The ‘3 Dune Challenge’ Trail Guide! | Indiana Dunes USA
Indiana has gained its first National Park! Yay! The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is now Indiana Dunes NATIONAL Park, America’s 61st National Park. Located in Chesterton, Indiana, just a one hour drive away from Downtown Chicago, making it an easy day trip from the Windy city! A small section of Indiana state borders Lake Michigan, but it’s a section that’s well worth a stop! Why not challenge yourself and take on the Indiana Dunes State Park ‘3 Dunes Challenge’?!
Indiana Dunes National Park and State Park
The Indiana Dunes is spilt into 2 sections. There’s the Indiana Dunes National Park and then the Indiana Dunes State Park area in the middle, which is still operated by the state of Indiana. The three dunes challenge is located in the state park section.
3 Dune Challenge
- 🚶🏻♀️Trail length: 1.5 miles
- ⬆️Total elevation: 552ft
- 🕖Approx: 45 minutes
Trailhead | Mt Jackson | Mt Holden | Mt Tom
Within Indiana Dunes State Park, there are lots of different hiking options. You can choose from 7 trails of various lengths and terrains. For me, the bucket list trail was trail 8 (with the trail 4 shortcut). Otherwise known at the Indiana 3 Dune Challenge. The 1.5 mile trail covered the 3 tallest sand dunes in the park, known as The Tremonts. Together they total a vertical climb height of 552ft, with some parts having a 40 degree gradient.
How Long Does It Take To Do The 3 Dune Challenge?
Some people run it, some people walk it. Me and my mum walked it, taking around 45 minutes with photo stops at the peak of each dune!
Three Dunes Trailhead
We started at the Nature Centre, following the trail to the right of the building. It seemed that a lot of other people were walking the loop in the opposite direction. Although it may have been easier in that direction, I think we would have got lost trying to find the start of the trail as it is located in the middle of the campground!
If you choose to start from the Nature Centre, like us, you will reach the dunes in ascending order, starting with the smallest first and finishing with the largest. It feels a little more of a challenge that way!
Most of the trail is through the woods, meaning you are protected from the sun for the most part but there are mosquitos and flies to contend with. (Although I only got bitten once or twice so in my eyes that’s a success as I’m usually a mosquito magnet).
Related Post: Fun Things To Do In Silver Lake Michigan
The majority of the trail is, unsurprisingly, very sandy…although in some parts it does get a little more compact and dirt like. We completed it after a morning of rain. I think that made it a little easier as the sand was generally a little harder. Not so ‘1 step forward 2 steps back’ like typical dune walking!
We both hiked in regular shoes (trainers as we call them in England) but they did get COMPLETELY filled up with sand. We did pass a couple of people with bare feet, I was tempted to do this too but there were a lot of sticks and tree roots. I didn’t want to hurt my feet if I stepped on one!
Mt Jackson
⬆️Elevation: 176ft
The first dune you climb is Mt. Jackson at 176ft. At the peak of each dune, is an information board with the name of the dune, its height, the angle of the slope and how much sand makes up the dune. For example, Mt. Jackson has 605,000 pick up trucks worth of sand! There is also a marker post which just has the elevation of the dune on. Plenty of photo ops!
Mt. Holden
⬆️Elevation: 184ft
The 2nd dune is Mt. Holden with a height of 184ft above Lake Michigan. It’s a slightly steeper gradient compared to Mt Jackson and the peak will give you a small glimpse of Lake Michigan! The dune does ‘bend round the corner’ though. So from the bottom you think you can see the top but it teases you as it’s actually a little bit further round to the left!
Mt. Tom
⬆️Elevation: 192ft
The last dune, Mt. Tom, is the biggest of the 3 at 192ft. BUT it’s steps the whole way up and down, which we thought made it the easiest, as you don’t have sinking sand to contend with!
The peak of Mt. Tom also has a ‘Congratulations, you did it!’ board, which also makes starting at the nature centre more worth while, as heading clockwise round the loop would mean reaching this dune first! I think this dune has the best views from the top too.
Related Reading: Top Midwest State Parks For Adventure
From Mt. Tom, you can leave trail 8 and take the trail 4 shortcut back to the nature centre. It’s all down hill from this point on! If you continue on trail 8, it’ll take you to the shores of Lake Michigan and to the main swimming beach in Indiana Dunes State Park. If you parked at the nature centre though, it does mean you’ll have a longer trek back to the car!
PLEASE be careful if you visit the beach, make sure you obey any signs about swimming. It may ‘just be a lake’, but Lake Michigan can actually get big waves and powerful undercurrents.
