Trail #3 of the Indiana Dunes National Park 1966 Hiking Challenge is the Pinhook Bog in LaPorte, Indiana. The Upland Trail is a forest of Beech and Maple trees growing on top of a glacial moraine formed 15,000 years ago. The trail inside the bog itself was made from a depression in the moraine when a large piece of ice broke off the melting glacier. The bog is a relic of our glacial past, trapped in a foundation of rock, the acidic waters support sensitive plant-life like sphagnum moss, pitcher plants, sundew, and ferns as well as blueberry and holly shrubs growing in the forest. Accessing the bog is restricted to ranger-led hiking events to protect the fragile habitat so we hiked the Upland Trail of the 1966 Challenge instead.

We entered the Upland Trail loop through a grassy tunnel that soon gave way to the tall trees growing on top of what is known as the Valparaiso Moraine. The surrounding land of Pinhook was farmed and logged over time leading to secondary forest growth with a mosaic of tree species including oak, hickory, maple, beech, tulip poplar, black walnut, black cherry, sassafras, white pine, paw paw, and basswood. These woods serve as a buffer to reduce runoff into the water-filled basin of Pinhook Bog. As we were walking the trail, a baby deer spotted us and scurried off into the woods.

About the halfway point of the trail, we came to a bridge where the trees opened up to a body of water with a crystal clear reflection. It appeared to be a lake but after reading the signage, this ring of open water is considered a moat that surrounds the bog and separates the floating sphagnum moss from the upland forest. Rainwater runs over the soil and picks up minerals and nutrients that enter the edge of the basin in the moat that support different plants since this water is 100 times less acidic than the bog. This was the highlight of our hike with bullfrogs resting on the logs below. We also saw a beaver dip under the water and the fruits of his labor where a dam of sticks was piled under the bridge.

We continued back into the woods taking note of the plants and insects to add to our observation notes. This was a pleasant hike that we will keep on our list of favorites to keep coming back to!

Observations: Additional sightings we discovered were two pileated woodpeckers, a deer, and a beaver!

Location: Pinhook Bog Trailhead Parking Lot-946 North Wozniak Road, LaPorte, IN 46350

Trail Length: Upland Trail- 2.1 miles

Highlights:

• Visiting a glacial moraine
• Shady forest trail
• Views of the bog and basin
• Multiple bullfrog sightings!
• Lots of wildlife
• Wildflowers
• Unique native bog plants (if attending a ranger-led hike)

Tips/Suggestions:

• Parking lot is open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm
• The trail is easy to moderate with some elevation changes and packed dirt
• Trail can be very wet and muddy if it has recently rained
• Seasonal porta potty in the parking lot- no potable water
• Contact the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center to find program dates and times for ranger-led access to the restricted bog areas

The Pinhook Bog Upland Trail has been completed on the 1966 Hiking Challenge!