1966 Hiking Challenge: Harbor Belt

With a unique pattern of alternating sand ridges and lush wetlands, Miller Woods is an enchanting landscape of diversity. Delight your senses as you travel through this globally-rare topography known as ridge and swale on the Harbor Belt. The Harbor Belt is an abandoned railroad bed that cuts east-west through Miller Woods. Catch the crimson shimmer of a red-headed woodpecker on a black oak as you explore deep into Miller Woods.

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 met at the Paul H. Douglas Center's 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 The Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education to access general information about the area.

• 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

Trailhead Parking Lots
100 North Lake Street, Gary, IN 46403

Trailhead GPS Coordinates
41.606466, -87.268527 (Decimal Degrees)

Need to Know

• There may be a detour on Lake Street due to construction; but Douglas Center and parking areas remain open.
• Hours – Open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.
• Passes are required.
• Hike Length – 3.5 miles (down the Harbor Belt and back)
• Hike Time – 1.5 hours.
• Difficulty – Moderate; rolling topography before an elevated, gravel rail-road bed.
• Trail Surface – Begininng is packed dirt with some sections of loose sand. Be aware, trail conditions can change quickly due to high lake levels and storms.
• Facilities – Year-round restrooms and potable water in the Paul H. Douglas Center during open hours.
• 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.
• Parking lot is paved and large enough for RVs and buses.

 

Hike from the Douglas Center to the IITRI bunker and back.