Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana   But wait, there's more to do close to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Nearby lakes? Sure, Billington Lake is in close proximity to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore; a nice close by hotel is Econo Lodge Chesterton. SUPER 8 MOTEL - Chesterton Indiana Dunes Area is a fine location to get some rest, and an afternoon playing golf at Mink Lake Golf Course is always a joy. For the duration of the summertime months at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore highs are mostly in the 80's while nighttime lows are usually in the 60's. Through the winter highs are in the     30's; night lows in the 10's for Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. A spree to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a tremendous choice when you've gotta get out. You'll meet a lot of people from Chesterton here, and if you need a site to stay Waterbird Inn and Spa is a brilliant choice. Dry warm beds await you at Best Western Indian Oak; of course, this is a magnificent neighborhood for folks who like lakes, Chestnut Lakes is a lake in the vicinity. Lakes are fine; Mud Lake is a lake that's right next door to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and if you came for an overnight stay Mink Lake is a good place to camp. Just can't get enough of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Sand Creek flows through this neighborhood; why not camp at Sand Creek Campground while you're here at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Indiana Dunes National       30's; night lows in the 10's for Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. A spree to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a tremendous choice when you've gotta get out. You'll meet a lot of people from Chesterton here, and if you need a site to stay Waterbird Inn and Spa is a brilliant Hilton Garden Inn Chesterton is a glorious location to spend a night or two, and Michigan City Campground is a brilliant campground nearby. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a popular destination for the inhabitants of Chesterton. The amount of rainfall that falls at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is close to the national average; June is the month that gets the most rain, and the driest month is February. At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore you find lots of outdoors recreation, so you may have lots of fun. You could also take a look at Morgan   Lake if you're here at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore; it's nearby, and let's not forget Coffee Creek which is a stream that you may bump into while you're here. There are loads of enjoyable endeavors for everyone to like. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, authorized by Congress in 1966, is located approximately 50 miles southeast of Chicago, Illinois in the counties of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte in Northwest Indiana. The national lakeshore runs for nearly 25 miles along southern Lake Michigan, bordered by Michigan City, Indiana on the east, and Gary on the west. The park contains approximately 15,000 acres, 2,182 of which are located in Indiana Dunes State Park and managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Miles of beaches, sand dunes, bog, wetlands, woodland forests, an 1830's French Canadian homestead, and a working 1900 era farm combine to make the national lakeshore a unique setting for studying humans and their impact on the environment. Dr. Henry Cowles conducted his landmark ecological studies in the Indiana Dunes. Indiana Dunes is ranked 7th among national parks in native plant diversity. Research conducted over the last two decades has revealed 1,418 vascular plant species within park boundaries, of which over 90 are on the state of Indiana's threatened or endangered list.     CONTACTS Email - INDU_Interpretation@nps.gov Fax- 219-926-7561 Write to 1100 N. Mineral Springs Road Porter, IN 46304 Phone Visitor Information - 219-926-7561 x225 TRAVEL BASICS Operating Hours, Seasons Park Headquarters: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center: 8:00am - 6:00pm daily - Memorial Day through Labor Day 8:00am - 5:00pm daily - Labor Day through Memorial Day, except for special events as posted or announced. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Bailly/Chellberg Visitor Center: 11:00am - 4:30pm daily - Memorial Day through Labor Day, weekends only Labor Day through October. West Beach Bath House: 9:00am - 9:00pm - during the summer Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education: Open Monday - Friday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Programs are provided to scheduled groups. Getting There PLANE - The surrounding communities are serviced by the Gary Regional Airport, South Bend Airport, and Chicago's Midway and O'Hare Airports. CAR - Visitors can access the national lakeshore via Interstate Highway I-94, the Indiana Toll Road, I-80/90 U.S. 20, or Indiana State Hwy 12 and various state roads. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - The Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad stops at several stations throughout the park. Weather & Climate The national lakeshore's weather is greatly affected by Lake Michigan and can change quickly. Summers are warm and humid with high temperatures generally in the mid-80s (30c) and low temperatures in the mid-60s (18c). There are about 15 days per year above 90 (32c).Warm periods are occasionally interrupted by frontal action descending from Canada. This generally brings days of pleasant, dry weather. Sunshine is abundant in summer. Highs in winter are usually in the low to mid 30s (0c) with low temperatures in the low 20s (-5c). There are about 15 days per year below 0 (-18c). Winters tend to be cloudy except for periods of extreme cold when skies are clear. Accessibility The major sites in the park are accessible with assistance. The West Beach Bathhouse, the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education and the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center buildings are fully accessible by wheelchair. Accessible parking and restroom services are available throughout the park. Free use of a standard