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.

The park website is https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm.

Accessible Picnic Area and Trail - Paul H. Douglas Center - Indiana Dunes National Park

Our October 2019 visit to the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education concluded with a stop at the accessible picnic area just west of the main building. The center is part of Indiana Dunes National Park.

Ramp allows mobility-impaired guests to view the marsh closeup

Looking back at the bridge

Several Norfolk Southern trains pass Miller Woods each hour

Pond below the railroad embankment

Another view of the pond

The boardwalk ends at a paved trail and viewing platform

Viewing platform

View from the platform

Paved trail

Signpost and bench

The colors of autumn

Picnic tables and trash receptacles

A final view of the pond

The rear of the Paul H. Douglas Center

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.

Paul H. Douglas Trail - Miller Woods - Indiana Dunes National Park

After visiting the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education in the Miller Woods section of Indiana Dunes National Park, we continued our day with a pleasant walk in the woods along two loops of the Paul H. Douglas Trail. The two loops combine for an approximately one-mile hike. We also hiked out toward the beach about a tenth of a mile to see the results of some beaver activity. From where we turned around, the trail continues another mile to the beach. We also explored the accessible picnic area and trail west of the center.

After descending the stairs at the entrance to the center, we hiked the northern leg of the eastern loop before crossing the pond on an accessible bridge and hiking the western loop in a clockwise direction. About two-thirds of the way around the western loop, we took a sharp left onto the beach trail for a short distance before returning to complete the western loop. After crossing the pond a second time on the bridge, we completed the southern leg of the eastern loop and climbed the stairs back to the front of the center and the pedestrian overpass over Lake Street that leads to the large, paved parking area.

We hiked this trail during our late October 2019 trip to the park.

Street map with GPS route

Stairs from the center to the trail

Trailhead kiosk

Typical initial trail conditions

Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education

One of several ponds along the way

Another view of the pond

Miller Woods

An accessible bridge crosses the pond to create the two loops on the trail

Crossing the pond on the accessible bridge

A flock of Canadian geese from the bridge

Wildlife viewing area on the bridge

Southern leg of the western loop

A riot of color

Black oak savanna of Miller Woods

Climbing the hill at the southwest corner of the loop

View northeast of the pond

Beaver lodge

Pond west of the trail

Another view

View east with beaver lodge and connecting bridge

More of the pond west of the trail

View west from a hilltop

Another beaver lodge

On the beach trail

Beavers have been busy

Several trees cut down by beavers

The Norfolk Southern mainline to Chicago borders the woods to the south

Returning to the loop trail

Typical trail conditions

More savanna

Approaching the connecting trail

Return trip to the trailhead is on packed gravel

Benches and under-construction stairs

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.