Monday, November 16, 2020

Great Marsh Trail - Indiana Dunes National Park


The next hike during our October 2019 trip to Indiana Dunes National Park was back in the eastern section at the Great Marsh. There are two trailheads for the Great Marsh Trail. Both are on Broadway in Beverly Shores, Indiana. 

The first trailhead is located off of Broadway about 900 feet south of Beverly Drive at the former location of Jameson Street. At this trailhead are two paved, accessible parking spots. A paved trail leads east about 500 feet to an accessible boardwalk and observation platform to the north. The trail continues east beyond the boardwalk on the ground and merges with the trail from the second trailhead about 900 feet from the accessible parking area.

The second trailhead is also located off of Broadway about 1100 feet south of the first trailhead. A gravel parking lot has space for ten vehicles. The trail meanders through the marsh for 0.3 miles before merging with the trail from the first trailhead. From this point, the single trail heads east for another 600 feet before branching to loop around one of the rectangular remediation basins. The loop is 0.4 miles. From the second trailhead, hiking around the loop and back is 1.2 miles. If you include the observation deck as well, the distance increases to 1.5 miles of level walking.

Topographic map with GPS route

Trailhead

Information boards

Follow the mowed path east...

...then north

Still lots of fall color

A vast array of wetland plants

The path is almost down to the dirt

Tree islands

Recent earthwork

Clear water on the right...

...and pond scum on the left

Muddy path

Telecom box at trail junction

View left toward the observation deck

View right toward the loop

The inspiration for my grade school hallway paint color

The Great Marsh

Another view

Interesting sky

Bench at the beginning of the loop

More color

Water slowly filtering through the marsh

Wide-open spaces

Still more fall colors

Green path

More open space

Reflection

Trail follows berm between ponds

More reflections

The marsh extends for about two miles

Second bench

Returning south

Bridge between ponds

Open spaces

Well maintained path

Completing the loop at the first bench

Left returns to the trailhead, straight leads to the viewing platform

Heading toward the observation platform

Find the frog

More open spaces

Approaching the paved trail

Accessible boardwalk leads to...

An accessible boardwalk leads to...

...a raised viewing platform

View from the platform

Reflection from the platform

Clouds from the platform

Back at the trail junction

A final bit of color

Back at the trailhead

Entry to Indiana Dunes National Park is free. However, an expanded amenity fee of $6 daily is collected at West Beach from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the Monday of Labor Day weekend from 8:00 am to as late as 7:00 pm Central Time. This fee is used to provide the bathhouse and lifeguard service.

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