Cowles Bog Trail

Getting There
Need to Know
Trail Map
Featured Hikes
Nearby Hikes
Photos

The Cowles Bog Trail highlights an area of such outstanding plant diversity that it was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1965. This location, where Dr. Henry Cowles conducted much of his early work in plant ecology and succession in the early 1900s, remains an important focus for scientific study today.

Explore several distinct habitats along this 4.7-mile trail including ponds, marshes, swamps, black oak savannas and beaches. Steep sand dunes near Lake Michigan can make this a strenuous journey. Many visitors pack a lunch to enjoy at the shoreline while resting for the return trip (don't forget to "pack out" your trash). Make sure to bring plenty of water, sun protection, and extra clothing layers as the the weather at the lake can be very different than at the parking lot.

Trail Features: Fall Colors, Lake, Views, Wildlife
Must See Gems: Lake Michigan

Getting There
Trailhead Parking Lots

Main Lot (north): 1450 North Mineral Springs Road, Dune Acres, IN 46304
(Look for the gravel entrance road on the right just before the town guardhouse)

Greenbelt Lot (south): 1184 North Mineral Springs Road, Dune Acres, IN 46304
(Look for the entrance road on the left just after the railroad tracks)

Trailhead GPS Coordinates
Main (north): 41.645191, -87.084633 (Decimal Degrees)
Greenbelt (south): 41.636898, -87.087185 (Decimal Degrees)

Need to Know

Hours & Information

Hours – Open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.
Free – No entrance or parking fee.
Hike Length – 4.7 miles, 202 feet of elevation gain, 15% maximum grade.
Hike Time – 4 hours.
Difficulty – Moderate to rugged with steep dune climbs in loose sand.
Trail Surface – Mixture of loose sand and packed dirt.
Facilities – Year-round porta potties. No potable water.
Pets – Permitted on a leash (6' or shorter).
Prohibited – Littering and hunting.
Prohibited – Bicycles and motorized vehicles.
Prohibited – Removing plants, rocks, shells, and fossils.
Prohibited – Glass and fires on the beach.
The main (north) parking lot is gravel.
The south (greenbelt) parking lot is paved.
The south parking lot is also the trailhead for the Calumet Bike Trail and Porter Brickyard Bike Trail.

Safety

Please stay on the trail and respect closed area signs. Going off trail damages fragile habitat.
Ticks are present year-round. Take precautionary measures to prevent bites.
Poison ivy can be present on the edges of the trail.
Be prepared for changing weather conditions. The weather at the lake can be very different than at the parking lot.
In case of an emergency or to report a crime, call 1-800-PARK-TIP.

Accessibility

The trail is not wheelchair accessible.

Trail Map
Click here for a list of all hiking trail maps of the Indiana Dunes National Park.
Download a national parks interactive trail guide phone app. Apple or Android.
Paper trail maps are available at the trailhead kiosk and the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center.

Featured Hikes
Cowles Bog Trail
4.7 miles, 202 feet of elevation gain, 2% average grade, 15% maximum grade
Hike time: 4 hours

This featured hike is a lollipop shaped trail and a classic of the Indiana dunes. Starting from the north parking lot, hike out back to Mineral Springs Road on the gravel entrance road and pick up the trail across the street. The trail heads along the edge of a wetland with abundant plant and wildlife diversity. At roughly the one-mile mark, you will reach the loop trail junction. The preferred direction around the loop is counter-clockwise. Take the trail to the right. The trail will now run through black oak savanna and between interdunal ponds filled with aquatic life.

At roughly the 1.5 mile mark, stay to the right at the junction with the cut-off trail. As you near Lake Michigan, you have to climb up and then down the steep final dune. The reward is sweeping views of Lake Michigan and a beach to yourself. Pack a lunch and stay awhile.

For the return, travel 0.2 miles to the west on the beach and look for the trail and signs to head back over the dune. Stay right at the cut-off trail junction, left at the Greenbelt trail south parking lot connector and right at the loop trail junction. The trail will now take you back out to the north parking lot.

For a slightly shorter and easier journey, take the cut-off trail. This will take a little under a mile off the trail length and avoids the steep dune climbs (but also avoids seeing Lake Michigan).

The Cowles Bog loop trail can also be accessed from the south using the Greenbelt Trail at the south parking lot.

History and Background

Henry Cowles was a botanist from the University of Chicago. He published his dissertation, entitled "An Ecological Study of the Sand Dune Flora of Northern Indiana". He later published his thesis, in modified form under the title, "The Ecological Relations of the Vegetation on the Sand Dunes of Lake Michigan." The Botanical Gazette helped establish Cowles as the "father of plant ecology" in North America. The article brought international attention to the intricate ecosystems existing on the dunes.

The trail is a partnership between the National Park Service and the Town of Dune Acres.