Indiana Dunes

10/14/2026

The Northwest Indiana Paddling Association took on a leg of the America 250 Relay: one mile along the Lake Michigan shoreline, carrying batons with the Declaration of Independence tucked inside.

It was a short stretch of a much longer journey from California to Washington, D.C. Thank you to NWIPA for bringing the relay through the Indiana Dunes, and to the relay team for including our shoreline in the route.

Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission
American Discovery Trail

10/14/2026

Indiana Dunes National Park Waives Miller Woods Trails Entrance Fees (Change connects Douglas Center programs with outdoor learning opportunities) PORTER, Ind. — Indiana Dunes National Park has waived the entrance fee for the Douglas Center Loop and Paul H. Douglas Trail at Miller Woods, both accessible from the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education in Gary. This change allows visitors to connect the center’s exhibits, programs and ranger-led activities with outdoor learning and exploration without purchasing a park entrance pass.

The fee waiver applies only to the Miller Woods trails associated with the Douglas Center. Entrance fees continue to apply at other park locations where required.

“Learning at the Douglas Center can begin with an exhibit and continue with a walk into Miller Woods,” said Leo Lestino, acting superintendent. “This change gives us more ways to connect children and families with the park and help them understand why these places deserve our care.”

The Miller Woods trail complex offers two hiking options. The easy 0.9-mile Douglas Center loop circles the wetlands near the center and takes about 30 minutes. The Paul H. Douglas Trail to Lake Michigan is a moderate 3.4-mile round-trip hike through Miller Woods’ globally rare black oak savanna, wetlands and dunes to the Lake Michigan shoreline. Allow about two hours.

Both hikes begin at the Douglas Center at 100 N. Lake St. in Gary. Trail descriptions and a map are available on the park’s Paul H. Douglas Trail webpage at nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/mw16.htm.

Visitors are encouraged to stay on designated trails and observe posted closures to help protect sensitive habitats.

For program information, trail conditions and current fee requirements, visit nps.gov/indu or call the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center at (219) 395-1882.

Photo credit: NPS / Jeff Manuszak
Image description: A line of people walks along a narrow dirt trail through a lush green meadow with scattered trees at Miller Woods Hike on Paul H. Douglas Trail.

10/05/2026

Have a project or event planned for 2027 that could bring visitors to Porter County? Applications are now open for the Indiana Dunes Tourism Grant Program!

Reimbursement funding is available for:
• Community development projects (up to $5,000)
• Events and marketing (up to $2,500)

Porter County businesses, nonprofits, and government organizations are eligible to apply.

Apply by November 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT

Find the guidelines and application: IndianaDunes.com/grant-programs

Share this opportunity with an organization planning something great for Porter County!

10/01/2026

Looking for things to do this weekend? There’s plenty going on near the Indiana Dunes!

10/01/2026

09/29/2026

The American Discovery 250 Relay is coming through Northwest Indiana on October 14! Participants will be carrying the Declaration of Independence in special batons.

Register to take part for free: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/americandiscoverytrail/event/250relay/

09/23/2026

Ever wonder how an artist turns ink, pressure, and a little experimentation into something worth framing?

Come see for yourself at the inaugural 4th Street Print Fest at the Chesterton Art Center on Saturday, October 3.

From 1–4 PM, printmakers from NWI and Chicagoland will be sharing their craft through live demonstrations, hands-on printmaking, and plenty of original art to discover (and take home).

You can even make a day of it! After you try your hand at making a print, wander into a few local shops, grab a coffee, or find somewhere nearby for dinner.

Learn more at indianadunes.com/blog/post/4th-street-print-fest/

09/15/2026

Some birds make you work a little harder to find them. This Saturday evening, join master birder and Ranger Cookie Ferguson for a Whip-poor-will Wander at Kemil Beach. Keep your eyes and ears open for these elusive birds passing through the Indiana Dunes this fall.

Meet at Kemil Beach Parking Lot at 6:30 pm to join in.

This event is a part of the Indiana Dunes Outdoor Adventure Festival, happening through Sept. 20.

See the full festival schedule at https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/outdoor_adventure_festival.htm

Images:Cookie Ferguson

09/13/2026

This Thursday, go on a geocaching adventure at the Century of Progress Homes. This self-guided adventure will take you to coordinates around the Houses of Tomorrow, where you’ll find a virtual cache. There’s no physical container to find, so please don’t go digging up the homes’ lawns!

Head out to the Century of Progress Homes in Beverly Shores this Thursday, September 17, from 8:40 to 4:30.

This event is part of the Indiana Dunes Outdoor Adventure Festival, happening through September 20.

See the full festival schedule: https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/outdoor_adventure_festival.htm

09/11/2026

Edit: This event will be rescheduled in October. Keep an eye on our calendar at indianadunes.com/events for details.

On Monday, bring your camera or phone to Miller Woods and join local macro photographer Susan Kirt for an afternoon photographing flowers, bees, and insects up close. You’ll explore the restored landscape along the Paul H. Douglas Trail and learn how to capture some of its smallest residents.

Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education
Monday, Sept. 14, 1 to 3:30 p.m.

This event is part of the Indiana Dunes Outdoor Adventure Festival, happening through Sept. 20.

See the full festival schedule: https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/outdoor_adventure_festival.htm