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.
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| Topographic map with GPS route |
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| Trailhead |
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| Information boards |
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| Follow the mowed path east... |
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| ...then north |
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| Still lots of fall color |
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| A vast array of wetland plants |
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| The path is almost down to the dirt |
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| Tree islands |
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| Recent earthwork |
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| Clear water on the right... |
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| ...and pond scum on the left |
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| Muddy path |
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| Telecom box at trail junction |
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| View left toward the observation deck |
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| View right toward the loop |
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| The inspiration for my grade school hallway paint color |
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| The Great Marsh |
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| Another view |
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| Interesting sky |
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| Bench at the beginning of the loop |
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| More color |
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| Water slowly filtering through the marsh |
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| Wide-open spaces |
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| Still more fall colors |
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| Green path |
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| More open space |
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| Reflection |
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| Trail follows berm between ponds |
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| More reflections |
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| The marsh extends for about two miles |
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| Second bench |
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| Returning south |
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| Bridge between ponds |
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| Open spaces |
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| Well maintained path |
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| Completing the loop at the first bench |
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| Left returns to the trailhead, straight leads to the viewing platform |
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| Heading toward the observation platform |
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| Find the frog |
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| More open spaces |
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| Approaching the paved trail |
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| Accessible boardwalk leads to... |
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| An accessible boardwalk leads to... |
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| ...a raised viewing platform |
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| View from the platform |
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| Reflection from the platform |
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| Clouds from the platform |
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| Back at the trail junction |
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| A final bit of color |
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| 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.
The park website is https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm.
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