Great place for a weekend trip! We came in November, so it was cold. The cold kept other people away, so we had the trails and beach to ourselves. Another plus for coming in the off-season is the lack of payment due for entering the park. The 3 dunes hike was wonderful and had some fantastic views.

This was wonderful! Had a really great time. If you want a challenge, the 3 dune challenge is spectacular! Be prepared! Have water. But our 3 year old did it (with some protest), but its amazing! If you look really close at one of my last pictures and zoom in, you can see Chicago!

This place is really amazing! If you like beaches and cold water. Nice and clean sand, clear water, bird watching station, one dedicated hill for sand sliding. This location winterized bathroom so dont count on running water amenities. Main building under construction.

The campsite was great and despite it being a full campground, we felt like we had privacy. A 10-15 minute walk to the beach area on a trail. Our only issue was raccoons but what can ya expect, its the outdoors.The bathroom near our site was pretty nasty, maybe bring your own little camping toilet.We will absolutely be back!!

They didn’t charge a fee when we visited today. We came here specifically the complete the 3 Dune Challenge and to visit the nature center (the nature center is located at the start of the 3 Dune Challenge). Our visit took about an hour and was a nice stop before continuing our road trip

Not too be confused with the national park. The campground looked full suited for anyone (we camped in the national park). The trail system is top notch. The 3 dune challenge is overratted in terms of marketed difficulty, but its still hella fun to do. Great picture spots. Im giving 4 stars because parking is terrible in peak season. Also, the scenery on the main road shows signs of decline being part of the rust belt. Not the prettiest on the outskirts of the park, but beautiful inside. I bet it can be pretty packed in the summer which takes away as well :/ but also you cant blame people for wanting to be outside

The park is a beautiful little get away on Lake Michigan if youre from the Midwest and dont wish to drive all the way to the coast to enjoy a beach. Beautiful water, warm sand, and lots of exploring to do. Great for families, can get crowded in the summer sometimes though in the main beach area, but there is plenty of shoreline to find a nice quiet spot. Highly recommended!

Indiana Dunes was so beautiful! What an amazing place to enjoy Gods creation. It was a little too cold to enjoy the beach. You could see Chicago from there though! Our family did the 3 dunes challenge, 2 adults, our 6 yr old and 14 yr old. I was the one who almost didnt make it! Totally worth it. (Trial #8). Take your time, enjoy the scenic dunes. Visit the visitors Center of the Dunes (after leaving) to get your sticker). :)

This park is a beautiful beach along the shores of Lake Michigan. Came after labor day and swimming was no longer allowed because there were no life guards, but it was a cold day anyway. The sand was soft and the water was clear. There are several sand dunes to explore and get some exercise in.

Absolutely loved it! So much beach area, youll have plenty of space. Lots of forest and trails for hiking. The best view is from the Devils slide (bird looking post). Only $7 for the entrance fee. Worth a trip!

Love Hiking the trails! It is very beautiful, and some of the trails are hard, others are easy. The trail 10 Loop is longer than 5 miles, but pretty flat. Definitely worth the trip if you are looking for some activity to do.

The Indiana Dunes are the best place to enjoy the beach in all of Indiana and Illinois! The beach is clean and expansive. The Dunes are fun to climb up and run down. There are miles of trails to hike. I love the 3 Dune Challenge. There are vigilant life guards keeping a watchful eye on the swimmers. Its where I go to restore my mind and spirit.

The only downfall was I saw ple ty of tiny plastics....silverware, bottle caps, cigarette butts.... People are nasty.The lake itself was cold and fierce and Im living for it!! So beautiful, we loved picking rocks and listening to the waves crashing.

Lake Michigan is beautiful seen from the top of the dunes. I highly recommend doing the 3 Dune Challenge as it takes you through wooded dunes with wonderful views of the lake. It is a 1.5 mile very rugged hike, but worth it! We were there in the fall and the colors are amazing!

This place is beautiful! It was my first time visiting and Ill definitely be going back!! The trails were amazing! The place is very well kept and clean. I did not see trash anywhere I walked. Nice!!

Beautiful park with nice trails. Every trail is marked with how hard it is and how long it will take to complete. You receive a map when you drive through the gate. Huge campgrounds complete with big shower buildings. Access to the beach which we saved for next time. We went around 9 am and only passed a couple people on the trails. Great place to go spend some family time outdoors!!!

