Dunes in Indiana

One day we went to see the dunes in the northern Indiana. Large part of the Michigan lake shore was turned into Dunes State Park. Although most of people go there for nice sandy beaches, the park has much more to offer. Lake shore is surrounded by forest with a lot of sandy, hilly trails. If you thought that the shore is a flat piece of land you will be very surprised. Deciding on the route to follow during your hike, you should know that even the middle difficulty path will involve a lot of uphill paths. From the top the sandy hills you will have a great view on the Michigan lake and dunes in the park.

Chicago skyline seen from Indiana Dunes

During your visit you will see the skyline of Chicago. Chicago is clearly seen better from Indiana than the other way around. Of course you will only see the tops of the buildings but the view is great. Dunes are very impressive and you may be surprised how can something grow on such a sandy soil. Do not expect plants sparsly scattered on the dunes. Whole hills are very green and fruitful. If you chose to visit the Dunes off the holidays season you will enjoy the nature not interrupted by many people. Southern part of the Dunes State Park has turned into a marsh and is a great place to spot a rare bird. If you are a fan of bird watching the Nature Center in the park will be definitely spot worth visiting.

Bird watching in Nature Center

Do not forget to visit the Nature Center in the dunes state park. The center is not only the information spot about the park and starting point for hike trails. The very back room faces the area behind the Nature Center building, that is not open to visitors. However, the Nature Center visitors may watch birds in their feeding spot without interrupting them from inside. You may easily see a blue jay, finches, hummingbirds and cardinals.