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April 2024 Activities
Cherish and enjoy these programs and events offered at Indiana Dunes National Park in April 2024.
Indiana Dunes National Park has an entrance fee of $25 per car for a 1–7-day pass. A $45 annual pass for the national park is also available. Please purchase passes or pay the entrance fee at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, Paul H. Douglas Center, West Beach Entrance Station or at recreation.gov. Veterans/Military/Gold Star Family, Access, and 4th Grade passes are available for free. For more information on national park passes visit Fees & Passes.
Fee Free Days: Saturday, April 20 will be fee free throughout the National Park to celebrate National Park Week.
Fee free days only apply to locations within Indiana Dunes National Park, NOT Indiana Dunes State Park.
Weekdays
Solar Eclipse Viewing at West Beach at the West Beach Contact Station
Monday, April 8
12:30 pm–3:30 pm
Come join National Park Service staff to enjoy an astronomical phenomenon - a Solar Eclipse. Meet at the contact station in the West Beach parking lot. A limited number of the Eclipse Safety Glasses will be available. Please come prepared with your own glasses. There will be a special Jr. Ranger booklet at the event for the eclipse.
Science Fridays Series at the Indiana Dunes National Park Indiana Dunes Visitor Center
Friday, April 19
5:30 pm-6:30 pm
Calling all nerds! Expand your knowledge and join fellow nature enthusiasts for a night of education and wonder. A series of presentations will be given by local experts each month covering a different topic. For more information and a list of topics visit our website or call 1-219-395-1882.
Join President Kim Ehn and Board Member Dan Barriball from the Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society to learn about the science of observing birds at your favorite outdoor spot. Building and sharing that list of birds can even help protect them! Community Science activities are promoted by every bird-related environmental organization in the world. These observations of species, abundance and location provides up-to-date information on the status and trends of bird populations, including migration. Scientists, educators, and agency directors use this data to guide and affect research, species management, habitat protection, restoration, and laws and policies. Learn how watching birds can impact a whole species, like the Whip-poor-will, Piping Plover, Wood Thrush, or Great Blue Heron.
Music Heritage Series Concert at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center
Friday, April 19
7:30 pm–9:00 pm
Come out for a night of music and song. The Save the Tunes Council is a group of local musicians devoted to preserving and passing on folk songs using a variety of traditional musical instruments.
Saturday
Chellberg Farm Open House at the Chellberg Farmhouse
Every Saturday in April
1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Stop by the historic Chellberg Farm to tour the farmhouse, visit the animals, and hear stories of the area’s history from rangers and park volunteers. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Indiana Dunes. For more information on how to join The Friends, visit Friends of Indiana Dunes.
Gardening at the Chellberg Farm
Saturday, April 6
9:00 am–11:00 am
Spend the morning helping the Chellberg Farm Garden get off to a great start. This program is sponsored by Friends of Indiana Dunes. For more information on how to join, visit Friends of Indiana Dunes.
Nature Play Date at the Paul H. Douglas Center
Saturday, April 6, 20, & 27
1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Visit the Paul H. Douglas Center for a day of family friendly fun. Enjoy the free nature themed craft set up in the art room, visit the live animal room, or build a fort in the Nature Play Zone. This program is sponsored by Friends of Indiana Dunes. For more information on how to join The Friends, visit dunefriends.org.
Stargazing at Kemil Beach at the Kemil Beach Parking Lot
Saturday, April 13
8:00 pm–10:00 pm
Join Michiana Astronomical Society and fellow astronomy lovers to enjoy our night sky from one of the darkest spots in the Indiana Dunes National Park. Telescopes will be provided for your viewing pleasure. For safety purposes and to ensure parking, please arrive early.
