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West Beach at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Nathaniel Moreno, NPS Collection

 

Getting There

West Beach Parking Lot

376 North County Line Road, Gary, IN 46403.

Trailhead GPS Coordinates
41.622934, -87.207747 (Decimal Degrees).

Need to Know

• Walk-in traffic allowed from sunrise to 10:00 pm.
• Parking lot open daily 8:00 am - 10:00 pm Memorial Day weekend - Labor Day weekend.
• Open daily 7:00 a.m. - 30 minutes past sunset through the remainder of the year.
• Expanded amenity fee collected for every vehicle from Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Monday of Labor Day weekend.
• $6.00 per vehicle or motorcycle per day, $30.00 per bus per day.
• 50% discount for Senior and Access Passes.
• Cash, U.S. checks or credit, debit and gift cards (MasterCard, Visa and Discover) accepted.
• The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual, Volunteer and Military passes are not accepted at West Beach.
• The removal of rocks, shells, and fossils is strictly prohibited.
• Pets are not permitted on the beach.
• Pets are permitted on a leash (6' or shorter) on trails, at picnic shelters and at the parking lots.
• Alcohol is not permitted on the beach.
• Alcolhol is not permitted at the picnic area.
• Glass containers are prohibited on all beaches.
• Year round restrooms and potable water at the contact station.
• Seasonal restrooms and potable water at the picnic area from mid-May through mid-October.
• Bathhouse with showers and lockers is open seasonally.
• Parking lot has 596 spots and 20 buses and can fill up on holiday weekends.
• Lot can handle buses and RV's.
• Southern-most tip of Lake Michigan.

Visitor Activities

• Swimming. Lifeguards are present from the Friday of Memorial Day through the Monday of Labor Day. Lifeguards are not present at other times of the year. Swim at your own risk. Rip currents and large waves can make swimming hazardous.
• Hike the West Beach Trail System. Enjoy the sweeping views of Lake Michigan from the top of the Dunes Succession trail stairs.

Nearby Beaches

• Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk
• Porter Beach
• Kemil Beach

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