The large sand dunes, located far beyond the entire coast, have taken thousands of years to form and rise nearly 200 feet above Lake Michigan. The park has a wide range of habitats and plant species, and the vegetation stabilizes some of the sand. These habitats provide homes for many types of plants and animals. The lake also provides a habitat for many aquatic species, as well as an ever-changing fishery.
Both parks also collaborate in many areas, such as public programming, prescribed burns and the control of invasive species. It is recommended that visitors visit both parks to gain a more complete understanding of the entire Indiana Dunes area. The Indiana Dunes National Park entrance pass (1 to 7 days) and the annual pass to the Indiana Dunes National Park can be purchased at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, at the Paul H Douglas Center and, depending on the season, at the West Beach entrance station, or online at www. The region is fortunate to have two parks that offer visitors a wider set of options when they come to the Indiana dunes.
Although people could visit the beaches of the national parks for free, Indiana Dunes State Park was often the most visited park in Indiana, with 1.3 million visitors a year. Both parks have similar missions in protecting the unique habitats of Indiana's dunes and providing recreational opportunities to millions of visitors. Indiana Dunes Tourism offers an outdoor adventure guide, which details the many opportunities available for biking, bird watching, hiking, fishing, paddling and strolling. Love said entrance fees would be difficult to enforce given the park's extensive design, the lack of doors or cabins at many sites, and the familiarity of locals with the terrain.
The purpose of Indiana Dunes National Park is to preserve, restore and protect the extraordinary ecological and biological diversity along with the geological features that characterize the southern shore of Lake Michigan. A woman climbs more than 200 stairs with her dogs along the dune succession trail in Indiana Dunes National Park. Passes will be on sale at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, the Paul H Douglas Center and, seasonally, at the West Beach entrance station or online at www. The National Park's 15 miles of beaches can be accessed from the following beach parking lots, most of which can be accessed from the U.
Indiana Dune National Park will once again host its annual Christmas bird count a few days after Christmas this year. There are 50 miles of hiking on 14 trail systems with varying difficulties throughout the National Park.