# Indiana Dunes: 3 Days of Dunes, Bogs and Lake Michigan Shore

Source: https://driftkin.app/trips/indiana-dunes-3-day-dunes-bogs-and-lakeshore · Fact-checked against official sources · Updated 8 Oct 2026

**Quick answer:** This is a 3-day Indiana Dunes National Park itinerary. Day 1: West side: Miller Woods and West Beach; Day 2: Cowles Bog, the Beverly Shores lakefront and sunset; Day 3: East side: Mount Baldy and the quiet dunes. Best months: May to June and September to October. Difficulty: moderate. Budget: $$.

Sand, wetlands and sunsets on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, planned west to east

Three easy-to-moderate days that trace the park from west to east: Miller Woods and West Beach, the Cowles Bog lollipop and a Beverly Shores sunset, then Mount Baldy and the quiet eastern dunes. Chesterton makes a convenient base for everything.

- National park: Indiana Dunes, IN
- Length: 3 days
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Budget: $$

## Highlights

- Climb 270 stairs on West Beach's Dune Succession Trail for a Lake Michigan view that reaches Chicago on clear days
- Hike 4.7-mile Cowles Bog Trail, a National Natural Landmark, to a quiet lakeshore
- Look at the 1933 World's Fair houses of Beverly Shores
- Watch the sun set at Lake View Beach
- Walk the Mount Baldy Beach Trail beside the park's moving dune

## Why visit Indiana Dunes

Indiana Dunes is the national park people forget they can visit on a weekend. It sits on the southern tip of Lake Michigan, about 15 miles of shoreline and 16,000 acres, yet within a few miles you go from a wetland where a botanist worked out the basics of plant succession to a beach backed by walls of sand. The park counts more than 50 miles of trails and over 1,100 native plant species, and this three-day plan is built to sample that variety instead of chasing a single headline hike.

The route is sequenced west to east to limit backtracking. Day one belongs to the west end: a quiet stroll through Miller Woods, a picnic at West Beach, and the 270-stair climb on the Dune Succession Trail, where you can see Lake Michigan and, on a clear day, Chicago. Day two is the heart of the park. Cowles Bog Trail is 4.7 miles of ponds, black oak savanna and one steep dune to a beach that you may have to yourself, and it was designated a National Natural Landmark for its plant diversity. The rest of the day is easy on purpose: the Century of Progress houses in Beverly Shores, a flat loop around the Great Marsh, and a long sunset at Lake View Beach. Day three heads east to Mount Baldy, a moving dune that is closed to climbing but is still worth a look from the Beach Trail, before a lunch stop and the visitor center.

Base yourself in Chesterton. It has a handful of hotels, the restaurants used in this plan, and drive times of roughly 10 to 25 minutes to every trailhead. Campers can stay at the park's Dunewood Campground instead, and there is a chain hotel option in the options list below.

A few things shape how you should pack. The sand is loose, so the hikes take longer than the mileage suggests; the same goes for the West Beach loop. Ticks are present year-round in the park, and poison ivy crowds many trail edges. Lake Michigan can look inviting, but the park warns of rip currents and post-storm bacteria, so read the beach safety page before swimming; lifeguards are described at the West Beach swim area in summer.

Fall suits this itinerary: fall colors are among the trail features at Cowles Bog, and the beach lots that can fill on summer weekends should be easier. Summer is the choice if you want lifeguarded swimming at West Beach. However you time it, start your hiking early and leave the beach for the afternoon: the loop trails are hardest in full sun, and the shoreline is at its best late in the day.

## Indiana Dunes 3-day itinerary, day by day

### Day 1: West side: Miller Woods and West Beach

Start on the park's far west end with a gentle walk through Miller Woods, then climb the stairs at West Beach for the first big view of Lake Michigan and, on a clear day, Chicago. The drive between the two is about 11 minutes, and you finish with Italian food in Chesterton. It is a soft first day that shows how varied the dunes are: wetland, oak savanna, jack pine and open beach.

