Location: In Hammond. Take the Cline Ave. exit north from I-80 and I-94 to 165th Street, and turn west to Parrish Ave; turn north and follow Parrish until it dead ends in the preserve.
Description: 130 acres of the largest dunes complex outside of the National Lakeshore, running along a railroad. Oak savanna, sandy prairie and marsh, with several miles of hiking trails. Can be a little crowded.
Nearby Points of Interest: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Dunes State Park, Hoosier Prairie and Biesecker Prairie Nature Preserves.
Cautions: Marshes, of course, mean mosquitoes in summer. Try spring or fall.
Ownership: Lake County Parks and Recreation