There’s a challenging sand dune trail in Porter, Indiana that’s fun for all ages. This rewarding excursion, which takes place in one of the state’s three national parks, leads to a fabulous destination and will make you feel like a master hiker. For more information, take a look below to learn all about the trail, including which national park to visit in Indiana.

Located at the Indiana Dunes National Park in northwest Indiana is a sandy trail that is perfect for adventurous nature lovers.

AllTrails/Larry Jarrett

Though it’s just 1.5 miles long, hikers will ascend some of the highest peaks at the park along this sand dune trail.

AllTrails/Larry Jarrett

At times, hikers will be asked to climb over 550-foot vertical peaks in order to complete this challenging and sandy trail.

AllTrails/Larry Jarrett

Hiking in sand is much more difficult than on concrete or dirt, and it is much harder when going uphill.

AllTrails/Eric Qiu

Most choose to walk this sand dune trail, which includes stairs and well-marked paths, but for an added challenge, you can choose to run it.

AllTrails/Eric Qiu

After hiking the sandy paths, dunes, and stairs, one of the rewards is the views of Lake Michigan and even the Chicago skyline when the sky is clear.

AllTrails/Jim Jackson

The 3 Dunes Challenge follows Trail 8 and part of Trail 4 at the Indiana Dunes. Once you complete the challenge, you can get a free sticker at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center as well as purchase other merchandise.

AllTrails/Kay I

The Indiana Dunes Visitor’s Center is open daily between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Otherwise, the trail is available between dawn and dusk.

AllTrails/Larry Jarrett

AllTrails/Eric Qiu

AllTrails/Jim Jackson

AllTrails/Kay I

For more trails like this, check out five more hikes in Indiana that every Hoosier should do at least once.

If you’ve ever hiked this sand dune trail, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.

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Address: Indiana Dunes National Park, 1215 N State Rd 49, Porter, IN 46304, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

national park to visit in Indiana February 04, 2022 Jennifer Young Which state park is considered one of the best parks in Indiana? Indiana is home to 24 state parks. While all of these state parks are great in a variety of ways, many consider Turkey Run State Park to be one of the best parks in Indiana. Located in Marshall, Indiana, Turkey Run State Park is a beautiful, year-round outdoor destination. It was established in 1916 and welcomes more than one million visitors each year. There are also many recreational activities to choose from such as hiking, camping, horseback riding, fishing, canoeing, swimming, and more. Turkey Run State Park is the perfect destination for a day trip or a weekend getaway. Which national park will you find some of the best hiking trails in Indiana? Indiana has three national parks, all of which offer a variety of outdoor activities. One of these national parks is Indiana Dunes National Park, which is located in Porter. Covering 15,000 acres, Indiana Dunes National Park is one of the state’s best hiking destinations. It offers 14 distinct trail systems with more than 50 miles of trails that’ll take you over sand dunes, across prairies, and through lush forests. In addition to the trails having different lengths, they also have different difficulty levels. Indiana Dunes National Park is open year-round and a great place for the entire family. What’s one of the most fun things to do outside in Indiana? There are many fun things to do outside in Indiana, including ziplining at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis. Eagle Creek Park offers an adventure like no other, the Go Ape Treetop Adventure Course. This course, which takes 2-3 hours to complete, features one of the nation’s top ziplines. The course includes five ziplines, two Tarzan swings, and 39 crossings. In addition to ziplining, Eagle Creek Park also offers several hiking, fishing, boating, swimming, and bird watching opportunities.

The OIYS Visitor Center

national park to visit in Indiana

February 04, 2022

Jennifer Young

Which state park is considered one of the best parks in Indiana? Indiana is home to 24 state parks. While all of these state parks are great in a variety of ways, many consider Turkey Run State Park to be one of the best parks in Indiana. Located in Marshall, Indiana, Turkey Run State Park is a beautiful, year-round outdoor destination. It was established in 1916 and welcomes more than one million visitors each year. There are also many recreational activities to choose from such as hiking, camping, horseback riding, fishing, canoeing, swimming, and more. Turkey Run State Park is the perfect destination for a day trip or a weekend getaway. Which national park will you find some of the best hiking trails in Indiana? Indiana has three national parks, all of which offer a variety of outdoor activities. One of these national parks is Indiana Dunes National Park, which is located in Porter. Covering 15,000 acres, Indiana Dunes National Park is one of the state’s best hiking destinations. It offers 14 distinct trail systems with more than 50 miles of trails that’ll take you over sand dunes, across prairies, and through lush forests. In addition to the trails having different lengths, they also have different difficulty levels. Indiana Dunes National Park is open year-round and a great place for the entire family. What’s one of the most fun things to do outside in Indiana? There are many fun things to do outside in Indiana, including ziplining at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis. Eagle Creek Park offers an adventure like no other, the Go Ape Treetop Adventure Course. This course, which takes 2-3 hours to complete, features one of the nation’s top ziplines. The course includes five ziplines, two Tarzan swings, and 39 crossings. In addition to ziplining, Eagle Creek Park also offers several hiking, fishing, boating, swimming, and bird watching opportunities.

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Indiana is home to 24 state parks. While all of these state parks are great in a variety of ways, many consider Turkey Run State Park to be one of the best parks in Indiana. Located in Marshall, Indiana, Turkey Run State Park is a beautiful, year-round outdoor destination. It was established in 1916 and welcomes more than one million visitors each year. There are also many recreational activities to choose from such as hiking, camping, horseback riding, fishing, canoeing, swimming, and more. Turkey Run State Park is the perfect destination for a day trip or a weekend getaway.

Which national park will you find some of the best hiking trails in Indiana?

Indiana has three national parks, all of which offer a variety of outdoor activities. One of these national parks is Indiana Dunes National Park, which is located in Porter. Covering 15,000 acres, Indiana Dunes National Park is one of the state’s best hiking destinations. It offers 14 distinct trail systems with more than 50 miles of trails that’ll take you over sand dunes, across prairies, and through lush forests. In addition to the trails having different lengths, they also have different difficulty levels. Indiana Dunes National Park is open year-round and a great place for the entire family.

What’s one of the most fun things to do outside in Indiana?

There are many fun things to do outside in Indiana, including ziplining at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis. Eagle Creek Park offers an adventure like no other, the Go Ape Treetop Adventure Course. This course, which takes 2-3 hours to complete, features one of the nation’s top ziplines. The course includes five ziplines, two Tarzan swings, and 39 crossings. In addition to ziplining, Eagle Creek Park also offers several hiking, fishing, boating, swimming, and bird watching opportunities.