Beautiful park. My only con is that there are no cut through paths to get to the bathrooms in the middle of the loop, so you either had to cut through other campsites or walk all the way around. Other than that, I would definitely recommend this park.

Large clean beach for enjoying sun sand water and people watching. Rest rooms are available. But bring your own snacks because there is no food

The topography was so variable, I felt we were visiting several destinations at once! This was our first, but not last, visit to the Dunes and Lake Michigan. Hiking in sandy terrain was a new challenge. The sand was as soft and fine as any in the Caribbean; fascinating. The visitors center and staff were very helpful. We had a great weekend!

We really enjoyed, but in my opinion it is a rip off to charge you 12.00 (out of state car) per day. If it was 12.00 per week or 3 days that would be fine.The beach is really nice but get there early because parking lot gets full pretty quickly.We did trail 7. It was rated as modetate. It is mostly sand and a lot of ups and downs. If you take your time you can do it even if you are out of shape.

The state park is great for hiking and beaches! The beaches are beautiful white sand and crystal clear water. The dunes challenge is quite a challenge indeed but it is so fun to do and leaves you with a huge sense of accomplishment. Our six year old was so proud of conquering the challenge. We did not camp here but did walk through a site. Not much privacy between campsites. The bathrooms and showers by the beach were clean and adequate.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, I wish they would only open the park to Indiana residents. A lot of people from Illinois are coming and overcrowding the beach with no room for social distancing because the beaches in their state are closed.Anyway, the beach is usually nice and the trails are lovely. However some of the trails involve climbing sand dunes, which is incredibly difficult because the sand gives out from under your feet. Id have much preferred wood stairs to make it easier and to protect the sand dunes from unnatural erosion

Nice, clean Beach to walk and go quite a distance. Also, nice to play in the lake on the summer, or just lay out.

Camping grounds, picnic area, trails, beach. Go for a walk on a nice day or come prepared to stay longer. Beautiful views.

The Dunes is a great place for your family to enjoy! Love it there!

This is one of the most remarkable nature spots close to The Chicagoland, truly unique beach/hike/dune experience. 3 Dune Challenge trail experience is multi terrain and a fun adventure. On 7/1/20 people were being mindful of social distancing on the trails and beach away from the main lifeguard pavilion beach area. 4 stars only—it’s not the safest place to swim, the flies bite (! bring off !) and the the amount of trash people leave by the main area and cool “Devils Slide” dune is depressing.

If you like being active its the perfect place you can walk, run, swim, ride bike and more. They have free picnic areas with tables and grills. Be mindful that depending on the weather the beach might no be open. They have bathrooms all around they just need to be a little cleaner honestly I love this place to hang out with the family!

Love this place! Beautiful wooded campsites and short walk to the Lake. We will be coming back here again soon.

My family and I love this place. The hiking trails are beautiful (many leading to the beach, but others just going through the lovely forest) with many different lengths/difficulties, making this place great for all ages. The nature center is very nice and has quite a few exhibits, including a place to watch birds and squirrels at their feeders. The camp sites have plenty of room, and theres a couple trailheads within the campground that lead to the beach. The campground bathrooms are usually pretty clean as well. The sites have electric but not water or sewage, so plan accordingly. The beach itself is wonderful too, and usually the waves arent too big, so its safe for kids. All in all, this is a great place - for a vacation, or just a day at the beach :)

Great park on the southern edge of Lake Michigan. Lots of hiking on trails that can be pretty steep and hard to get up at times. The beach is nice but can get crowded at times on nice days and weekends. I recommend getting away from the lifeguards and walking away from the parking lot a little bit.

Camped for three nights...beautiful trails & views.Nature center, walking and bike path to the beach. Friendly fellow campers with clean campsites...pit toilets were dirty...main bathrooms were so-so, kinda messy & needed to be cleaned after a busy weekend...hot showers were wonderful!

Great place to enjoy nature, Lake Michigan, camp, hike, cycle...love the hiking trails. $7 to get in if you are an Indiana resident, $10 of not, I believe. My favorite trail is #9, you can cut over to the shore and back again. There are easier ones as well.

Campsites are more or less right on top of each other which was annoying. Facilities are what you expect for a campground. Make sure you pack plenty of firewood, ice, etc. Nearest Walmart is about 20 min away and the Campstore marks everything up about 200 %. A nice 5 min trail walk to the beach was convenient. Recommend trying the 3 Dune challenge, you get the best views of how massive Lake Michigan really is and some nice hiking in as well. The beach itself was really nice. Stunning views of Chi-town at sunset. Id definitely go back.