#### Start at the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education (9:00 AM)

Begin on the park's far west side, where a wooden, pod-shaped building sits on a dune above a pond. It has hands-on exhibits, ranger-guided hikes, a Nature Play Zone and live animals such as amphibians and snakes, and the building is a passport-stamp location. It is also the trailhead building for Miller Woods, so it is a natural place to ask a ranger about trail and beach conditions before you commit the day.

The center is open 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Central Time and closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so this plan puts the visit first on the day and works best Wednesday through Sunday. If you arrive on a closed day, skip straight to the trail; the trailhead and parking lot are open daily. This is also one of the places listed for buying entrance passes (credit only).

- Time needed: 30 minutes

Place: Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education · 100 North Lake Street, Gary, IN 46403 · Hours: 9:00 am-4:00 pm Central Time, closed Mondays and Tuesdays and on some holidays · https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/deec.htm

#### Paul H. Douglas Trail through Miller Woods (9:30 AM)

Miller Woods is the quiet warm-up. The trail threads wetlands, globally rare black oak savanna, open dunes and the beach, with the payoff being views over the dunes to the lake. The featured route is essentially an out-and-back of 3.4 miles round trip with only about 46 feet of climbing, so the effort is more about soft sand underfoot than about hills.

Two warnings are worth taking seriously: stay single file, because poison ivy crowds the trail edges and the lupine habitat is fragile, and expect ticks, which are present year-round on park trails. Long sleeves and a tick check afterward beat any repellent story you have heard.

- Distance: 3.4 mi
- Elevation gain: 46 ft
- Difficulty: Easy

Place: Paul H. Douglas Trail through Miller Woods · 100 North Lake Street, Gary, IN 46403 · Hours: Trail and parking lot open daily 6:00 am-11:00 pm · https://www.nps.gov/places/paul-h-douglas-trail.htm

#### Picnic lunch at West Beach (11:45 AM)

Drive east to the park's most developed beach, which is the most popular destination in the park each summer. The main lot holds about 600 cars, with year-round restrooms and drinking water at the lot, plus a picnic area, showers and lockers in season. Seasonal snacks, coffee and ice cream are also listed, but treat food service as a bonus and pack a picnic to be safe.

Lifeguards are on duty only from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the Monday of Labor Day weekend, and the lifeguarded swimming area is the one place dogs are barred. Outside that window, swim at your own risk. Eat first, hike second: the loop hike that follows ends in full sun.

- Best time: Summer for lifeguarded swimming
- Time needed: 45 minutes for lunch

Place: West Beach · 376 North County Line Road, Gary, IN 46403 · Hours: Open daily 6:00 am-9:00 pm Central Time · https://www.nps.gov/places/west-beach-beaches.htm

#### West Beach 3-Loop Trail (Dune Succession, West Beach and Long Lake loops) (12:30 PM)

This is the day's dune-climbing set piece. The featured route stitches together three West Beach loops for 3.4 miles and about 223 feet of gain. It opens with the Dune Succession Trail, which shows four stages of dune development and climbs 270 stairs through jack pines (some of the most southern in the world) to a view of Lake Michigan and, on a clear day, Chicago.

The middle loop crosses ground that was sand-mined in the 1920s and is being restored to oak savanna, where prickly pear cactus turns up, and a platform on Long Lake suits birders. The final loop follows the lake, climbs into rolling dunes and drops steeply to the picnic area. The sand slows you down and the trail ends in full sun, so carry water. If your legs are tired, the Dune Succession loop alone is 0.9 miles with 81 feet of gain.

