1966 Hiking Challenge: Dune Ridge Trail

Open dune habitat surrounding the parking area, which sits in a landform known as a "blowout."

Joseph Gruzalski

This hike begins in a blowout formation, an iconic dune-system landform characterized by open sand, grassy vegetation, and a lack of trees. They are typically U-shaped and form from strong unidirectional winds. Travel up and over the blowout to reach dunes with more established, woodland vegetation. The Dune Ridge Trail brings visitors through the oak woodland to the top of a scenic dune crest that offers extensive Great Marsh views to the south. The trail also dips down to the edge of the marsh.

The 1966 Hiking Challenge is comprised of 19 hikes that cover 66 miles of trail in the park- celebrating the park’s founding in 1966. The ranger-led hike for this trail meets at the Kemil Beach parking lot. For more information, including specific dates and trail locations, visit this Thing to Do and scroll down. Do not worry if you cannot make each of the 19 ranger-led hikes. A check-off sheet will be available at the Visitor Center or the the Paul H. Douglas Center for those who complete the hikes on their own.

REMINDER: Information found on this page is specific to the 1966 Hiking Challenge

• Please visit Dune Ridge Trail to access general information about this trail.

• Please visit Hiking at Indiana Dunes National Park for general information and maps of all of the park's hiking trails.

BE PREPARED

• Please visit Trail Safety for tips and reminders to ensure your adventure is both safe and enjoyable
• Ranger-led hikes occur rain or shine and are only canceled in inclement weather such as high winds or thunderstorms when conditions are unsafe

Getting There

Dune Ridge Trailhead and Kemil Beach Parking Lot
North of U.S. Highway 12 on East State Park Road (300E), Beverly Shores, IN 46301.
Note: East State Park Road is called Kemil Road to the south of U.S. Highway 12.

Trailhead GPS Coordinates
41.677357, -87.008950 (Decimal Degrees)

Need to Know

• Trail Hours – Open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.
• Passes are required.
• Hike Length: 3.8 miles (Dune Ridge Trail with an extension using the Beverly Shores Trail)
• Hike Time – 2.0 hours
• Difficulty – Moderate with some steep slopes in loose sand.
• Trail Surface – Mixture of loose sand and packed dirt.
• Facilites – Year-round restrooms and potable water at the parking lot.
• 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.

 

Start and end at the Kemil Beach parking lot.