Perhaps The State's Best Hidden Treasure, Hardly Anyone Knows This Incredible Nature Preserve Exists In Indiana
By Tori Jane|Published July 17, 2023
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
Indiana Dunes National Park is probably one of the least-kept secrets in the Midwest. It’s outrageously beautiful and attracts hundreds of thousands – if not more – of excited beachgoers year in and year out. But, it’s still got secrets of its own, some of which are so little-known that in all the years Only In Your State has been covering Indiana it still has yet to be given its own feature. Well, here we are today to remedy that by focusing on one of my favorite hidden gems of the Hoosier State: it’s the Indiana Dunes Nature Preserve, and it’s bigger than you might think.
With an amazing 15,000 acres to explore, Indiana Dunes National Park is no slouch in the size department.
This includes numerous amazing beaches, more than 50 miles of awesome hiking trails, and some of the most downright unique landscapes you'll find in the entire United States.
The dunes are breathtaking, yes, but did you know that part of this amazing National Park in Indiana is actually a dedicated nature preserve?
It's true - it's known as the Dunes Nature Preserve, and all too often, it ends up buried in the otherwise lengthy list of things to do and see while you're exploring Indiana Dunes NP. Let's check it out and see why it's worth your time (hint: all the reasons).
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First, check out the Nature Center, where you'll learn all about the geography, geology, flora and fauna of this special region.
When you think about Indiana, you likely imagine plains and prairies, so what is it about this particular region that makes it so outlandishly different than the rest of the park? Well, come on in and find out.
If you enter the park at the Wilson's Shelter Parking Lot, you'll have the easiest access to it. You can also get to it from the pavilion parking lot nearby the park entrance itself. You can use established trails (of which there are several) to meander your way on into the preserve.
Be prepared to immerse yourself in a stunning setting characterized by truly unique sights, sounds and sensations exclusive to this general area.
You never know what kind of wildlife you'll encounter along the way, and if you're a fan of fascinating geography, this is the preserve for you - we've got plenty of that 'round these parts.
The preserve itself takes up just 1,530 acres, making up just a sliver of the otherwise enormous Indiana Dunes NP.
But please, don't let the small size fool you; this nature preserve is breathtaking and utterly intriguing at the same time, and to be able to explore it is a fortunate thing indeed.
For more information about the Dunes Nature Preserve, check out the official NPS website’s write-up on the place. For more info about the Indiana Dunes Nature Center, check out the official DNR website. And to get a clear-cut picture of all the amazing hiking trails at Indiana Dunes National Park, be sure to check out our friends at AllTrails; they have an excellent list of all the best hikes in the park.
Do you have any favorite hidden gem nature preserves in Indiana? What about not-so-hidden? Let me know in the comments!
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