- Distance: 3.4 mi
- Elevation gain: 223 ft
- Difficulty: Moderate

Place: West Beach Trails · 376 North County Line Road, Gary, IN 46403 · Hours: Open daily 7:00 am-9:00 pm Central Time · https://www.nps.gov/places/west-beach-trails.htm

#### Beach time at West Beach (3:00 PM)

Reward the stairs with an hour on the sand. If you are here in lifeguard season, this is the park's most supervised swimming; outside it, wading and beachcombing are the plan. Visitors are reminded that glass, fires and removing plants, rocks, shells or fossils are prohibited on park beaches. Rinse off at the seasonal bathhouse showers if they are open, then head for dinner.

- Best time: Afternoon in summer
- Time needed: About 1 hour

Place: West Beach · 376 North County Line Road, Gary, IN 46403 · Hours: Open daily 6:00 am-9:00 pm Central Time · https://www.nps.gov/places/west-beach-beaches.htm

#### Dinner at Lucrezia Cafe (5:00 PM)

Lucrezia's Chesterton location is the dinner pick for the west-side day. The restaurant's website describes innovative Northern Italian specialties at value prices in a relaxed, eclectic setting, and says the Chesterton location is first-come, first-served with no reservations taken (except a couple of holidays), so arrive a little before the rush. Its posted hours run to 9 pm Sunday through Thursday and 10 pm Friday and Saturday.

Place: Lucrezia Cafe (Chesterton) · 428 S. Calumet, Chesterton, IN 46304 · Hours: Restaurant's site lists Sun-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm · https://www.lucreziacafe.com

#### Waterbird Lakeside Inn (recommended base) (6:30 PM)

A 30-room independent hotel on Chubb Lake in Chesterton, about five miles from the park by its own account, with balcony rooms overlooking the lake, free parking and WiFi, microwaves and refrigerators in the rooms. Chesterton is the practical base for this plan: it is roughly 10 to 25 minutes' drive to every stop by routing-tool estimates and has the restaurants used here. The hotel's site lists no rates, so price it when you book.

Place: Waterbird Lakeside Inn · 556 Indian Boundary Rd, Chesterton, IN 46304 · https://www.waterbirdinn.com

### Day 2: Cowles Bog, the Beverly Shores lakefront and sunset

The park's signature hike gets the morning: Cowles Bog Trail is a four-hour lollipop through wetlands, savanna and ponds to a wild stretch of Lake Michigan shore. After a picnic on the beach you drive east to Beverly Shores for the World's Fair houses, an easy marsh loop, and a long sunset at Lake View Beach, then barbecue in Porter.

#### Breakfast at Third Coast Spice Cafe (7:30 AM)

Open from 6 am daily per its own website, this Chesterton cafe is a sensible first stop before a four-hour hike. The owners describe scratch cooking with locally and organically sourced ingredients, and the menu accommodates vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and keto eaters. Grab something to eat and, if you like, a sandwich or snack for the shoreline lunch on Cowles Bog Trail (the restaurant offers carry-out).

Place: Third Coast Spice Cafe · 761 Indian Boundary Rd, Ste. 6, Chesterton, IN 46304 · Hours: Restaurant's site lists daily 6am-2pm · https://www.thirdcoastspice.com/

#### Cowles Bog Trail to the Lake Michigan shore (8:45 AM)

If Indiana Dunes has one hike that explains why it exists, this is it. The area was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1965 for its plant diversity, and it is where Henry Cowles did early work on plant succession. In 4.7 miles you pass wetland edges, black oak savanna, interdunal ponds and finally a steep dune with a wide view of Lake Michigan and a beach that you may have to yourself.

The featured route is a lollipop from the north (gravel) lot: cross Mineral Springs Road, follow the wetland edge for roughly a mile to the loop, and take it counter-clockwise. The route has 202 feet of total gain with a 15 percent maximum grade, but the loose sand makes the dune stretch feel harder than the numbers. A cut-off trail trims a bit under a mile and skips the lake. Pack lunch to eat on the shore and pack out your trash; there is no potable water at the trailhead, only porta potties.

