closures; conditions can change with continued Army Corps of Engineers sand-management work. Current Mount Baldy status ↗

🎫Park Entry & FeesMultiple access points▾

🗺️ Indiana Dunes has no single gated entrance — it's a patchwork of units along the Lake Michigan shore, each with its own parking and access point (Indiana Dunes Visitor Center on IN-49 is the best first stop). It's fully separate from the adjacent Indiana Dunes State Park, which is a different agency with its own fees. NPS directions ↗

Fees

Vehicle (7-day)$25

Motorcycle$20

Individual (foot/bike)$15

Park Annual Pass$45

America the Beautiful passes honored

🥾Beaches & Trails50+ miles of trail▾

West Beachmost developed▾

West BeachBathhouse, lifeguards in season, and dune-trail loops — the park's main swimming beach

Cowles Bog TrailNational Natural Landmark▾

Cowles Bog Trail4.7-mile loop through the wetland that founded the science of ecological succession

Heron Rookery & Chellberg Farminland units▾

Heron RookerySpring wildflowers along the Little Calumet River, popular for birding

Chellberg FarmRestored 1900s Swedish homestead with seasonal demonstrations

🏕CampingDunewood▾

Dunewood CampgroundReservation▾

Sites66 sites (54 drive-in, 12 walk-in), no hookups

Fee$25/night

SeasonLate March – late October

BookingRecreation.gov, rolling 6-month window

Full campground details on NPS.gov ↗

Park Contact Information

📞 Phone: (219) 395-1882 · Mailing Address: 1215 N State Road 49, Porter, IN 46304 · Official NPS contact page ↗