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| Butterflies alight themselves on plants along the Tolleston Dunes Trail (NPS). |
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| Map of Tolleston Dunes Trail and overlook boardwalk. |
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.
