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Thursday, November 26, 2020

Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk - Indiana Dunes National Park


We continued our October 2019 trip to Indiana Dunes National Park with a late afternoon stop at the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk. We didn't have time before dark to walk the one-mile Riverwalk, but we did have time to walk the western breakwater in front of the pavilion. Free paved parking for 97 vehicles, including eight accessible spots, is available in three lots. Both the dune trail and the beach west of the pavilion were closed due to erosion undercutting the dunes.

Pavilion

Another view

Burns-Portage Waterway (Little Calumet River) breakwaters

Fall colors, the breakwater, and the Chicago skyline

A closer view of Chicago

Another view of the breakwaters

Area closed due to storm damage

Walkway across the top of the western breakwater

Great Lakes shipping

A small part of US Steel's Gary Works on the Little Calumet River

Lakeside view of the pavilion

Navigational aid at the end of the eastern breakwater

Severe erosion between the pavilion and the Town of Ogden Dunes

Town of Ogden Dunes

Unstable dune and storm damage

Picnic tables at the pavilion

Sunset over Chicago

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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