You know, folks might not immediately equate Indiana with great hiking, but maybe they should. The Hoosier State is home to more than 4,200 miles of trails weaving throughout, and each trail is more breathtaking than the last. The trails vary in difficulty from very easy to very challenging, and Indiana welcomes hikers of all skill levels to its gorgeous public lands. We'd like to shine a spotlight on a wonderful, mostly-easy trail the features incredible lake views, a wonderful boardwalk, and, of course, plenty of things to learn along the way.
The Dunes Succession Trail is short and sweet - but it packs quite the educational punch.
If you so choose, you can grab a tour pamphlet when you arrive at the West Beach entry gate. You'll find numbered signs corresponding to tidbits of interesting information sprinkled throughout the hike.
Alternatively, you could just put your headphones on and start walking.
From the parking lot at West Beach, you'll walk north on a paved parkway toward Lake Michigan.
You'll arrive at the top of a sandy lookout point, where you'll be amazed at the incredible views of Lake Michigan and, on particularly clear days, the distant Chicago skyline.
You'll probably want to linger a while, and we don't blame you. It's not every day you get awesome views like this in Indiana!
Once you've had your fill of the lookout, you'll continue east along the beach until you spot the sign for the Dunes Succession Trail.
From there, the trail is quite easy to follow, featuring a convenient boardwalk that makes the trek much simpler than it would be if you had to trudge through thick sand instead.
The trail highlights all four stages of dune development, and if you grabbed that pamphlet at the beginning of the hike, you'll see exactly where each phase is and what's next for each.
Though it might be tempting to wander off the boardwalk, please respect our beautiful dunes by sticking to the trail. Your cooperation helps ensure that the dunes will be as pristine as they are currently for generations to come.
The shores of Lake Michigan, which you will have access to during the hike, are impressive enough on their own.
Throw in the unique landscape of the Indiana dunes, and you've got quite the fascinating place to explore. If you took the trail and only the trail without any stops along the way, you can expect it to take about 40-45 minutes.
We suggest you stick around for a while to admire the natural beauty of the area.
One thing is for sure: this boardwalk trail in Indiana is simply breathtaking, and everyone - be they lifelong Hoosiers or just visiting - should experience it at least once. Do you have any favorite boardwalk trails in the Hoosier State? Tell us about it using this form, and you might just see an article about it sometime!
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