- Distance: 4.7 mi
- Elevation gain: 202 ft
- Difficulty: Strenuous

Place: Cowles Bog Trail (North trailhead) · 1450 North Mineral Springs Road, Dune Acres, IN 46304 · Hours: Open daily 6:00 am-11:00 pm · https://www.nps.gov/places/cowles-bog-north.htm

#### Century of Progress houses, Beverly Shores (1:20 PM)

Five odd little houses stand along Lake Front Drive that were once exhibits at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. They were floated across the lake and trucked in to help sell lots in the resort community of Beverly Shores, and four looked so modern in 1933 that they still do today; the fifth, the Cypress House, resembles a rustic log cabin. They are on the National Register of Historic Places.

These are leased and lived in by private families, so this is a look-from-the-road stop: visitors are asked not to trespass. A slow drive past plus the story on the park's page is plenty.

- Time needed: 30 minutes

Place: Century of Progress Historic District · Lake Front Drive, Beverly Shores, IN 46301 · https://www.nps.gov/places/century-of-progress-district.htm

#### Great Marsh Trail (2:00 PM)

The Great Marsh is the largest interdunal wetland in the Lake Michigan watershed, a critical habitat for breeding and migratory birds, and the trail is a 1.3-mile lollipop that is essentially flat (about 9 feet of gain). It ends at an observation deck over the marsh.

The main trailhead is the south lot, north of U.S. 12 on Broadway Avenue. Waterfowl and wading birds are the draw during migration; coots, wood ducks, herons, egrets and warblers are among the species seen.

- Distance: 1.3 mi
- Elevation gain: 9 ft
- Difficulty: Easy

Place: Great Marsh Trail (south trailhead) · Broadway Avenue, north of U.S. Highway 12, Beverly Shores, IN 46301 · Hours: Open daily 6:00 am-11:00 pm · https://www.nps.gov/places/great-marsh-trail-south.htm

#### Sunset at Lake View Beach (4:00 PM)

Finish the day a mile from the marsh. Lake View offers views of the lake and shoreline and, on clear days, Chicago, with a large covered shelter overlooking the beaches, year-round restrooms and potable water. The park's own photo of this beach shows a hazy red sun sinking over the water, which is the reason to stay.

Sunset time shifts a lot between May and October, so check it and adjust; the block here is generous so you can settle in early. One local rule is spelled out: do not park in the Town of Beverly Shores beach lot just east of the park lot, because the town tickets strictly.

- Best time: Sunset
- Time needed: Arrive about an hour before sunset

Place: Lake View Beach · Lake Front Drive at Broadway Street (park lot 1/8 mile west of the intersection), Beverly Shores, IN 46301 · Hours: Open daily 6:00 am-11:00 pm · https://www.nps.gov/places/lake-view-beach.htm

#### Dinner at Wagner's Ribs (7:15 PM)

A family barbecue place in Porter that says it has been operating since 1988. The restaurant's own site says diners must be 21 or older to dine in, and it directs people to online ordering for the menu, so families should plan on carry-out. Check hours before you go; the restaurant's site did not display them in a form we could read.

Place: Wagner's Ribs · 361 Wagner Rd, Porter, IN 46304 · https://wagnerribs.com/

### Day 3: East side: Mount Baldy and the quiet dunes

On the last morning, head to the east end for Mount Baldy, the park's famous moving dune, and Central Avenue Beach, then make a short stop at Dune Ridge on the way back. Lunch and the visitor center round out the trip in Chesterton and Porter, with time to drive home by mid-afternoon.

#### Mount Baldy Beach Trail (8:00 AM)

Start the last day at the park's best-known moving dune. Mount Baldy rises about 126 feet above Lake Michigan and is migrating inland, and the dune itself is closed for public safety and protection; the summit is reached only with authorized staff on ranger-led hikes, which run on summer weekends. The Beach Trail is the open option: 0.75 miles out and back with about 75 feet of gain, a staircase, a turn around the west side of the dune and a steep, loose-sand descent to the beach.

