JUNE PROGRAMS AT NATIONAL LAKESHORE

Date: May 31, 2013
Contact: Ryan Koepke, 219-395-1882

Every Day is Family Day at the National Lakeshore's Douglas Center

Enjoy family-friendly activities every day in June between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s Paul Douglas Center. In addition to lots of indoor activities, get outside and let the kids enjoy the new Nature Play Zone where unstructured play in nature is encouraged. You can also hike the new Miller Woods trail extension all the way to Lake Michigan. You can also help feed the center’s resident turtles and fish.

The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education is located in the western portion of the national lakeshore at 100 North Lake Street, about one mile north of U.S. Highway 12. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, call 219-395-1882 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.

Kid’s Fun and Junior Ranger Programs at National Lakeshore

Join a ranger in the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center’s activity room for a Sunday afternoon of kid’s activities, puppet shows, stories and fun. Stop in between 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm to help your children learn a little more about your neighborhood national park. All children must be accompanied by an adult. You can also pick up a Junior Ranger booklet or explorer sheet while at the visitor center. Once completed, each participant will earn a junior ranger badge, sticker, or temporary tattoo.

The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center is located at 1215 N. State Road 49 just south of the intersection of 49 and U.S. 20 in Porter, Indiana. For more information about this program or other activities at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, contact the information desk at 219-395-1882 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.

Music Heritage Series at National Lakeshore

Join in with the Save the Tunes Council as they perform traditional music associated with the beginning of summer and the month of June. Tune up your vocal cords and gather up for a sing-along on June 21, from 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s Visitor Center.

The Save the Tunes Council is a group of local musicians devoted to preserving and passing on folk songs in the traditional way, using a variety of musical instruments including guitar, autoharp, dulcimer, banjo, harmonica, bagpipe, penny whistle, hurdy gurdy, and other obscure instruments.

Meet at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center located at 1215 N. State Road 49 just south of the intersection of Highway 49 and U.S. 20 in Porter, Indiana. For more information about this program or other activities at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, contact the information desk at 219-395-1882 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.

 Stewardship Day at the National Lakeshore – Saving Mount Baldy

Please join a ranger and help in the restoration of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s Mount Baldy. Volunteers are needed to remove invasive species on June 15 from 9:00 am to noon. Wear comfortable clothes; work gloves and equipment will be provided. Insect repellent and sunscreen are recommended.
 
Meet at the Mount Baldy Parking Lot located just north of Highway 12 in the eastern portion of the national lakeshore. For more information about this program or other activities at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, contact the information desk at 219-395-1882 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.
 

Mount Baldy Sunset Hike at National Lakeshore
Enjoy a stroll with a ranger and then watch the sunset at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s Mount Baldy. This 60-minute program is offered at 7:30 pm on Friday, June 14 and 28 and will help you understand the threats to this famous dune and what you can do to help protect it.
Meet at the Mount Baldy Parking Lot located just north of U.S. Highway 12 in the eastern portion of the national lakeshore. For more information about this program or other activities at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, contact the information desk at 219-395-1882 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.
 

Junior Wildland Firefighter Programs at National Lakeshore
 
Meet the national lakeshore’s fire crew and hear about their jobs and equipment. Learn how they use fire as a tool to protect the park’s diversity. After this hands-on program, children will receive their very own Junior Wildland Firefighter activity book and patch during this 60-minute program.
 
This program will be offered two times this month: June 8, 10:00 am – 11:00 am, at the Dunewood Campground Amphitheater and on June 22, 11:00 am - Noon at the West Beach Contact Station. Note: There is a fee of $6 per car at West Beach during the summer.
 
For more information about this program or other activities at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, contact the information desk at 219-395-1882 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.
 

Pinhook Bog Open House at National Lakeshore
Explore Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s Pinhook Bog during three open houses being offered in the month of June. Tour the bog on your own and talk to rangers stationed along the trail who will help you understand this unique place filled with carnivorous plants. Allow about one hour to walk the trail and tour the bog. This open house will be held from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm on Sunday, June 16, 23 and 30.
The Pinhook Bog Parking Lot is located in the national lakeshore at 700 North Wozniak Road. For directions or more information about this program or other activities at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, contact the information desk at 219-395-1882 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.
 

