Facilities and Activities
- Swimming and Sunbathing A small portion of the shoreline is set aside as a public swimming beach and is protected by lifeguards between Memorial and Labor Day weekends. It is a clean, all sand beach. The remainder of the beach (approximately 2 miles (3.2 km)) is open for sunbathing, beach combing, and other similar activities. Dogs are permitted on the non-swimming portion of the beach, so long as they are kept on a short leash and any feces is promptly and safely removed from the shores.
- Beach house with concessions during summer season.
- Observation platform near the top of Mt. Tom. Looking west, Chicago can be seen above the forested sand dunes. Gary, Indiana, is also visible.
- Birdwatching (A bird observation tower is located along Trail 10 overlooking a marsh community.)
- Nature Center The Nature Center is a year-round facility that has a wildlife observation window, library, and a large auditorium. The exhibits were recently updated, so everything is brand new! An interpretive naturalist provides public hikes and programs.
- Picnic Shelters
- Hiking trails 16 miles (26 km), some of which pass not only the sand dunes, but historic structures and wet prairie.
- Guided Hiking Tours
- Cycling is not permitted everywhere within the park, but the Calumet Trail runs through the park and provides both cycling opportunities as well as access to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore as well as to some neighboring communities.
- Interpretive Naturalist Service
- Arts and crafts
- Camping The campground was totally rebuilt in 2004. It has 140 roomy campsites laid out on sand with new, level, asphalt paved pads, 50 amp electrical hook-ups, picnic tables. Drinking water hydrants are located throughout the campground. The roads are newly laid out and paved in 2004, arranged in several connecting loops. The smoothly paved loops of roadway lend themselves to bicycling, rollerblading, etc. Most of the trees were spared during the rebuilding so that many sites have full or partial shade. There are two, large, newly built shower house/restroom structures. There is a short, level forest path to the swimming beach.
Read more about this topic: Indiana Dunes State Park
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