I grew up going to the dunes almost every single weekend. After all these years I finally took my kids. They had a blast.The Indiana dunes national Lakeshore is a spectacle beyond rival.We arrived on a particularly sunny day, and the Cool Waters of lake Michigan felt tremendous.They cant wait to go back. Mission accomplished.

Was here 10 days. Great trails. 3 dune challenge hard but loved it. Beautiful beach.

It was great. We had so much fun camping. There were trails that went all over the park that we ended up hiking for a couple hours. Park was clean and felt safe.

The dunes and beach area are pretty nice. We chose to go on a Saturday so it was expected to be pretty busy, which it was. We waited in line at the gate for about 30-45 minutes before we could pay and park. Overall it was a great experience and Id love to come back!

The trails and nature center are great for kids! We did the 3 dune challenge with four kids aged 9-12 years old. They loved it so much they begged to come back for another day of beach, trails, and nature.

The views and trails are awesome. Camping bathrooms are dirty could use some cleaning. I would put 4 or 5 stars but the bathrooms are nasty.

Just awesome! So Peace! So naturally!

Birthplace of the science of Ecology. Amazing trails. Lake Michigan shoreline. Great picnic areas. VERY long lines on summer weekends (especially now [summer 2020] with the Illinois beaches closed.) Worth the wait. A beautiful place.

We enjoy coming to the Dunes every year. The campground has large, level concrete parking pads which are great for RVS and trailers. The campground and beach are clean. Its an inexpensive quick getaway from Chicago.

A great place to enjoy,even better with fall colors.

Parking is $7.oo for instate and $12.00 for out of state. Good outing for family.Alcohol is not allowed. Beaches are good and dunes are excellent. Enjoyed last days of summer

Indiana Dunes STATE Park is excellent. There are many ways to get involved here.At the Nature Center I had to complete an objectives list to buy the IDSP pin I wanted. This included hiking, reflecting and volunteering (picking up trash). I completed the 3 Dune Challenge which is a trail taking you to the summits of the 3 largest Dunes in the IDSP. I also had a chance to hike and swim. The staff is friendly. The campgrounds are fairly crowded but that doesnt take away from the experience. The bathrooms and showerhouse are clean. I highly recommend visiting this location whether it be alone, with family or otherwise.

I traveled here with my family years ago and loved it.. when I arrived here this time it brought back so many awesome memories.!! One of my most favorite places to visit for sure.Affordable for out of state visitors. Great camping sites. Bring your family and run down the dunes, trust me they wont forget it :)

Fabulous park with great trails and challenging outdoor activities!

Beautiful beach - sand is very fine and dunes are really cool. Water is freshwater so dont feel sticky. There is a parking fee but plenty of parking along with shower and bathrooms. No beer allowed and its enforced. Lost a star because lifeguards wouldnt let people swim because there were waves and the water was colder than the NE atlantic.

Definitely worth the trip. Very beautiful and an easy stop if you are on the road for a long time. Drove from Iowa to Michigan and the dunes were there when we needed a break from driving.

It was amazing. I loved. Would recommend to anyone

Lovely trail network, not too busy on a Saturday morning surprisingly. We took the long loop

Beautiful spot even with the crowds. Do a little hiking and you can have the beach to yourself. Bring Plenty of bug spray.

H O T at the park today. Its beautiful and looks inviting, but was too hot to stay very long. People were friendly and most of us just doing our own thing. Masks were not worn into the Comfort Station (restrooms). And they were a mess. Biting flies sent us home after a short time. Outdoor showers were not designed to just wash your feet. It would be nice to not have to get your whole self wet to spray off.

