As part of a spending bill, the United States government signed legislation that gives Indiana its first national park. We’ve been a state since 1816, but it took until 2019 to get our most beautiful shores nationally recognized! Next to Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion, and Grand Teton, you’ll now see this Hoosier favorite listed. Check it out:

The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was designated a nation park in 2019, but some have been petitioning for it since 1916 when the first director of the National Park Service wanted to make the change.
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Due to the first World War, though, plans were scrapped, and subsequent plans to bring up the dunes' status over the years were squashed.
This 15,000-acre area has become the nation's 61st national park as of February 2019.
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It was designated a national lakeshore in 1966, as it hosts 15 miles of Lake Michigan, and it currently sees about 3.5 million visitors each year. This special little name change has worked to increase that number, so we suggest you stop by early in the morning during the week if you don't like crowds. The name change didn't change anything else about the park, so you'll still be able to enjoy the same great dunes you've always known and loved.

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The Indiana Dunes are both a historical and bio-diverse area.
Flickr/NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Labratory
Being named the state's first national park recognizes the significance of the area's environment. It is famous for its massive sand hills as well as woodlands, prairies, savannas, bogs, and wetlands.
It is also known for providing year-round activities for locals to enjoy.
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People love to climb the dunes, some of which can grow to nearly 200 feet tall. Reward yourself with a dip in Lake Michigan afterwards. Of course, hiking is enjoyable any time of year, and snowshoeing is fun in the winter. Find more than 50 miles of trails here! Biking, picnicking, camping, scenic drives, and so much more can be enjoyed around Indiana's first national park.
Special events, historical tours, ancient artifacts, cultural resources, and a myriad of other treasures abound at this incredible place. The fee to enter is $6 for in-state vehicles and $12.50 for those coming from out of state.
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For more like this, check out these seven unappreciated state parks in Indiana you can still visit this time of year.

If you visited Indiana’s first national park before it was nationally recognized, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your favorite memories and photos with us in the comments.

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Indiana's First National Park

Tori Jane | January 13, 2022

What are some of the most popular hiking trails in Indiana?  

Indiana is home to a surprisingly large number of hiking trails, and they’re all wonderful in their own ways. Some do, however, tend to stick out above the rest due to their popularity. For some reason or another, the most popular hiking trails in Indiana are all particularly unique, scenic, or otherwise notable. According to world-class hiking enthusiast blog AllTrails, the most popular hiking trail in the Hoosier State is the Cowles Bog Trail, which is nestled within Indiana Dunes State Park. It’s 4.3 miles of Indiana’s most unique landscape, and it’s one hike you’ll never regret going on! The next most popular hiking trail in Indiana is Lawrence Creek Trail, which is in Fort Harrison State Park. This one is right around the same length as Cowles Bog Trail, but the landscape it leads you through couldn’t be more different. This one is lush and green, like something out of a movie about journeying to toss a specific ring into a specific volcano. Next on the list is the Clifty Falls, Hoffman Falls, Tunnel Falls trail at Clifty Falls State Park, and waterfall enthusiasts are going to love that one.  

What are some of the best parks in Indiana for outdoorsy people?  

The answer feels obvious but bears announcing: our state parks are perfect for folks who love the outdoors. No matter what anyone enjoys doing, they can find it in abundance in each one of Indiana’s little slices of paradise. Of course, if you’re looking for local and city parks, Indy is full of them, and honestly, no matter what town or city you visit, you’re sure to find small, local parks that are wonderful for unwinding and relaxing. For more ideas and more information about some of Indiana’s amazing state parks, check out this article of some of the best little-known ones!  

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Indiana Dunes National Park, Porter, IN 46304, USA