Place

Glenwood Dunes Trail (Main)

Golden grasses spread out across the field. The leaves on the trees are green, gold, and red.
Fall colors along the Glenwood Dunes Trail

NPS Photo / Jeff Manuszak

Quick Facts
Location:
Chesterton, IN

Hitching Post/Corral, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Parking - Auto, Parking - Boat Trailer, Picnic Shelter/Pavilion, Picnic Table, Restroom - Seasonal, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles

Glenwood Dunes Trail

6.8 miles, 129 feet of elevation gain, 1% average grade, 4% maximum grade
Hike time: 4 hours

This extensive trail system features interconnected loops ranging from less than a mile to nearly 15 miles and is popular with hikers, runners, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. In addition to the Glenwood Dunes Trail, the 4.4 mile round trip Dunewood Trace Campground Trail connects the Glenwood Dunes trail system to the National Park's Dunewood Campground to the east. The 2.6 mile round trip Glenwood Dunes Extension Trail connects the system to the Dune Park South Shore Railroad Station to the west. In the center, the Glenwood Dunes Trail connects to the Calumet Dunes Paved Trail.

Bring a trail map as there are 13 trail junctions. The trail system is accessible from either the Glenwood Dunes Trail or Calumet Dunes Trail parking lots.

This featured loop hike is equestrian friendly and also a favorite of cross-country skiers. Park at the Glenwood Dunes parking lot located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 20 and Brummitt Road. Bring a trail map as the route has too many trail junctions and cut-offs to fully describe here. From the trailhead, hike in a counter-clockwise direction and take care when crossing roads. At the east end of the loop, take the short cut-off to avoid the Calumet Dunes Paved Trail (Note that it is a short hike to the Calumet Dunes parking lot if restroom or potable water is desired). After the cut-off, follow the trail west along U.S. Highway 12 before heading south the western-most point of the trail. Do not take the Glenwood Dunes Extension Trail. Instead, follow the loop trail back to the north and then east to the parking lot.

The hike can be extended by adding the Calumet Dunes Paved Trail, Dunewood Trace Campground Trail and Glenwood Dunes Extension Trail for a total hike distance of nearly 15 miles.

Dunewood Trace Campground Trail

4.4 miles, 30 feet of elevation gain, 0% average grade, 1% maximum grade
Hike time: 2.5 hours

This out and back trail connects the Calumet Dunes Paved Trail and Glenwood Dunes Trail to the national park's Dunewood Campground. Park at the Calumet Dunes parking lot as there is no non-camper parking at the campground. From the Calumet Dunes parking lot, walk around the main building to the left (south side) and follow the paved trail off to the right. The Dunewood Trace Campground Trail will break off to the left within a tenth of a mile. The trail is 4.4 miles round trip to the campground and back. As you get close to the campground, look for remnants of an old golf course.

The trail surface is a mixture or packed dirt and loose sand. Please be careful as a section of the trail runs on county road 375E. There is no sidewalk or protected path. There are restrooms and potable water at the campground. Pets are allowed on a leash on this trail.

Glenwood Dunes Extension Trail

2.6 miles, 26 feet of elevation gain, 1% average grade, 2% maximum grade
Hike time: 2.5 hours

This out and back trail connects with the Glenwood Dunes Trail with the South Shore Railroad's Dune Park station. There are no parking lots at either end of the trail. The nearest parking lot is the Glenwood Dunes lot located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 20 with Brummitt Road. Bring a trail map as the route has too many trail junctions and cut-offs to fully describe here. From the Glenwood Dunes parking lot, hike west until you reach the west end of the Glenwood Dunes trail. At the junction with the extension trail, begin the out and back hike. The trail will cross Tremont Road and ends at county road 50E. Turn around and follow the trail back to its junction with the Glenwood Dunes Trail.

The trail surface is a mixture of packed dirt and loose sand. The round trip distance from the Glenwood Dunes Trail junction to the trail's western terminus and back is 2.6 miles. Pets on a leash are allowed on this trail, but not the Glenwood Dunes Trail. Horses are not allowed on this trail.

Trail Features: Fall Colors, Wildlife

Getting There

Trailhead Parking Lot
Glenwood Dunes Lot (main): 1475 North Brummitt Road, Chesterton, IN 46304

Trailhead GPS Coordinates
Main: 41.648245, -87.015382 (Decimal Degrees)

Need to Know

Hours & Information
  • Hours – Open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.
  • Hke Length – Less than 1 mile to 6.8 miles, with extensions to over 15 miles. There are 13 trail junctions; pay attention to where you are and bring a trail map.
  • Hike Time – Less than 1 hour to 4 hours.
  • Difficulty – Easy to moderate with some change in elevation.
  • Trail Surface – Packed dirt with some sections of sand or boardwalk.
  • Facilities – Year-round restrooms and potable water at both the Glenwood Dunes and Calumet Dunes trailheads.
  • Pets – Prohibited on the equestrian portion of the trail for safety. Permitted elsewhere on a leash (6’ or shorter).
  • Prohibited – Littering, hunting, or removing plants.
  • Prohibited – Bicycles and motorized vehicles.
  • There are covered picnic shelters at the Glenwood Dunes parking lot. First come, first served. No advance reservations. Wheelchair accessible.
  • Cooking fires at the picnic shelters are permitted in the provided grills or an approved carry-in grill. An approved grill is a non-combustible container with an enclosed bottom and enclosed sides with a minimum depth of 2 inches. Charcoal must be cooled and safely disposed of in a non-combustible container or removed from the area.
  • Horseback riding is permitted on the Glenwood Dunes Trail only from March 16 - December 14. However, if there is sufficient snow cover for cross-country skiing (3 inches or more) before December 15 or after March 15, the trail will remain closed to horseback riding. Horses are prohibited in the winter to prevent accidents with skiers on the trail.
  • Visitors must provide their own horses or ski equipment.
  • Skiers and horseback riders should complete the Glenwood Dunes Trail in a counter-clockwise fashion to allow for one-way traffic.
  • Horses are not permitted on any of the surrounding roads.
  • The parking lot is paved and large enough for horse trailers.
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.
  • Mosquitoes and flies can be bad in summer months.
  • Be prepared for changing weather conditions.
  • In case of an emergency or to report a crime, call 1-800-PARK-TIP.
Accessibility
  • The trails and picnic shelters are not wheelchair accessible. The restrooms are wheelchair accessible.

Trail Map

View a detailed map of the Glenwood Dunes Trail System.

All hiking trail maps of the Indiana Dunes National Park are available online on our website or in paper at the trailhead kiosk or the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center.

Nearby Hikes

Great Marsh
Dune Ridge
Bailly Homestead / Chellberg Farm

Indiana Dunes National Park

Tags

Last updated: June 8, 2022