Camped in campground 2 nights. Nice concrete pads very level areas. Campsites are large. Only Electric hookup at our campsite (30amp). Fire ring has moveable grill grate, which was really nice. The area is sandy/dusty (barefoot feet turn black!) There are quite a few trails and a good campground for kids who ride bikes. Dog friendly. Multiple playgrounds for kids probably ages 4-8. Quiet hours enforced. All staff is super friendly and helpful. Camp store open long hours. Fire wood and ice for sale in store. Easy path to the beach, there is a boardwalk. You could probably take a stroller but not a wheelchair. Path is about 1/2 mile. Historic sites at the pavilion / beach area. The shower house/ bathrooms are open all night.Masks required in public areas. Lots of trees and shade. BRING BUG SPRAY. The mosquitoes are vicious. We didn’t have any problem getting into the park but if you are arriving on a weekend, you will probably want to try to arrive early or late afternoon/ evening. Traffic can back up for about an hour. The camp is about 45 minutes from Chicago by car. You can also drive 20 minutes to Gary and then take a train into the city. No alcohol permitted at campground/ beach(not enforced). The beach is spectacular- literally feels like Florida without the tropical humidity. Really a must see place if coming through Indiana. No floaties or rafts permitted. Currently there are riptides so swimming is not permitted but you can wade. The water is so cold though. Two lane dump station and multiple freshwater fill stations. There does seem to be a lot of trash around the campsites and playgrounds. The shower house nearest to the entrance has sand all over the floors - not the cleanest but expected at a state park. It costs $12 to come into park for out of state residents. We loved it and will return.

Great getaway location, nice sand. They have lifeguards, however I find it ridiculous that we were allowed to enter the water only after 11:00 am on a hot day. Their lifeguards need to start working earlier.

Americas newest national Park, Indiana dunes offers stunning views along with miles of hiking trails to challenge you. when your done exploring, cool off with a quick dip in lake Michigan, or just relax on the beach! learn more about the area at the Nature Center, a terrific place to sit and bird watch!

Overall nice place, its a big beach area definitely recommend coming with friends or family. Floaties or inflatable toys are not aloud in the water though. Water doesnt go that deep, Im 56 and could still walk underwater even though I was close to the swimming limit.

Nice place. You can Chicago in a distance.

The state park is is a treasure of walking trails! The sand dunes are amazing to climb! And it’s a treasure trove for rock lovers! The campground is top-notch, and even if you’re not camping there, you can access the camp store for some goodies. The nature center is sure to please adults and children alike as they plan actives year around!

Awesome!! What a blessing for my family.!! Thanks God

This place is magical and truly a unique gem in an overly industrial area.

Had a long wait to get in over an hour. Then couldnt go in the water after paying for parking for several hours. However once we were able to swim everyone had a blast.

The 3 dune challenge was quite unique ! Great views from the trail. It also has a nice mix of Forrest, beach, and dunes so I have no complaints about the time I spent here today.

One of the best get aways near Chicago... Very well maintained. You can spend the whole day in the beach...

Beautiful and clean beach. Price was a bit steep for out of state vehicles($12) but it was worth it for the beauty.

A great way to spend a day! We only hiked one dune of the 3 Dune Challenge because we started from the beach parking instead of the nature center-oops! Lovely bird observation deck accessible from the West beach parking lot. Soft sand beach with interesting rocks. Food and other vendors at beach pavilion

Its a gem. Trails, campgrounds. Biodiversity. Go and enjoy

We had a great weekend at the Indiana Dunes! The sites were plenty big and shaded. Trails were fun, beach was clean. People were very friendly and the campground was very quiet at night. If you are looking for a place to party, this isnt it. If you want a good relaxing weekend, you will fit right in.

Great walking areas here. Fantastic views.

It was great to get out of the house during the pandemic and visit the Dunes. The sand and beach are great, but there was garbage everywhere - perhaps from lack of workers. Bathrooms are closed, but you can use the ones at the Dunes Train station right outside the park (they were clean and warm). Visiting the Dunes is an easy half-day trip from Chicago (pictures below from afar!).

Great place for camping and the beach is great too . We went off season slightly but a fine place for campers and anyone wanting a good time. Love it here!!

Got lucky to get an RV spot at this fantastic place. Facilities (bathrooms, showers, etc...) were the best and cleanest I have ever seen at a campground. Everyone was friendly and campsites were spacious. Will definitely return if I ever get the chance.

Fun outdoors experience, we hiked the three dunes. Fun challenge and not too difficult.

Great park! The main trail is up and down 3 huge, steep dunes. The 3 Dune Challenge is a point of pride, and if you like hiking, definitely do it. However - and this is big - there are more spiders and spiderwebs on this trail than I have ever seen before. Find a stick and clear the way in front of you. Seriously.The park also has a great beach on Lake Michigan with bath houses and all. The parking lot fills up early so be the early bird. Recklessly check this out.

