Visiting Indiana Dunes State Park

State Park vs National Park?  It makes total sense that there is a difference.  But for some reason, it seems to get all confusing when it comes to the Indiana Dunes.  The State Park is surrounded by the National Park.  It became a National Park (yay! a National Park close-ish to home!) in 2019 as the 61st National Park, a few years after I graduated college nearby when there wasn't that pesky division.  Now, the State Park is surrounded the National Park.  And I'm widening my college view - you don't just go to the Dunes for the beaches - you go for the trails!

I was inspired to return to the Dunes for the Three Dune Challenge.  I've never done anything like this before since I live in a very, very flat area.  I spent my Covid-era doing a two mile loop around the neighborhood and if I added in steps, I could get an elevation can of 17 feet over 45 minutes.  Not impressive.  The Three Dune Challenge promised inclines of 31, 38, and 43 degrees and 552 vertical feet, way more than the treadmills at OrangeTheory can do.  Plus, there was a free sticker if you could prove you completed it.  Challenge Accepted.

My trip was planned for a weekday in June, but the heat indices were near 100.  I knew better so rescheduled and when my friends and I looked at the weather and our calendars, early October was the soonest we could go.  We really lucked out and had perfect weather for the day.

To hike the Three Dune Challenge, you'll park and start next to the Nature Center.  If the parking lot is full, there are signs pointing to the overflow lot.  Watch out for poison ivy on the trail leading between the two parking lots.  There are bathrooms and water bottle fillers inside the Nature Center, as well as great exhibits and their amazing Interpretive Programs.  To complete the Three Dune Challenge, you'll start on Trail 8 and follow the signs to trail 4.  The Three Dune Challenge is clearly labeled so no map is needed.

If you plan on hiking the Three Dune Challenge, please be prepared.  We were literally asked if we would rent people our hiking sticks...  You should have:

• Good shoes (preferably ones that won't let in sand since there's a lot of that)
• Fully charged cell phone (you'll be taking a lot of pictures)
• Full water bottle (you'll get thirsty even if you normally don't on hikes)
• Snack (for now or later - I had a granola bar right before starting and that was perfect for me)
• First aid kit (you never know what will happen!)
• Sunglasses and sun protection, which will likely include a hat
• Hiking poles are highly recommended
• Optional: turn on Outdoor Hike on your fitness watch - I got my highest elevation for a fitness walk!  It was great to have my heart rate monitored so I knew when to stop and pause while going uphill.

Elsewhere in the park, there are picnic tables and trash cans for lunches, so feel free to leave your lunch in the car while you hike.  Shelters were all reserved when we went.  There were also lots of campsites for RV's.

We ran out of time to explore the beach (I'm a teacher and it was a school night), but that is always a popular option, especially in the warmer weather.

You can easily spend days exploring the different trails, so I can see why this is such a popular camping spot!  This map shows the various trails the park offers, from easy to rugged.

Your first stop when visiting the Dunes, however, should be the Visitor Center, which is for both the State Park and the National Park.  You can get maps, information, and more, including getting your National Parks Passport stamped.  There is a small giftshop, too, with both state and national park merchandise.

To claim your free sticker, you can get it from the Interpretive Naturalist at the Indiana Dunes State Park Nature Center (three oval options as of October 2024) or from the National Park Ranger at the Visitor Center (three oval options + three circle options as of October 2024).  I am pretty sure choosing the sticker was the most stressful part of the day.  This wasn't a decision I was prepared to make!

And remember to go back and take a selfie or a picture because you totally did it, I mean DUNED IT!