Indiana Dunes National Park (985 miles)

I had no idea there was a national park in Indiana until we noticed the highway signs. Thinking of how much we enjoyed Great Sand Dune National Park in Colorado, we were excited to see how it compares. The park is located not far from Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan. The ranger at the visitor center provided a map and helpful information about the park. There are actually two parks, Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes State Park. Together they cover 15,000 acres stretching 15 miles along the shore.

The forecast wasn’t the greatest for hiking and it started raining for the first time on this trip when we pulled into the West Beach parking lot. There were just a few vehicles besides ours so it didn’t seem like a very popular attraction. Rather than slog through the downpour, we decided to fix lunch in Charlie and wait it out. The rain stopped about the time we finished our sandwiches, leaving it pretty muggy but at least it wasn’t raining. The Dune Succession Trail is mostly a series of stairs and boardwalks over the dunes to the beach. I’d say it was a bit underwhelming compared to Great Sand Dunes NP but the gray skies probably didn’t help.

If you look closely, you can see the Chicago skyline on the horizon across the lake. I’m sure it’s much more impressive on a clear day.

The weather improved pretty quickly and so did attendance. We passed a group of teenage boys heading to the beach and families with kids in swimsuits hurrying down the boardwalk to the beach as we made our way back.

Following the Park Ranger’s recommendation , we drove about 8 miles west to Miller Woods to walk among some of the most diverse, lush wetlands I’ve ever seen. It was just beautiful.

We saw beaver lodges in the ponds and pathways in the water where they swim to and from the shore. Many wildflowers, large swaths of lush ferns, butterflies, dragon flies, turtles and many different kinds of birds, especially red-winged black birds. We chatted with a local fellow walking his dog along the trail. I wonder if he knows how fortunate he is to walk in this beautiful place every day.

Most nights we’re staying in campgrounds with many other campers typically close to busy roads. Tonight we’re staying at Flower Mill Farm, a Harvest Host site in Milan,IL. We have a beautiful spot beside a pond on the farm. Tonight the only sounds we hear are frogs serenading us to sleep.