So much fun. Water is cold even on a super hot day but not unbearable

Went here to kill a couple of hours while traveling through with my dogs. Trails coming from the beach arent clearly marked, so be careful. Parking is $6 and that isnt clearly labeled anywhere before you get to the gate or online, so plan for that.

Absolutely beautiful wouldnt know your not at the ocean from pictures. Nice sandy trails. Always make a trip up there. Recommend going July through early August (hottest time of the year) because that water is COLD.

Great place to visit, very nice clean park, didnt visit the trails or anything but make sure to bring some sort of shading and water shoes cause that sand it hot and there is absolutely no shade where we were. Me and family will definitely be back!

The hiking trails over the dunes were a lot of fun, if not exhausting! Beautiful views of Lake Michigan from the dune top leading you right to the sandy beach. The campground was very nice, paved parking on the electric sites. 50A service with 30A plug as well as standard 20A receptacles.

Beautiful beach! We camped there over the 4th of July weekend and they werent prepared for the crowd. Bathrooms and dumpsters definitely needed more attention throughout the weekend. The hiking trails were clean with no trash and the nature center was very inviting.

This was my first trip to the Indiana Dunes Park. We held a boy scout campout and used one of the youth group sites. Nissaki 1 is very large with two outhouse pits on the site, a water spigot, and playground set. Plenty of parking space. Hiking trails are beautiful in the fall. Standard campsites had activities which included halloween decoration competition and kids trick or treating.

The bathrooms were disgusting. Every single stall was filthy. All trash cans were over flowing. The nature center was closed, when it was supposed to be open. The beach was okay. We went to West Beach,as well. It was much better, much cleaner all around. This was disappointing.

We loved it! Beatiful beach, trails and natural elements! Will definitely be coming back!

Public beach this place is amazing there are bathroom and shower facilities as well as a plenty of parking. Beach is lifegaurded and sits right nect to porter beach in whitch has free parking but fills up quickly

The Dunes is a magical place to go hiking, jogging, spend the day with your family.

The beach is very beautiful, just to many restrictions on pets, and flotation devices. Swimming in the water is cold and you can see the bottom. You are restricted to swim only to chest high level.

Easy to get to. Cheap to get in. Lots of space. Clean sand. Eternal shoreline. Beautiful view of Chicago in the distance. Sunsets to die for.

Amazing views of sunset and great hiking. Its a great day trip or overnight trip from Chicago.

Neat sandy beach area with great look out spots.

I visited yesterday with my kids - the first time Ive been there in 18 years. Much has changed... I used to go one Saturday every August as a teenager and it was NOT crowded. I couldnt believe how crowded it was yesterday, like a Florida beach on spring break. It took us 30 minutes to get the 1.5 miles from the visitors center to the parking lot. We had to wait in line that long to pay our $7.00 to get in the park. We were directed to the west beach parking lot, but our friends had already arrived and settled on the far east end, so we had quite a haul over there with baby and cooler, etc.I was not a fan of all the new touristy stuff like food trucks and stands of souvenirs. The loudspeaker was annoying. I just wanted to come to a natural beach. I dont think they had lifeguards 18 years ago, either.All that being said, its still very beautiful, and if you do go far to the east end like my friend did, you get out of the crowd a little bit. The restroom facilities are large and nice. It looks like theyre doing some construction on the pavilion?The moral for me is, dont ever go on a weekend again, and dont haul so many heavy things with me. Id like the try out other beaches in the area as well.

It was very easy to maintain an appropriate social distance from others both on the beach and along the trails. This is a wonderful getaway just an hours drive from Chicago.

Nice park and campgrounds. The beach was relatively clean but crowded.

Unique topography along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Campground is nice and well laid out.

Amazing scenery, pretty clean beach. Like going to Indianas gulf of Mexico.

Very good state park. It has hills made up of sand. Try the 3 Dunes Challenge, its quite a thrill.

The beach itself is good but there isnt much parking, has an entrance fee, and is a bit crowded. Personally would recommend going to another beach.

Great beach! Awesome views! The campground is clean and laid out well.

Such an awesome park. So beautiful and well taken care of. Great cardio too !!

I absolutely love this place. The beach is always clean but the bathrooms are very dirty. I recommend coming here very early to get the best spot.

Theyve really done a good job cleaning up the beach front... Whats left of the beach front, anyway. Always enjoy the Dunes