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| Little Calumet River near historic Bailly Homestead at Indiana Dunes. NPS photo. |
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| Little Calumet River Trail map. NPS. |
The 3.1-miles round trip trail forms a loop that crosses the Little Calumet River twice. For portions of the walk, the trail also briefly heads alongside the river and a wetlands bordering the waterway. It is part of the Bailly/Chellberg Trails System.
To reach the trailhead, from Chicago go east on U.S. Hwy. 12 or from Michigan City, Ind., head west on the same road. In the Porter, Ind., area, turn east onto Oak Hill Road/County Road 1350 N then right/south onto Howell Road. After crossing and running alongside the Little Calumet River for about a fifth of the mile, the road forks; go right/southwest and park in the lot when the road runs out. From the lot, go left/west on the trail.
On the trail’s left/south side is the recently restored Mnoké Prairie, which gives a glimpse of what the grasslands covering this part of the continent looked like when Euro-American settlers arrived in the 1800s. Farmed for decades, the park service has restored the 120-acre site to its prairie state, even performing prescribed burns to mimic the natural fires necessary to the cycle of plant life in that ecosystem.
At 0.9 miles from the trailhead, the route curls north with a bridge crossing the Little Calumet River. Also known as the East Arm Little Calumet River or the Little Calumet River East Branch, this stretch is one of the few undisturbed portions of the 22.1-mile long waterway.
Before 1926, the stream used to connect to the Little Calumet River in Illinois, but that year construction of the Burns Waterway diverted the route so it drained into Lake Michigan at Burns Harbor in Indiana.
The river meanders here thanks to the easily erodible soil – once the sandy bottom of Glacial Lake Chicago, which covered this section of Indiana and the bottom third of modern Lake Michigan about 14,000 years ago. As a bend forms in a river, the river erodes sediment from the outer curve of it and deposits it on an inner curve further downstream. The result is that the meanders grow larger and larger over time so that the river shifts from somewhat straight to coiled in appearance.
North of the bridge, the trail enters a marsh on the river’s north side and becomes a boardwalk. Along much of the waterway, farm fields ran right up to its edge. Without the riparian vegetation, field run-off carried sediment and fertilizer straight into the river. The result was reduced water quality and clarity.
As the trail leaves the marsh, it curls east and enters a mature hardwood forest of maple, beech, basswood and oak. During September, this is a perfect stretch to see autumn leaves, as yellows, orange and both deep and bright reds light up the tree canopy and trail.
Wildlife, historic homestead
At 1.9 miles, the trail reaches Howell Road; carefully cross it. The trail continues through the forest.
A variety of wildlife call the forest and river marshes home. Look for tracks of white-tailed deer and coyote in the trail dirt. You’re certain to see and hear at least a few of the 352 species of birds while walking. If visiting during late May to mid-June or mid-July to mid-August, you may spot the federally endangered Karner Blue Butterfly hovering near lupine.
At 2.1 miles, you’ll reach the first of several junctions in the woods that can be confusing and send you off in the wrong direction. First, go right/south. Then 0.1 miles later, go right/southwest at the next junction. The 2.5 miles mark passes a trail that leads to a parking lot; ignore that turn and continue left/south. Lastly, at 2.8 miles, turn right/southwest.
You’ll soon pass the historic Bailly Homestead. In 1822, Honore Gratien Joseph Bailly de Messein established a fur trading post where several Native American trails converged at the Little Calumet River. He was one of the earliest Euro-American settlers in northern Indiana. The buildings here are all that remain of his homestead.
Kayakers
Continuing from the homestead, the trail reaches Howell Road again. Initially the trail parallels the road and then crosses the Little Calumet River.
You’ll walk alongside the river for about 0.15 miles. You may spot kayakers plying the waters in this stretch. The river from here east past Chesterton, Ind., recently reopened to paddlers thanks to a gargantuan effort to remove log jams in the water. Kayakers had not be able to enjoy the waterway for three decades.
The hiking trail next turns away from the river and in 0.1 miles, reaches your parking lot.
This hike absolutely requires insect repellent, especially in summer. After rain, the trail can be muddy, so be sure to wear hiking boots with good traction.
