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Date: August 21, 2009

Storms on evening of August 19 caused damage to portions of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Downed trees, closed roads and trails, knocked out power for a time to park offices, and wind damaged some buildings. Park crews were out until midnight on Wednesday clearing roads and assisting nearby communities.

At Lake View in Beverley Shores, the wind blew the doors off the hinges of the comfort station and left them scattered in a twisted pile of vegetation and metal. The restrooms will be closed until the area is repaired.

In the Furnessville area, the Ly-co-ki-we trail has several large trees down blocking access to portions of the trail. “The trail will be closed for public safety until we can clear the uprooted and unstable trees leaning across the trail.” said Chief of Maintenance John Kowlok. “It will take some time for us to check each of the 45 miles of trail in the national lakeshore, so we are asking the public to keep a head’s up for dangerous trees or limbs and call 1-800-PARKTIP to report potentially hazardous trail conditions” said National Park Spokesperson Lynda Lancaster.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is one of 391 units of the National Park System ranging form Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore includes 15 miles of the southern shoreline of Lake Michigan and 15,000 acres of beach, woods, marshes, and prairie inn the northwest corner of Indiana. More than 2 million visitors come to this national park each year.