wheelchair is available at the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center, Bailly/Chellberg Visitor Center, and the Paul H. Douglas Center. Indiana Dunes has made significant achievements in providing access to beach areas. However, access to the waters of Lake Michigan pose challenging accessibility problems. Presently, three beach areas are considered accessible: West Beach, Lake View Picnic area and Porter Beach. The Golden Access Passport, a free life-time entrance permit for individuals who have medically been determined to be blind or permanently disabled, is available from the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center. Getting Around Visitors can travel park roads in personal vehicles. Bicycles are permitted on the main roads but are prohibited on all hiking trails except: Calumet Bike Trail, Long Lake Trail, Marquette Trail, and the Lake Michigan shore line from Lake Front Drive to Central Avenue Beach. Bycycles are strictly prohibited off-trail or on sand dunes. FEES/PERMITS Activity Fee DUNEWOOD CAMPGROUND $10.00 for Day Look at Dunewood Campground in the Campground link for more information. WEST BEACH $ 4.00 for Day $4.00 per car load and $.50 per person for walk-ins & bicyclists. $25.00 for bus groups. Fee collected during summer swimming season starting on May 26, 2001 and going until Labor day on September 3, 2001 CAMPING Dunewood Campground The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has one campground facility, Dunewood Campground, with campsites available on a first come first serve basis. Reservations are not accepted at Dunewood Campground. Check out time is 12 noon. There are 79 sites: 54 drive-in ($10.00) and 25 walk-in ($10.00). Four fully accessible sites are available. Hot water showers are provided. Wood gathering is prohibited. Wood can be purchased at local convenience stores. Indiana Dunes State Park also has a campground and reservations are accepted. The state park's phone number is (219) 926-1952. For More Information on this campground please call (219) 926-7561 ext 225 FACILITIES CENTRAL BEACH Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - Central beach is 4 miles east of the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on U.S. 12 to Central Ave; north on Central Ave for one mile. See map for more details. http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Closures - Central Ave Beach is closed every winter from November 15th to April 1st Available Facilities - Parking, access to Central Beach, restrooms, and limited picnic facilities. CHELLBERG FARM Open All Year 8:00am till sunset Location - Park at the Bailly/Chellberg Visitor Center located on Mineral Springs road between highway 20 and Oakhill road in Porter Special Programs - Feeding Time at Chellberg Farm. Meet at the Chellberg Farm barn and help the farmer feed the animals. Every saturday and sunday from May thru September at 4:00pm, October - April at 3:00pm Available Facilities - Farm barn open daily with typical 1900 farm animals. COWLES BOG Open All Year 6 am to sunset Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - Located 5 miles west of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on U.S. 12 to Mineral Springs Rd, north on Mineral Springs Rd a quarter mile to one parking area and another half mile to a second parking area. See park map for further details. http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Available Facilities - Trails, parking, pit toilet, and access to Bailly Beach. DUNBAR PARKING LOT Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - 1 mile north of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on State Park Rd, east a quarter mile on Lake Front Dr to corner of Lake Front Dr and Dunbar Ave. See map for more details. http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Closures - Closed November 15 through March 31 Available Facilities - Parking and access to Kemil Beach INDIANA DUNES ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER Open All Year Phone - 219-395-9555 Location - From north, east, or west the Learning Center can be reached via the Indiana Toll Road, or Interstates 90 and 80/94. Locally it can be accessed from U.S. Highways 12 or 20. From the south the Learning Center can be reached from Indiana Highway 49 or Interstate 65, which connect with all east/west roadways. Special Programs - Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center continues a legacy of education established more than a century ago. At Indiana Dunes, in the late 1800s, Henry Chandler Cowles made significant contributions to the emerging science of ecology. Cowles' ideas regarding plant succession excited the world's scientific community. Often heralded as the birthplace of ecology, Indiana Dunes continues at the forefront of environmental research and education. For additional information about the learning center see http://www.nps.gov/indu/learning Available Facilities - Participants are housed in modern group style cabins. We have 10 cabins with central heating and air conditioning, restroom and shower facilities. Each cabin has sleeping for eight. We can accommodate groups with 70 students and 10 chaperones. A spacious multi-purpose building houses a full service kitchen and dining area. Its interior design provides flexible indoor space for large group activities. Central heating and air conditioning allow year-around program opportunities. The multi-purpose building and residential cabins are designed for wheelchair accessibility. INLAND MARSH Open All Year 8 am to sunset Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - 9 miles west of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on U.S. 12 to Inland Marsh trail head. Continue another mile west for Inland Marsh Overlook. Available Facilities - Parking and access to overlook, trails, and pit toilet. KEMIL BEACH Open All Year Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - 1 mile north of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on State Park Rd to the Dune Ridge Trail Head. For details see park map. http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Available Facilities - Parking, restrooms, trails, and accessiblbity to Kemil Beach. LAKE VIEW Open All Year 6:00 am to 11:00 pm Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - 1 mile north