• Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

    Indiana Dunes

    National Lakeshore Indiana

Operating Hours & Seasons

Unless otherwise posted or noted below, all public use areas are open sunrise to sunset.

 
one story building with a tall entrance, green roof and parking lot in front of building

Visitor Center

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center
Open daily;
Summer hours 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Winter hours 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
The address is 1215 N. State Road 49, Porter, IN 46304 and is located near the southeast corner of U.S. Highways 49 and 20. Shared with the Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission and Indiana Dunes State Park visitors receive information about the Indiana dunes and surrounding area.
more...

 
large building with tall grass in the foreground and flag pole next to building

Bath House

West Beach Bath House
Opens at 9:00 a.m. and closes 30 minutes past sunset from Memorial Day weekend till Labor Day; a user fee is charged.

  • $6.00 per car per day
  • $30.00 per bus per day

more...

 
one story office building with flag pole and parking lot in front

Park Headquarters

Park Headquarters

8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

 
small modern building shadowed by large trees

Contact Station

Bailly/Chellberg Contact Station
Open limited hours during some special events; associated parking lots and trails are open at 7:00 a.m. and close 30 minutes past sunset.more...

 
building surrounded by trees with stairs going up to it

Center for Environmental Education

Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education
Open for scheduled groups. There is a small parking lot for use by visitors hiking the Miller Woods Trail. The trail opens at 7:00 a.m. and closes 30 minutes past sunset.

more...

 
building with grass in the front and the American flag flying above the roof

Cowles Lodge

Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center
Available for groups scheduled for overnight educational visits. Call 219-395-9555 for more information.

more...

 
modern building with large glass walled room and curved roof with blue water of Lake Michigan in the background

Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk

Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk
This popular location is open daily, from sunrise to 30 minutes past dusk.

To learn more about the public programs offered there, contact Portage Parks and Recreation Department at 219-762-1675, extension 301 or the National Park Service at 219/395-1644.

more...

Did You Know?

a sea of tall grasses and catails in a marsh setting and trees in the background

Cowles Bog is not a true bog but rather a fen because it has an underground water source. This water source has contact with limestone bedrock, making the fen’s water slightly alkaline. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is restoring a portion of this fen.