The trail may not be the longest trail in the park, but it’s one of the most rugged and is therefore more challenging than some of the others. We made sure we had plenty of water and stopping for photos at the top gave us time to get our breath back. Another way to think of it is that 3 sections of the trail are all up hill…but then the rest of the trail is therefore all down hill, it’s not a continuous climb up!
Nature Centre
📍Start/Finish Point
The Nature Centre is well worth a stop in. We left 2 of our group in there while me and my mum completed the challenge and they loved it. At the back of the Nature Centre is an indoor viewing area.
There are lots of bird feeders set up that are a magnet for wildlife. I saw various birds and squirrels (including the smallest little squirrel I’ve ever seen!!) but while my dad was in there he saw racoons, chipmunks and hummingbirds as well! The rangers at the centre will also give various talks and there are some hands on experiences with some creatures, such as snakes.
Indiana Dunes National Park Visitor Centre
🗺1215 N. State Road 49, Porter, IN 46304
The Indiana Dunes National Park is located in the town of Chesterton, but around 1 mile down the road in Porter is the Indiana Dunes Visitor Centre. This is worth a visit if you’ve completed the 3 Dune Challenge.
You can pick up a free ‘I conquered the 3 Dune Challenge’ postcard and bumper sticker (multiple designs to choose from). There are also 3 Dune Challenge t-shirts and hoodies for sale. (These are different from the regular Indiana Dunes t-shirts that are available WITHIN the park).
Make sure you sign the visitors book as well! They had a poster on display of the 2017 visitor stats and how many people visited from various states as well as the international visitor count (the UK was 4th in international visitors to Indiana Dunes!).
Tips For Visiting Indiana Dunes
Entrance Fee
Indiana Dunes National Park is open year round. The Indiana Dunes State Park has a daily entrance fee. It is different depending for out of state vehicle and Indiana registered vehicles. This is a little mean considering the Illinois border is just 32 miles away and the Michigan border is just 18!
(If visiting from Chicago, the Indiana Tollway does accept the Illinois I-pass though). The Indiana Dunes Visitor Centre is outside of the park gates so is therefore free to visit.
Parking
There are several car parks around the park, so it’s worth making a note of the different options. I’d imagine the ones closest to the swimming beach fill up on hot summer weekends, so prepare to have a little bit of a walk if arriving later in the day.
Park at the Nature Centre for the 3 Dune Challenge trail. There is also a campground within the State Park and a concession stand that sells some groceries is open during the summer.
The majority of the Indiana Dunes National Park is free to enter. However there is a parking fee at West Beach. There are several beaches along the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, 7 of the beaches have free parking but spaces are limited.
Where To Stay Near Indiana Dunes
Spring House Inn, Porter
Located less that 10 minutes from Indiana Dunes State Park is Spring House Inn and a fun little ‘speakeasy’ bar called Speakeasy At The Spa! Rooms are reasonably priced with a TV, microwave and a coffee maker and breakfast is included. There’s also an indoor swimming pool and fitness centre. Read more: Indiana Dunes Hotels: Spring House Inn (& Speakeasy At The Spa) USA
About the Author – Kylie
My travels have taken me to over 40 countries worldwide (& I lived in USA for 4yrs). I hold a BTEC National Diploma in Travel & Tourism (triple distinction) and have been writing on Between England & Everywhere since 2015.
Expert in: Adventure travel🎢, beach destinations🏖️, and packing light (mid-budget backpacker)🎒
Inspired to tackle the Indiana Dunes Three Dune Challenge? Pin It For Later!
Last Updated on February 28, 2024
I used to go there all the time when I was younger! I went to Ohio from Iowa a lot as a kid to see my grandparents, and Indiana Dunes was always a good half way point to rest and enjoy some nice walks 🙂 Great pictures!
Thanks! I was on my way to Michigan from Iowa so again it was a good half way point! I really enjoyed my time there!
When I was a teen in the Chicago area, the Indiana Dunes were our secret destination (Don’t tell my mother). I love your new drone shot in the Heading pic!
Haha it would be my secret hide out too (was Al Capone’s as well LOL). Thanks! I took it while in Australia! I thought my site needed a bit of personality haha
This looks so cool and it is not to far from Cincinnati! We will have to check this out for sure!
Awesome! I’d love to visit Ohio some day! I’m 4 hours from Indiana Dunes, it’s a good place to stop on route to Michigan for me, get past Chicago and into easier driving!
What a hike going across the Indiana Dunes! I loved hearing about the Speakeasy at the Spa. I love going to places like that and learning about the history and stories from the past.
Me too! We were crawling through the over grown bushes trying to see what the lady had told us about haha
I’m impressed. Hiking around dunes is so tough!
I’m lucky it had rained both there and at Silver Lake Sand Dunes before we went, it made the sand a little more compact!
i SO want to do this!
Yay!