Discover waterways crossing Indiana Dunes

East Arm Little Calumet River, located near the Bailly Homestead. NPS photo.

Only one river flows through Indiana Dunes National Park, but a couple of streams do make their way across the park, one as a tributary to the East Arm Little Calumet River and the other flowing directly into Lake Michigan.

Here are some great day trails to discover those waterways:
• Dunes Creek – The 4.3-mile stream drains the Great Marsh and then West Branch (which in turn drains Cowles Bog) passes through coastal sand dunes and flows into Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park. Good trails to experience the creek are the Calumet Bike Trail (between Tremont Road and East State Park Boundary Road) and Trail 2 in the state park.
• East Arm Little Calumet River – The 22.1-mile long waterway has greatly changed since the arrival of Euro-Americans. 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 (which can explored at the Portage Lakefront & Riverwalk). One of the few undisturbed portions runs alongside the Little River Calumet Trail. Park in the lot at the end of Howe Road south of Oak Hill Road/County Road 1350 N. Take the trail 0.9-miles one way west to a bridge crossing the river as well as 0.3-miles east toward the Bailly Homestead.
• Salt Creek – This 24-mile tributary of the East Arm Little Calumet River flows north from Valparaiso, Ind. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources regularly stocks the creek with steelhead trout, Chinook salmon, and coho salmon. No park trails cross Salt Creek, but both the Iron Horse Heritage and the Prairie Duneland trails just south of the park do.

How to select the best trails for seeing autumn colors

Tree leaves along bodies of water change color earliest in the season.

Knowing a little about how tree leaves change color in fall can ensure you won’t be disappointed on an autumn hike. It’ll also mean you can avoid crowds by taking trails that others haven’t thought of, as they stick to the tried-and-true routes listed in travel articles.

When selecting a good day hike to enjoy fall foliage, consider four factors.

Streams/river valleys
Early in the season, trees along streams and river valleys will change color first. That’s because the area near waterways is cooler in temperature than land at the same altitude that is away from water. Railroad beds converted into trails make for great early autumn hikes as rail lines tended to run along river shores and through wetlands, which in the past were deemed land of little value.

Apple orchards
Apples trees usually only grow on soils that drain well and can take deep roots, so there likely are a greater variety of trees nearby than there would be in low-lying wet areas. Trails passing orchards mean a greater palette of color, and apples hanging from the branches only add more hues.

Lots of vertical gain
Hike from the bottom of a mountain or a hill to its summit, and you’ll pass through a variety of ecosystems, each with its own set of trees that prefer the temperature, soils and amount of sunlight available at specific altitudes. Trails leading to observation or fire towers are perfect for gaining altitude, especially at midseason.

North sides
Sometimes trees on the side of a hill facing away from the sun will produce more brilliant colors than those with a southern face. That’s because daytime temperatures that are too warm for an extended period tend to result in a flatter coloration. Trails that head around the northern base of a hill or bluff before nighttime freezes begin usually offer better autumn colors.

A final note: If spring was wet and the summer temperate, expect good autumn colors.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

How to spot wildlife on a day hike: Choose when, where you’ll walk

When spotting wildlife, such as this desert
tortoise at its burrow entry, make sure to
keep your distance.

Patience in search required
but often proves rewarding

The following originally appeared as an article, by Hikes with Tykes author Rob Bignell, at Seattle Backpackers Magazine.

Spotting wildlife certainly marks one of the highlights of any day hike, especially when with children. The graceful leap of a deer into the thicket, the curious habits of a rabbit or squirrel, the noble sweep of an eagle through the skies, all serve to astonish, entertain and teach.

Animals prefer to remain hidden (except for those pesky mosquitos, of course), so seeing them can be difficult. You’ll often have to be patient, even on trails in which wildlife sightings are touted in guidebooks and brochures. Still, there are strategies any hiker can use to improve the odds of seeing wild animals.

First, some trails provide better opportunities than others to spot wildlife. Paths alongside lakes and rivers are particularly good as many animals will come to the waterbody to drink. Trails alongside or through meadows also are excellent, for they offer wide open spaces to spot animals grazing in the distance or flying overhead.

The time of day and year you opt to hit the trail also can increase your chances of seeing wildlife. You can best spot animals if you go hiking during:
g Feeding times – Wildlife typically are more active at dawn and dusk. Knowing the types of plants some animals prefer will help you know when you’re in an area that animals feed.
g Migrations – You’ll be able to sight large numbers and a greater variety of birds passing through an area during spring and autumn. Wetlands and large bodies of water usually draw the most migrating birds.
g Greater Visibility – Green leaves in spring and summer tend to hide animals, but as leaves fall off trees and bushes during autumn, your field of visibility will increase.
g Newborn Presentations – During spring and early summer, mothers often take their slow-moving offspring out to explore the world. Watch for them at the edges of woods.
g Changes in Barometric Pressure – That means before and after a storm. Before a storm, many animals seek better shelter to outlast a shower; watch the skies for raptors that also know this and so go on the hunt at that time. Of course, you also must be careful to avoid lightning strikes and flashfloods.

Should you spot wildlife on a hike, always remember to keep your distance. If closing on them doesn’t scare them off, the animal probably will stand its ground and possibly even attack. In addition, it’s never cute to have a child get close to a wild animal for a picture when the creature bites or mauls them.

Don’t be tempted to feed wild animals either. Besides inviting an aggressive attack on you, it teaches animals that humans are a source of food, meaning some are less likely to hunt or graze on their own but instead become a nuisance and even a threat to people. Such is the case with many national parks bears, who’ve learned to raid dumpsters and tents and even break into vehicles for food.

Also, don’t pick up small wild animals, as their natural inclination is to bite and claw when held. Even if docile, it may bite when you get close. If it is sick and a bite occurs, you could contract a disease.

If there are reports in an area of a dangerous animal, especially one that has attacked people, don’t hike there in hopes of spotting it. While such attacks are rare, there’s no need to invite trouble.

Short of seeing wildlife, the next best thing is to catch signs of them. When passing patches of sand or dirt, watch for animal prints. Other signs of animals include scat, flattened plants where an animal may have rested, feathers, fur on fence posts, burrow holes, and scrapings on tree bark.

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.