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| Lake Michigan and a breakwater stretch beyond the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk at Indiana Dunes National Park. NPS photo. |
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| Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk map. Click for larger version. |
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.