Campground Program at National Lakeshore
Join a ranger around the campfire at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s Dunewood Campground and learn about the park’s incredible diversity of life and how fire plays an important part in keeping it healthy. This program will be held from 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm on Saturday, June 15, June 22 and 29.
 
The Dunewood Campground is located south of the intersection of U.S. Highway 12 and Broadway in the central portion of the national lakeshore. For more information about this program or other activities at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, contact the information desk at 219-395-1882 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.
 

Chellberg Farm Open House at National Lakeshore
 
Tour the Chellberg Farmhouse and learn about the lives of early Duneland farm families. This open house is held on Saturday afternoons from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm on June 15, 22 and 29. Park in the Bailly/Chellberg Parking Lot and take the short walk to the Chellberg Farmhouse.
 
The Bailly/Chellberg Parking Lot is located on Mineral Springs Road between U.S. Highways 20 and 12 in the central portion of the national lakeshore. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit or contact the park’s information desk at 219-395-1882.
 

Bailly Homestead Open House at National Lakeshore
Tour the historic homestead of a French-Canadian trader who moved to Indiana in 1822 to develop Baillytown and discovered that things don’t always work out as planned. This open house is offered on Friday afternoons from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm on June 14, 21, and 28. Park in the Bailly/Chellberg Parking Lot and walk about one-third of a mile to the Bailly Homestead.
The Bailly/Chellberg Parking Lot is located on Mineral Springs Road between U.S. Highways 20 and 12 in the central portion of the national lakeshore. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit or contact the park’s information desk at 219-395-1882.
 

Miller Woods Hike at National Lakeshore

Join a ranger for a Sunday afternoon stroll at 1:30 pm through Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s Miller Woods. The length of this hike can vary from one-half mile to three miles, depending on the conditions of the day.

The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education is located in the western portion of the national lakeshore at 100 North Lake Street, about one mile north of U.S. Highway 12. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, call 219-395-1821 or check the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.

Midsummer Celebration at National Lakeshore's Chellberg Farm

On June 22, from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm, celebrate the longest day of the year and learn about the traditions of the Swedish immigrants at Indiana Dunes National lakeshore’s Chellberg Farm. Find out about the significance of Midsummer while you enjoy the music, dance and food associated with this special day. Be sure to come back to the farm at 7:30 pm for the inaugural Summer Solstice Evening Concert.
The Bailly/Chellberg Parking Lot is located on Mineral Springs Road between U.S. Highways 20 and 12 in the central portion of the national lakeshore. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit or contact the park’s information desk at 219-395-1882.

Summer Solstice Evening Concert at National Lakeshore's Chellberg Farm

Enjoy the end of the longest day of the year at the national lakeshore with an early evening concert at Chellberg Farm from 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm on Saturday, June 22. This outdoor concert features the band Trillium who performs an energetic array of traditional American music including folk, ragtime, and bluegrass. Bring folding chairs or a blanket to spread on the lawn in front of the farmyard’s stage. This concert is free.

The Bailly/Chellberg Parking Lot is located on Mineral Springs Road between U.S. Highways 20 and 12 in the central portion of the national lakeshore. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit or contact the park’s information desk at 219-395-1882.

Bike the Porter Brickyard Trail at National Lakeshore

Join a ranger for a Friday morning bike tour of the new Porter Brickyard Trail and the Calumet Bike Trail. This program meets at the Mnoké Prairie Parking Lot and will be offered on June 14, 21, and 28, from 9:00 am – 11:00 am. Learn how the dunes have been an important transportation corridor as you enjoy a leisurely and scenic ride.

The Mnoké Prairie Parking Lot is located on Howe Road just over a half-mile south of the intersection of Howe and Oak Hill Roads. For more information on this or other programs at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit or contact the park’s website at www.nps.gov/indu.

www.nps.gov
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is part of the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.