How to Be National Park Smart

As we hope you discover, Indiana Dunes National Park is a hidden gem. While there are certainly differences in geography and uses, it’s important to recognize that you are entering a National Park like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, or Everglades.

While it may be relatively small in size, actually the fifth smallest National Park, Indiana Dunes National Park boasts an outsized impact. Its coastal landscapes encompass beaches, dunes, forests, wetlands, prairies, and more, creating a harmonious blend of nature that provides a home for many plants and animals and invites exploration and discovery. This remarkable park was designated in part to protect its astounding biological diversity, and today has the distinction of being the fifth most biodiverse park in America.

With the privilege of experiencing this natural wonder comes the responsibility to preserve and protect its fragile beauty for future generations. Your actions in this unique landscape matter immensely. How you navigate the park’s fragile tapestry directly impacts its future. Each step you take matters. Help us to protect and preserve this unique National Park.

Here are some tips on how to “be park smart”, how to safely enjoy your National Park while recreating responsibly.

 

1. Practice Water Safety – Wear a Life Jacket

Why: The park’s waters can be unpredictable, making attention to safety crucial.

How: Wear life jackets, especially for children and non-swimmers. Always swim with a spotter. Follow lifeguard directions. Be aware of rip currents and shifting sandbars. Monitor the weather before your arrival and often throughout your visit. Stay out of the water when larger waves are present.

 

2. Stay off the Dunes

Why: The dunes are fragile, held together by delicate root systems and only minimal soil development. Just one footprint can start erosion and degradation of dune systems.

How: Do not climb up or on or dig in the dunes. Stay on the beach, specifically the sandy area from the water to the base of the dune.

 

3. Stay on Designated Trails

Why: Sensitive habitats damage easily, impacting viewsheds and homes to plants and wildlife. Restoring damage caused by people choosing to leave designated trails diverts resources from other essential park projects and programs.

How: Do not create shortcuts. Use park maps, signs, and/or the official NPS app to navigate using designated and marked trails and avoid venturing into restricted areas.

 

4. Carry out What You Carry in

Why: Trash on the ground diminishes natural beauty, harms wildlife, and diverts resources from essential park projects and programs for cleanup.

How: Practice Leave No Trace Principles - Carry out all trash and anything else you bring with you to the park.

 

5. Keep Your Pets on a Leash and Pick up their Waste

Why: Unleashed pets can be a threat to wildlife, damage sensitive habitats, or harass people who may be afraid of animals. No one wants to hike on a trail littered with dog poop. Plus, pet waste can introduce harmful bacteria into fresh water sources or pass diseases to wildlife.

How: Even a well-behaved dog can get excited when visiting our national parks. Always keep your dog on a 6-foot leash or less. Do your part to keep yourself, your animal, and other hikers safe. Pick up after your pet and dispose of the waste in trash receptables or at home.

 

Following these tips will help you make the most of your visit to Indiana Dunes National Park while safeguarding its unique beauty. Have fun, stay safe, protect the park!

 

Protect The Park — Stay Off The Dunes

With so many visitors, we all have to work together to protect the dune ecosystems. Our dunes are iconic, but fragile. Just one footprint can destroy critical vegetation and trigger degradation of dune systems. Off-trail activity destroys threatened and endangered species and their habitats that the park is legally obligated to protect. IMPORTANT! Activities that destroy, deface, or disturb the natural state of the dunes are prohibited under 36 CFR 2.1. Individuals may face fnes up to $5,000 and/or up to six months in jail.