The park has over 50 miles of hiking trails that will lead you through a variety of diverse ecosystems, from the dunes, through wetlands, forests, prairies, river systems and more. The park has an amazing array of ecological diversity in a small area. And with the diverse ecosystems comes diverse wildlife. Look for a half dozen varieties of squirrels, mice, muskrats, foxes, raccoons, beavers and deer. Go to the West Beach area for the biggest dunes and best trails.

Perhaps no other national park is better for watching birds and fowl, whether they’re residents of the park or stopping by during their migration south. Especially in the fall, when the migration south begins, the Dunes is a gathering spot for hawks, herons, egrets and other waterfowl. In May, the Indiana Audubon Society has their annual Indiana Dunes birding festival, where you can learn more about the birds and migrations from speakers and experts.

One of the main attractions of the park are the beaches. It’s the only park in the system where you can relax on a beach right on the Great Lakes. The park has eight beaches, along with one for the state park. They are all free with the exception of West Beach, where there is a fee of $6 per car. It is the largest and most popular with a bathhouse, concession stand, picnic tables and lifeguards. But you can set up on any of them and enjoy the sun and sand. If you haven’t swum in the Great Lakes before, be ready for colder water temperatures, even in the height of summer, although you won’t have to deal with dangerous salt-water creatures like sharks or jellyfish.