1966 Hiking Challenge: West Beach

Trails at Indiana Dunes' West Beach take visitors through a variety of scenes. Find yourself in the shade of an oak-cloaked dune or a grove of pine trees. Enjoy elevated views of the Long Lake wetland and Lake Michigan. Soak up the sun along a sand prairie trail or a stroll along the shore.

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 West 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 West Beach Trails to access general information about these trails

• 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 Lot
376 North County Line Road, Gary, IN 46403

Trailhead GPS Coordinates
41.622934, -87.207747 (Decimal Degrees)

Need to Know

• Hours – Open daily from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm during peak season (Memorial Day - Labor Day) (Closure time 8:00 pm from Labor Day - Memorial Day)
• Passes are required
• Hike Length – 3.5 miles
• Hike Time – 2 hours
• Difficulty – Moderate; rolling topography with increasing elevation change nearer Lake Michigan
• Trail Surface – 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
• 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 the full exterior of the trail system.