Location: From I-94, US 20 or US 12, head north on SR 49, about halfway between Gary and Michigan City. The road runs right into the park.
Description: Indiana Dunes State Park fits the description of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore; lots of sand, lots of beach. It serves a very urban area and can be very crowded during the summer; if you are interested in the unique ecology of the area, go during spring or fall or even winter, if the snow permits. If you just want to build sandcastles or loll in the sun, summer is good but noisy. The trails are good exercise; climbing a sand dune is like three steps forward, two steps back. The eastern two thirds of the park is the Indiana Dunes Nature Preserve.
Nearby Points of Interest: The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana's only National Park; Little Calumet-Langeluttig Marsh; Deep River Nature Preserve
Cautions: The Beach is sometimes closed for swimming due to contamination of the water. Bear this in mind.
Ownership: Indiana DNR