A Day in Indiana Dunes National Park

Andrew and I spent a day in IDNP on October 26, 2023. We were in town for a friend's wedding and were just minutes from the park, so we were excited to visit and cross another National Park off our list. This park exceeded my expectations. Most people assume it is just a "beach" but the park also had beautiful wooded areas that I enjoyed. The fall colors around this time of year were so beautiful. It was the perfect time of year to visit.

We started the day very early in hopes to catch the sunrise, but the day we visited it was very cloudy. We also had other plans in the afternoon so we were only able to spend a couple hours in the park. However, we made the most of the time we had.

The trail we decided on was the West Beach - Dune Succession Trail, which was very short compared to hikes we normally do. I would recommend this one if you visit and want an easy trail, or just may be crunched for time. This trail does have a lot of stairs involved so keep that in mind when visiting and choosing your trail. Other trails that were on my list and will be a must-do on our next visit:

• Cowles Bog Trail (4.3 mi, Moderate)

• West Beach 3-Loop Trail (3.5 mi, Moderate)

While at the park we got so many great photos, met some kind fellow hikers, and took the time to drive around and take in all the beautiful scenery. Another thing we did, which I recommend, was visit the Century of Progress Homes. There were 5 different homes each built in 1933 during Chicago's World Fair. Each house was very different and I was blown away with the condition that some of them were in considering that they were built in 1933. Only one was currently under restoration, and the remaining four actually had people living in them! How cool would it be to say that you lived in one? I spent the day wondering how much the people had to pay and what they had to do to be able to live in them. Here's a little bit more information on the homes provided by the National Park Service.

Indiana Dunes was a National Park that could be done in a day trip if need be. If you're in the area it is worth the visit. I also recommend checking out Indiana Dunes State Park which we did as well. Here are a few photos from our visit.