Trail #10 marks the halfway point for us with the Indiana Dunes National Park 1966 Hiking Challenge on the Dunes-Kankakee Trail! We were excited to be able to join the group hike for this one since we were late bloomers to the challenge that has been ongoing weekly since May. The Dunes-Kankakee Trail is a paved path that runs alongside SR 49 until it dead ends at Lake Michigan with the State Park entrance. On the live map below taken from a screenshot of my Garmin watch, you can see that when we arrived at the park, that we added a dune hike on Trail #3 instead of just going straight through the toll booth to the beach.

Since it was the Saturday of Independence Day weekend, we arrived early to get a parking spot at the visitor center. As we brushed off our shoes at the main entrance, we realized that the Spotted Knapweed is an invasive species that we’ve seen on almost every trail we’ve hiked! The adventure began in the back parking lot of the visitor center where we set off across the bright yellow crosswalk design on the Dunes-Kankakee Trail with Ranger Penny leading the way!

The pedestrian walkway crosses a bridge over US 20 Highway and the South Shore Railroad’s Dune Park station where the trails connect from the train station to the bike path. As the cars rushed past us, eager to get in line for their beach day, we were able to walk right past them to the historic gates without any wait.

The rangers led us on an alternate route through Trail #3 at the entrance to experience more of the natural landscape through a rugged sand dune. We trekked through an open expanse of grass-covered hills on a loose sand trail leaving the busy road behind until we came to the bird observatory tower overlooking Lake Michigan.

After snapping a group photo, we hiked down to the beach where visitors were already soaking in summer vibes with the sweet scent of grilling and the rhythms of Mariachi music in the air. Ranger Penny gathered us together to share the history of Dunes Creek that used to run underneath a parking lot before it was day-lighted to improve the water quality and recover the habitat. A park within a park, the Indiana Dunes State Park is a central part of the national park that surrounds it.

On the return hike to the visitor center, we were amazed that the line of cars had nearly quadrupled in length all the way past US 12. There was some sweet satisfaction in the fact that we had hiked the route instead of just driving to the beach. The Dunes-Kankakee hike was a great experience for us to enjoy a beautiful morning with our fellow hikers who are checking the trails off their list on the 1966 challenge!

Location: Indiana Dunes Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center: 1215 IN-49, Porter, IN 46304

Trail Length:  5 miles
Difficulty level: Easy

Highlights:

• All-pedestrian paved path to the beach from the visitor center
• Out-and-back route
• Trail options throughout the dunes at the State Park
• Lake Michigan views
• Great route to bike from the train station
• The trail is one section of a larger project that will connect the State Park to the Kankakee River and join the coast-to-coast American Discovery Trail

Tips/Suggestions:

• $2 per person State Park walk-in fee required
• Dunes-Kankakee trail is wheelchair/stroller accessible (except for the sand dunes on Trail #3)
• Restrooms available at both the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center and State Park
• The Dunes Pavilion offers an ice cream shop, general store, and rooftop restaurant in the State Park
• Hiking with a group is a fun experience! Come out to join the rangers for their next one this summer: https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/1966-hiking-challenge.htm

The Dunes-Kankakee Trail has been completed on the 1966 Hiking Challenge!