Indiana Dunes State Park

A few days ago I shared a few details and pictures from our trip to the Indiana Dunes National Park. The national park has a cool beach and some very cool hiking trails. If you have more than one day in the area, be sure to check out the Indiana Dunes State Park. It also has a cool beach and some great hiking trails. In fact, the beach at the state park was easier to find a spot to sit and socially distance given there is more sandy area between the cliffs and the water.

When it comes to hiking, there are several trails in the park, but if you want a challenge, do the Three Dune Challenge, which is a circularly loop that takes you up and down three large sandy dunes. You'll definitely get a workout and feel it in your calves when you are done.

Above is an example of one of the dunes, looking down. The elevation change isn't high, but the angle is steep, around 35 degrees for each of the dunes. That and a sandy ground that shifts when you step on it adds to the challenge making the climb. But the climb (all three) are well worth it when you get to the top and see views such as this one below.

My 10 year old daughter and I did the Three Dune Challenge while my wife and 13 year old daughter hung out on the beach. We joined them later. It was a fun hike although there were a ton of biting flies, which was kind of annoying. It kept us moving because whenever we stopped, the flies would start to bite. Not sure why there were so many biting flies. But despite the flies, it was a great hike and a lot of fun. 

To conclude, please don't assume a national park is better than a state park. That is certainly not true with the Indiana Dunes. Both are fantastic parks and you do not want to miss either!