The only way out is back up that sand, so leave the cooler in the car. Facilities at the lot include year-round restrooms and drinking water. The beach has no lifeguards.

- Distance: 0.75 mi
- Elevation gain: 75 ft
- Difficulty: Moderate

Place: Mt. Baldy Beach Trail · 101 Rice Street (U.S. Highway 12), Michigan City, IN 46360 · Hours: Open daily 6:00 am-11:00 pm · https://www.nps.gov/places/mt-baldy-beach-trail.htm

#### Central Avenue Beach (9:15 AM)

A short hop west, Central Avenue Beach is where towering sand dunes back right up against the shoreline. Parking is a couple of blocks from the water; restrooms and water are seasonal. It is an excellent place to walk along the shore, which is the plan: an unhurried stroll, a look at the dune wall, and photographs.

- Time needed: 45 minutes

Place: Central Avenue Beach · Central Avenue, one mile north of U.S. Highway 12 (Town of Pines), Michigan City, IN 46360 · Hours: Open daily 6:00 am-11:00 pm · https://www.nps.gov/places/central-avenue-beach.htm

#### Dune Ridge Trail from Kemil Beach (10:20 AM)

A short, sandy loop from the Kemil Beach lot. It runs through a foredune, then oak savanna with firmer footing, then a forested dune ridge with views south over the wetlands and woods, part of what gives the park its standing among the most biologically diverse national parks. It is 0.7 miles with about 73 feet of gain as a lollipop. Kemil Beach, at the same lot, is an easy add; year-round restrooms and potable water are listed there.

- Distance: 0.7 mi
- Elevation gain: 73 ft
- Difficulty: Easy

Place: Dune Ridge Trail and Kemil Beach lot · East State Park Road (300E), one mile north of U.S. Highway 12, Beverly Shores, IN 46301 · Hours: Open daily 6:00 am-11:00 pm · https://www.nps.gov/places/dune-ridge-trail.htm

#### Lunch at Third Coast Spice Cafe (11:30 AM)

Return to the cafe for a late-morning lunch; it stays open until 2 pm daily per its website, which fits a trip that ends in the early afternoon. It is a few minutes from the visitor center, your last stop.

Place: Third Coast Spice Cafe · 761 Indian Boundary Rd, Ste. 6, Chesterton, IN 46304 · Hours: Restaurant's site lists daily 6am-2pm · https://www.thirdcoastspice.com/

#### Indiana Dunes Visitor Center (12:45 PM)

Close the trip where many visitors start. The Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center has lobby displays, two short orientation videos, an Eastern National bookstore and brochures on the national park, the state park and Porter County. It is a passport-stamp location, and it is listed among the places to buy entrance passes (cash or credit), so it also solves the fee question if you have not sorted it yet.

The center is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day; daily hours change by season (see current conditions).

- Time needed: 45 minutes

Place: Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center (Indiana Dunes Visitor Center) · 1215 IN-49, Porter, IN 46304 · Hours: Open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day; hours vary by season · https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/idnlvc.htm

## Where to stay in Beverly Shores

### Dunewood Campground (in the park)

The park's drive-in campground, in the wooded dunes near Beverly Shores, with flush toilets and showers seasonally and no hookups. Park sources differ slightly on the site count (66 in the API, 67 on the campground page); either way, sites are booked on Recreation.gov. It is a good fit for the Beverly Shores and Mount Baldy half of this plan. A convenience store and gas station are about a quarter mile north at U.S. 12 and Broadway.

Place: Dunewood Campground · 1 Golf Wood Road, Beverly Shores, IN 46360 · https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

### Hilton Garden Inn Chesterton

A chain option by the highway exit on the south side of Chesterton; the Town of Chesterton lists it with 120 rooms, an indoor pool and a fitness facility. It is close to the dining stops in this plan. Rates vary and are not published here; book on the Hilton listing.

