Get to know this 3.5-mile loop trail near Portage, Indiana. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 16 min to complete. This is a very popular area for birding and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
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Did this for first hike this year, a nice jaunt if a bit windy and cold. We went through the bathhouse and down the beach first and we definitely did more down stairs than up so I recommend going that way. Tree down across the boardwalk in one spot. Saw a cactus with pears on it!
Easy trail. Completed it the opposite way than AllTrails recommends, which gets you to climb a steep sand dune instead of ascending more gradually and then coming down it. The portion of the trail by Lake Michigan and the stairs up the large dune was great (I'd rate that portion of the trail itself as 5 stars), but the other portions weren't that interesting.
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL sites this time of year. The amount of orange and yellow leaves we saw are stunning. Beautiful sites of Lake Michigan where you can see the Chicago skyline. Leaves on the ground helped with traction on the soft sand which was much easier to sink into my last time here back in May
Honestly didn't think it was well marked at all. This trail loops together several of the trails and it doesn't make it clear which ones. Starting place his hard to find. There is a part of the trail that is closed off because they are building stairs. I asked the park ranger how I could get around it and answer wasn't helpful. She did say I could try going on the closed section but there would be a section of construction. She probably shouldn't have suggested that for safety reasons BUT we did end up going on the closed section. And it was easy for me and a large dog to navigate over the section where stairs were being built. Nice wildflowers, very sandy. Lots of birds. We started from the parking lot and went counterclockwise.
Portion of the trail was blocked off for work. It was pretty hard to find the starting point. At times it was really narrow and I was worried about ticks and poison ivy. I really enjoyed the trail but everytime I'm at the dunes I can't help but think of what a shame it is to have so much industrial work so visible in a national park. You can see two steel plants from the beach.