Rail Rangers South Shore Train Program On the South Shore Train
Saturday, April 20
8:40 am–12:21 pm ET Millennium Station to South Bend Airport Train # 503
12:57 pm ET–2:39 pm South Bend Airport to Millennium Station Train # 506
Join The Midwest Rail Rangers on the South Shore and learn about the sights outside the window, including the south side of Chicago, the historic steel-making area of Northwest Indiana, and the Indiana Dunes National Park. The program is provided at no additional cost to passengers, however those riding must purchase a valid train ticket. Passengers can hop on, or off, at various locations along the route. Riders will be bused between Dune Park and the Gary Metro Station due to ongoing construction on the rail system. For more information visit railrangers.org. Train schedules may change, check mysouthshoreline.com for updates.
Woodland Wildflower Hike Heron Rookery East Parking Lot
Saturday, April 27
9:00 am–11:00 am & 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Join a park ranger and explore the Little Calumet River flood plain and learn about the great diversity of spring wildflowers. Listen to the spring songs of birds and frogs. Meet at the Heron Rookery East parking lot. Be prepared for muddy conditions.
Native Plant Talk with Nathanael Pilla and Steve Sass Visitor Center
Saturday, April 27
10:00 am–11:30 am
Appearing together for the first time, regional botanists Nathanael Pilla and Steve Sass will explore the ecology, history, and physiology of some of their favorite Indiana Dunes plants focusing on those species offered by the Friends of Indiana Dunes upcoming native plant sale.
Sunday
Chellberg Farm Open House Chellberg Farmhouse
Every Sunday in April
1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Stop by the historic Chellberg Farm to tour the farmhouse and visit the animals. Rangers and volunteers will be on hand to share the area’s history. This program is sponsored by the Friends of Indiana Dunes. For more information on how to join The Friends, visit Friends of Indiana Dunes.
Miller Woods Hike Paul H. Douglas Center
Every Sunday in April
1:30 pm–3:30 pm
Hike with a ranger through a globally rare black oak savanna, by beautiful wetlands, and around sand dunes.
Migration Birding Hike Visitor Center
Sunday, April 7
9:00 am–11:00 am
Join a birding expert from the Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society for a migration birding hike. Meet at the Visitor Center and carpool to the surprise birding spot of the month. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather.
Woodland Wildflower Hike Heron Rookery East Parking Lot
Sunday, April 28
9:00 am–11:00 am & 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Join a park ranger and explore the Little Calumet River flood plain and learn about the great diversity of spring wildflowers. Listen to the spring songs of birds and frogs. Meet at the Heron Rookery East parking lot. Be prepared for muddy conditions.
Volunteering - Drop In
Trash Trekkers Indiana Dunes Visitor Center
Daily
8:30 am–4:00 pm
Lend a hand in our drop-in litter cleanup program. Simply check in at the Visitor Center to receive trash bags, then choose from one of our many beach areas or hiking trails to collect trash. Visitors are awaited with a free, reusable water bottle for filling up their bags. Please leave trash at a trash can on the site you hiked.
Porter Beach Restoration Porter Beach Parking Lot
Saturday, April 13
9:00 am–12:00 pm
Join staff and fellow volunteers in helping to care for your local national park. Wear comfortable clothes; work gloves and equipment will be provided. Please contact the volunteer office at (219) 221-7098 or email us if you are planning on attending.
Chellberg Farm Care Chellberg Parking Lot
Saturday, April 20
9:00 am–12:00 pm
Meet up with a ranger and fellow volunteers to help care for the Chellberg Farm. Equipment and protective gear will be provided.
Community Park-wide Cleanup for Earth Day Indiana Dunes Visitor Center
Monday, April 22
9:00 am–12:00 pm
Celebrate Earth Day and show your support for environmental protection by spending the morning with park staff and fellow volunteers at the Indiana Dunes National Park’s 3rd annual Earth Day Cleanup. This event is sponsored by Friends of Indiana Dunes and Mermaid Straw.
For more information on this and other programs at Indiana Dunes National Park you can call (219) 395-1882.
Please visit our website, download the official National Park Service app, or view our Facebook page.
Last updated: April 8, 2024