Place: Hilton Garden Inn Chesterton · 501 Gateway Blvd, Chesterton, IN 46304 · https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/chictgi-hilton-garden-inn-chesterton/

## Indiana Dunes travel tips

## Practical tips

- **Getting there.** The park is in northwest Indiana on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The main visitor center is at 1215 IN-49, Porter, IN 46304. The park is in the Central Time zone.
- **Entrance fees.** A fee applies when you stop in the park to use a trail, beach or picnic shelter; passing through on roads or bike trails is free. The Indiana Dunes State Park, which is separate, has its own fees and passes, and none of the passes work between the two parks.
- **What to bring.** Water, sun protection and layers (weather at the lake can differ sharply from the parking lot). Expect ticks year-round; check yourself after each hike.
- **Swimming.** Lifeguards are described at the West Beach swimming area from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day Monday; Mt. Baldy Beach is described as having no lifeguards, with rip currents and hazardous waves there.
- **Timing the plan.** The Douglas Center is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so this itinerary works best if Day 1 falls on Wednesday through Sunday. If your trip starts on a Monday or Tuesday, start Day 1 at the Miller Woods trailhead instead and skip the center.
- **Crowds.** West Beach is the most popular destination each summer, and parking lots at Porter, Kemil and Dunbar Beaches can fill on summer weekends. Weekday mornings and fall are quieter.
- **Seasonality.** Typically: trails open year-round; Dunewood Campground April-October; lifeguards summer only; some facilities seasonal. Check current dates.
- **Pets.** Leashed pets (6 feet or shorter) are allowed on most trails and beaches, but not in the lifeguarded swimming area at West Beach.
- **Sunrise and sunset.** Sunset shifts by several hours across the recommended May-June and September-October window; check the time for your date.

## Current conditions (as of 2026-09-29)

Sourced from the park's alerts and fees data on that date; recheck before your trip.

- **Trails in this plan:** the park alerts feed lists no closures for Miller Woods, West Beach, Cowles Bog, Great Marsh, Dune Ridge or the Mount Baldy Beach Trail as of this date.
- **Trails not in this plan that are closed or limited:** parts of the Bailly / Chellberg Trail (stairs sections) through 10/30/26; Heron Rookery Trail (closed for tree removal and rerouting, expected to reopen in fall); Hobart Woodland Trail (closed indefinitely); Upland Trail (loop not passable); Dunewood Trace (flooding); sections of Glenwood Dunes and Little Calumet River / Mnoke Prairie trails (construction, through December 2026); a section of the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Trail.
- **Water safety:** an alert posted on 2026-08-24 says E. coli levels are likely to be above safe swimming standards after storms. Check the park's beach safety page before entering the water.
- **Indiana Dunes Visitor Center hours:** winter hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily run 2026-09-07 through 2027-05-31; it is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Day 3 reaches the center at 12:45, inside these hours.
- **Dunewood Campground:** a closure is listed from 2026-11-02 through 2027-03-31; the nightly fee is $25.
- **Entrance fees:** private vehicle $25, motorcycle $20, per person on foot or bike $15 (each valid seven days), as of 2026-09-29.
- **Paul H. Douglas Center:** the park's data lists 9 am-4 pm Central, closed Mondays and Tuesdays; a separate place page lists a summer-only 9 am-5 pm schedule, so confirm before you go.

## Indiana Dunes trip FAQ

**How many days does this Indiana Dunes itinerary take?**

3 days to cover Indiana Dunes National Park. Day 1: West side: Miller Woods and West Beach; Day 2: Cowles Bog, the Beverly Shores lakefront and sunset; Day 3: East side: Mount Baldy and the quiet dunes.

**When is the best time for Indiana Dunes?**

The best months are May to June and September to October.

