Indiana Dunes National Park · Indiana
Indiana Dunes stretches along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, with sandy beaches, tall dunes, wetlands, and forests. In summer, families can swim and build sandcastles at West Beach, and short trails and the Chellberg Farm add history and nature. The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center in Porter is a good stop for maps, Junior Ranger books, and current beach information.
Diana’s Dare at West Beach
Diana’s Dare combines a dune hike with the story of Alice Mabel Gray, better known as Diana of the Dunes. Follow the stairs and trails at West Beach and read the interpretive signs about her life and the dune landscape. The National Park Service lists a completion sticker available at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center or Paul H. Douglas Center. This challenge is on our family’s future-trip list. Check the official Diana’s Dare page for current instructions before you go.
Hours, roads, and programs change with the seasons. Check current conditions on the official Indiana Dunes National Park website before you go.
Shop Indiana Dunes souvenirs
Park shirts are coming soon — our shop isn’t taking orders yet.
Wild Base Family is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Park Service. Park brochures and Junior Ranger books are free official materials published by the National Park Service; our links open the official PDF (on nps.gov or a copy hosted here) when one is available online.