Spot Indiana Dunes wildlife on Tolleston trail

Butterflies alight themselves on plants along the Tolleston Dunes Trail (NPS).

Despite being smack dab in the middle of an urbanized area, there’s plenty of wildlife to be seen at Indiana Dunes National Park. One good spot to catch them is the Tolleston Dunes Trail, which traverses a variety of ecosystems.

Map of Tolleston Dunes Trail and overlook boardwalk.

The 2.6-mile trail consists of a stem leading to two stacked loops. Though sporting a 127 feet gain in elevation, on average the grade is only 2 percent with a maximum grade of 9 percent.

To reach the trailhead, from Chicago head east on U.S. Hwy. 12 and from Portage, Ind., head north to that highway. Look for the entry road to the trail’s parking lot about 0.15 miles west of Hillcrest Road, near Ogden Dunes. The lot sits on a former sand mining operation with the trail leaving from the southwest corner.

In 0.3 miles, the trail reaches rolling sand dunes. They were formed 4700 years ago when Lake Michigan’s water level was about 25 feet higher and so reached this far inland.

Quite a variety of animals make Indiana Dunes National Park their home, and many can be found at Tolleston Dunes. Among them are cottontail rabbits, garter snakes, opossums, raccoons, red fox, squirrels and white-tailed deer. Look to the sky, and you’re likely to see great blue herons, hawks, mallards, turkey vultures, and a range of songbirds.

More than 500 species
You’ll reach the first loop at 0.4 miles from the trailhead. Go right/northwest. You’ll enter an oak savannah on the higher ground punctuated with wetlands at the low points. A boardwalk crosses one section of the wetlands.

In all, 41 different species of mammals, 352 birds species, 23 reptiles, and 18 species of amphibians can be found in the park. In the rivers and Lake Michigan, 71 kinds of fish make their home.

Some of the park animals are quite rare. Among those that are federally threatened and endangered are the Indiana bat, the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake, the Rufa Red knot, and the Piping plover.

At 0.8 miles in, you’ll reach the junction with the second loop. Go right/southwest onto the new loop.

Before Euro-Americans farmed and the urbanized the area, a greater variety of wildlife could be found in the area. Elk, black bears and cougars all disappeared before the Civil War, while the gray wolf, river otter and porcupine vanished before World War I began.

Wildlife signs
After 1.8 miles from the trailhead, you’ll reach the first loop. Go right/southeast onto it.

If you don’t spot wildlife other than birds on the trail, they’re probably just laying low. Most animals are active at dawn and dusk. Watch for their tracks, though, especially in sandy areas, which will let you know that one has nearby probably during the past day or so.

You’ll reach the stem trail at 2.2 miles. Go right/northeast onto it and retrace your steps back to the parking lot.

If looking for a shorter version of the hike, skip the second loop and take the cut-off trail. This axes a mile off the hike for a 1.8-mile walk.

Tolleston Overlook 
A quarter mile east of the parking lot entry road is a short boardwalk that heads to two overlooks. The elevated platforms give a great view of the wetlands and a dune ridge that the Tolleston Dune Trail winds through. In addition to being wheelchair accessible, shaded picnic tables can be found at the overlooks.

Trail offers beach, breakwater, fishing pier

Lake Michigan and a breakwater stretch beyond the Portage Lakefront and
Riverwalk at Indiana Dunes National Park. NPS photo.

Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk map.
Click for larger version.

Ah, the beach – sunbathing and swimming, flying kites and building sand castles, enjoying a summer sunset or taking in the dramatic approach of a storm. All of that and more is possible for those visiting the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk at the new Indiana Dunes National Park.

A 0.9-mile loop allows hikers to explore the beaches, dunes and a waterfront at the facility. There’s also a fishing pier and 900-foot breakwater leading to a lighthouse that can be added to the walk.

To reach the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk, from Chicago head east on U.S. Hwy. 12 or from Portage, Ind., go north to the highway. Then take Hillcrest Road north and turn right/east onto Midwest Steele. At the roundabout, go right/east onto Riverwalk Drive. Park in the second lot, which is on the road’s left/west side.

Dunes and beach
At the lot’s northwest corner, walk north on the paved, wheelchair accessible trail. You’ll pass some small, reclaimed dunes on a brownfield reclamation site. Believe it or not, as recently as 2008, this was the site of a steel corporation’s settling ponds for industrial byproduct and a sewage treatment facility.

Today, the dune habitat and Lake Michigan beach is a major stopover for migrating birds. Throughout the summer, you’ll spot surfers taking on the waves while others catch a tan on the beach sand. In winter, shelf ice forms along the beach’s edge, attracting sightseers.

You can swim Lake Michigan, even when no lifeguards are on duty, but be aware that rip currents and waves can make the water hazardous. You also can cook on the beach but must use one of the provided grills at a picnic shelter or an an approved carry-in grill (which must have a noncombustible container with an enclosed bottom and enclosed sides with a minimum depth of 2 inches); any charcoal must be cooled and disposed of in a noncombustible container or removed from the area. Glass containers cannot be used on the beach. Also, rocks and shells may not be taken from the beach.

Pavilion and fishing pier
On the beach’s east side is a 3,500 square foot public pavilion seasonal snack bar, restrooms, and a glass wall where migrating birds can be watched from the warmth of the indoors. There’s also a breakwater that heads to a modern beacon light marking the Burns Waterway, which is the East Arm of the Little Calumet River. The lighthouse marking the other side of the entry is a pretty sight.

The trail next curls past the pavilion and offers a spur to a fishing pier. With a permit, you can fish after hours.

Next the paved route heads north along the waterway. Part of the trail is a wooden walkway along the river.

At your parking lot, the trail crosses Riverwalk Drive to it. The pavement also continues south to another lot on the road’s east side. The breakwater and riverwalk portion of the hike are closed from the last Monday of November through March 1 and at any other time if ice or snow are present.