Trail #8 of the Indiana Dunes National Park 1966 Hiking Challenge is the Harbor Belt Trail in Gary, Indiana. We returned to Miller Woods after hiking here earlier this week to complete the Harbor Belt section of the park. Cutting East to West through Miller Woods is this abandoned railroad bed that was built when U.S. Steel opened a factory in Gary to connect Chicago to New York City. With the rails and spokes now removed, the old Harbor Belt railroad is part of a rare topography known as a ridge and swale on the continental shelf landmass of Lake Michigan. The rolling topography of a ridge and swale is a complex of parallel wetland swales and upland dune ridges supporting both forests and wetlands.

The trail begins at the Paul H. Douglas Center boardwalk loop just as it did for our Miller Woods hike on Trail #4 of the 1966 Hiking Challenge. We really liked this trail last time but saw our surroundings in a new light on our second hike. The water lilies that we had seen blooming in the mid-morning mist were now closed up buds in early evening’s direct sunlight. We hiked into the hilly landscape with confidence knowing where to turn at the unmarked sign this time and then where to turn left onto Harbor Belt instead of continuing straight to the beach.

Hiking the Harbor Belt was both fascinating and mundane on the seemingly never-ending out-and-back stretch. The railroad trail is a flat, raised bed with large gravel stones overlooking the wetland valley below. Framed by the forestline of the oak savanna habitat, there were wildflowers and wildlife at every step we took. In the distance, we spotted a Belted Kingfisher on the edge of a branch atop a beaver’s dam stalking the water with calm and focus.

We also heard the whooshing snorts of a male deer with his family leaping away after spotting us on the trail. A serene Great Blue Heron swooped past the Great Egret into the marsh and butterflies fluttered around us like the wisps of pollen that floated in the breeze. This was both a birder’s paradise and a botanist’s playground. According to Derek, “if I were a bear, this is where I would live-where there are plenty of berries to eat and places to sleep.”

Observations:

Location: Paul Douglas Center Parking Lot – 100 North Lake Street, Gary, IN 46403

Trail Length: 4 miles
Difficulty level: Easy hike on the railroad after hiking up a few moderate hills in the forest

Highlights:

• Great views of the ridge and swale landscape from the raised bed
• Easy, flat hike along the old railroad
• Keep an eye on the water for birds!
• Butterfly safe haven
• Blooming wildflowers

Tips/Suggestions:

• Wear long pants- prepare for hiking through the woods
• Wear good shoes-some of the Harbor Belt gravel is hard-packed and other stones are larger
• Come Back! The wildlife was different on our second hike so it might be fun to keep coming back at different times and seasons to see new things
• Parking-there is a small lot at the environmental center with additional parking across the street
• No restrooms- unless the Paul H. Douglas Center is open

The Harbor Belt Trail has been completed on the 1966 Hiking Challenge!