of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on State Park Dr, then east half a mile on Lake Front Rd. See park map for details. http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Available Facilities - Parking, picnic facilities, restrooms, interpretive exhibits, and wheel chair accessibility to Kemil Beach. LY-CO-KI-WE HORSE AND HIKING TRAIL Open All Year 8:00 am to sunset Location - Half a mile south of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on Kemil Rd to U.S. 20. Half a mile west on U.S. 20. See park map for futher details. http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Available Facilities - Parking, restrooms, and horse and hiking trails. (Horses not available for hire within the Park). Ly-co-ki-we is used by cross-country skiers during periods of adequate coverage. During the winter when there is snow the trail is used for cc-sking. MT. BALDY Open All Year Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - 5.5 mile east of the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center along U.S. 12. See park map for more details. http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Available Facilities - Restrooms, vending machines, parking, trails, and informational exhibit. PORTER BEACH Open All Year Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - 4 miles west of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on U.S. 12 to Waverly Rd. 1 and one half miles north on Waverly Rd. For more details see park map. http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Closures - Lot may remain closed during times of plowable snow. Available Facilities - Parking and access to Porter Beach. TREMONT PICNIC AREA Location - 3 mile west of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on U.S. 12. See park map for further details. http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Closures - Closed from November 15 through April 1. Available Facilities - Picnic facilities, restrooms, and parking WEST BEACH Open All Year Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - Located 12 miles west of Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center on U.S. 12 to County Line Rd. North on County Line Rd for one quarter mile. For detailed park map see http://www.nps.gov/indu/maps/ Closures - Bicycle and foot traffic permitted Labor Day to Memorial Day from 6 am to 9 pm. Available Facilities - Parking, trails, bath house, picnic facilities, vending machines, restrooms and access to West Beach. Visitor Centers BAILLY/CHELLBERG VISITOR CENTER Saturdays & Sundays May 26 & 27 and June 2,3,9,10 11:00am - 4:30pm Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 218 Location - On Mineral Springs Road south of U.S. 12, 1.5 miles west of Indiana 49. Available Facilities - Staffed information desk, book store, museum, accessibility to Little Calumet River trail, and restroom facilities, as well as Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm. DOROTHY BUELL MEMORIAL VISITOR CENTER Open All Year Phone - (219) 926-7561 ext 225 Location - Located on Kemil Road at U.S. 12, 3 miles east of Indiana 49. Closures - Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Exhibits - Houses displays of information dealing with the lakeshore features, and an informative video on the park called 'Child of the Northwest Wind'. Available Facilities - Staffed information desk, book store, access to Ly-co-ki-we and Calumet Dune trails, 30 minute parking, and restroom facilities. PAUL H. DOUGLAS CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Open All Year Monday - Friday Phone - (219)926-7561 ext 225 Location - I94 to IN 51 north. West on 20 about 2 miles to Lake Street. North on Lake Street one mile. Closures - Closed Holidays and weekends Special Programs - The Douglas Center acquaints and educates students in the disciplines of ecology and environmental science. Outdoor hikes, indoor classrooms, audio-visual media, live animals, pond studies, and other innovative activities teach environmental awareness and stewardship. Available Facilities - The Douglas Center is available for scheduled group programs about the environment. Reservations are required. For a listing of current educational programs visit http://www.nps.gov/indu/education/eebroch.htm User input for Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Review Guidelines   Current weather conditions at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Local climate location: OGDEN DUNES 14 miles away Find a Business in or near Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Business TypeOR Business Name   Coordinates: Latitude: 41.62 Longitude: -87.03 Indiana Public Lands Complete list of all Public Lands in Indiana Outdoors Recreation Near Michigan City-La Porte, Indiana Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Michigan City-La Porte, Indiana, the metro area neareast to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more. 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Indiana Outdoors Index Campgrounds Near or in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Paddling Rivers Near or in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Other National Parks Near Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Trails Near or in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Hotels Near or in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Lakes Near or in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Beaches Near or in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Golf Courses Near or in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana Ski Areas Near or in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana     SUPER 8 MOTEL - Chesterton Indiana Dunes Area, Chesterton .6 miles away Best Western Indian Oak, Chesterton .9 miles away Waterbird Inn and Spa, Chesterton .9 miles away Econo Lodge Chesterton, Chesterton 1.4 miles away Hilton Garden Inn Chesterton, Chesterton 2.7 miles away Springhouse Inn, Porter 3.9 miles away Comfort Inn & Suites Porter, Porter 5.2 miles away Super 8 Valparaiso, Valparaiso 7.7 miles away Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Valparaiso, IN, Valparaiso 7.9 miles away Fairfield Inn & Suites Valparaiso, Valparaiso 8.3 miles away * Distances listed are direct linear distances, actual travel distance may be different.