Checking Indiana Dunes Off the Bucket List
June 2024
Hitting #38 at Indiana’s First National Park
- June 20, 2025
- 0.49 mi
- 11:17 min
- 82 °F
By visiting Indiana Dunes National Park, we added another National Park to our bucket list: #38. As always, we started at the visitor center to learn about the park’s history and get our maps and recommendations.
Exploring Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana Dunes changed from a national lakeshore to a national park in 2019, becoming America’s 61st national park and Indiana’s first. The protection and preservation of the Indiana Dunes and its unique ecosystems began as early as 1899. The purchase of the Cowles Bog in the 1950s was the first successful step in protecting this 4,000-year-old wetland against development. In 1966, this area, along with an additional 8,000 acres, became the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Due to further acquisitions, Indiana Dunes has expanded to about 15,000 acres today.
Exploring Cowles Bog
- June 20, 2025
- 5.20 mi
- 2:08:33 hrs
- 84 °F
As the ranger suggested, we hiked the trail in the Cowles Bog wetlands, which include ponds, marshes, black oak savannas, dunes, and access to the lakeshore. Since it would be a hot day, we made sure we brought enough drinks, food, and bug spray. The latter was essential for repelling mosquitoes, deer flies, and ticks that just wanted to feast on us! The trees provided cool shade as we hiked through the park’s diverse habitats. However, the mosquitoes and the steep dune climb were worth the struggle, because we had the entire sunny beach at Lake Michigan all to ourselves.