**What are the highlights of this Indiana Dunes itinerary?**

Climb 270 stairs on West Beach's Dune Succession Trail for a Lake Michigan view that reaches Chicago on clear days; Hike 4.7-mile Cowles Bog Trail, a National Natural Landmark, to a quiet lakeshore; Look at the 1933 World's Fair houses of Beverly Shores; Watch the sun set at Lake View Beach; Walk the Mount Baldy Beach Trail beside the park's moving dune.

**Where should you stay for Indiana Dunes?**

This itinerary suggests Dunewood Campground and Hilton Garden Inn Chesterton. Check current rates and availability before you book.

**Where should you eat on this Indiana Dunes trip?**

Places this itinerary uses or suggests include Lucrezia Cafe (Chesterton), Third Coast Spice Cafe and Wagner's Ribs. Opening hours change, so confirm before you go.

**How much does it cost to enter Indiana Dunes?**

Entrance fees: private vehicle $25, motorcycle $20, per person on foot or bike $15 (each valid seven days), as of 2026-09-29.

## Sources

- [National Park Service: nps.gov/indu](https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm)
- [NPS: Paul H. Douglas Center](https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/deec.htm)
- [NPS: Fees and passes](https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/fees.htm)
- [NPS: Paul H. Douglas Trail through Miller Woods](https://www.nps.gov/places/paul-h-douglas-trail.htm)
- [NPS: West Beach](https://www.nps.gov/places/west-beach-beaches.htm)
- [NPS: West Beach Trails](https://www.nps.gov/places/west-beach-trails.htm)
- [OpenStreetMap contributors (geocoding and routing)](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright)
- [Lucrezia Cafe official site](https://www.lucreziacafe.com/)
- [Town of Chesterton: Hotels](https://www.chestertonin.org/290/Hotels)
- [Waterbird Lakeside Inn official site](https://www.waterbirdinn.com/)
- [Third Coast Spice Cafe official site](https://www.thirdcoastspice.com/)
- [NPS: Cowles Bog Trail (North)](https://www.nps.gov/places/cowles-bog-north.htm)
- [NPS: Cowles Bog Trail (South)](https://www.nps.gov/places/cowles-bog-south.htm)
- [NPS: Century of Progress District](https://www.nps.gov/places/century-of-progress-district.htm)
- [NPS: Great Marsh Trail (North)](https://www.nps.gov/places/great-marsh-trail-north.htm)
- [NPS: Great Marsh Trail (South)](https://www.nps.gov/places/great-marsh-trail-south.htm)
- [NPS: Lake View Beach](https://www.nps.gov/places/lake-view-beach.htm)
- [Wagner's Ribs official site](https://wagnerribs.com/)
- [Wagner's Ribs older official site (phone, 21+ dine-in notice)](https://www.wagnersribs.com/)
- [Yelp listing (street address)](https://www.yelp.com/biz/wagners-ribs-porter)
- [NPS: Mt. Baldy Beach Trail](https://www.nps.gov/places/mt-baldy-beach-trail.htm)
- [NPS: Mt. Baldy Beach](https://www.nps.gov/places/mt-baldy-beach.htm)
- [NPS: Central Avenue Beach](https://www.nps.gov/places/central-avenue-beach.htm)
- [NPS: Dune Ridge Trail](https://www.nps.gov/places/dune-ridge-trail.htm)
- [NPS: Kemil Beach](https://www.nps.gov/places/kemil-beach.htm)
- [NPS: Indiana Dunes Visitor Center](https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/idnlvc.htm)
- [NPS: Campgrounds](https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm)
- [Hilton: Hilton Garden Inn Chesterton](https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/chictgi-hilton-garden-inn-chesterton/)

Distances and drive times are typical figures without live traffic; toll amounts are estimates. Confirm opening hours, fees, permits and closures with the park or business before you go.

Plan this trip in the DriftKin app: https://driftkin.app/trips/indiana-dunes-3-day-dunes-bogs-and-lakeshore