Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes Fast Facts

How big is Indiana Dunes National Park?

Indiana Dunes covers a total area of 15,177 acres or 24 square miles.

How many people visit Indiana Dunes National Park?

3,177,210 people visited Indiana Dunes in 2021. A table showing all years can be found at Indiana Dunes Visitation Stats.

When was Indiana Dunes National Park created?

Indiana Dunes was made a national park on February 15, 2019.

What are the highest and lowest elevations in Indiana Dunes National Park?

Indiana Dunes’ lowest point is 597 feet at Lake Michigan. The highest point in Indiana Dunes is variable, depending on current dune heights.

What time zone is Indiana Dunes National Park located in?

Indiana Dunes is in the Central Time Zone.

How much does it cost to enter Indiana Dunes National Park?

$25 per private vehicle per week.

Five Random Facts About Indiana Dunes

one Indiana Dunes is one of the newest national parks in the system, having been elevated from National Lakeshore to National Park in 2019.

two Indiana Dunes includes approximately 25 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline.

three WIthin the national park is Indiana Dunes State Park, an area of 2,182 acres, which is managed separately by the state of Indiana.

four The National Park Service opposed changing Indiana Dunes from National Lakeshore to National Park, arguing that the lakeshore designation was (obviously) much more accurate.

five Indiana Dunes is one of the most biologically diverse national parks, with over 1,100 species of flowering plants and ferns.

Where is Indiana Dunes National Park?

Indiana Dunes is located along the shores of Lake Michigan and within easy reach of the major Chicago population center. As such, it is more heavily visited than most other parks of its size. Plenty of other towns and cities are close to the park, including Chesterton and Porter. Further directions and maps can be found at Getting to Indiana Dunes.