1.3 km away
Trail 10
Hike through quiet, serene forests, then follow sand dunes along Lake Michigan back to the trailhead.
Moderate Hiking
- Distance
- 11 km
- Ascent
- 84 m
- Descent
- 84 m
A relaxing hike through a marsh noted for its long boardwalk, ferns, and early spring wildflowers.
Hiking Easy
Paired with Trail 10, Trail 2 is debatably one of the most relaxing and scenic hikes in Indiana Dunes State Park. This easy 3-mile hike through the marsh includes two boardwalks and a spectacular selection of early spring flowers and ferns. The loop can be hiked in either direction and is relatively easy to follow thanks to markers located along the trail.
Thanks to the wide variety of habitats, "including beach, sand dunes, black oak forest, wooded wetlands, and a button-bush marsh," much of which is represented on this hike, Indiana Dunes has widely been referenced as "the birthplace of ecology." "Botanists from across the country enjoy studying the unusual collection of plant life," the park notes, and "it was here that Henry Cowles, known to many as the "father of ecology" did his landmark studies of succession in the early 1900s."
To begin your hike, make your way to Wilson Shelter near the end of Wilson Road. You could also park at the Nature Center or begin your hike from the campground if you are spending the night there. Drinking water and restrooms are located throughout the state park and can be seen on this detailed map.
For a longer hike with endless views along the shores of Lake Michigan, consider Trail 10 instead. Parts of the loop are the same, but Trail 10 includes the addition of "Big Blowout," an area "where forests have been buried by sand and then, more recently, re-exposed by wind erosion."
Easy
Walking along a well-kept trail that’s mostly flat. No obstacles are present.
1.3 km away
Hike through quiet, serene forests, then follow sand dunes along Lake Michigan back to the trailhead.
Moderate Hiking
2.9 km away
An extensive network of trail with several options for shorter or longer hikes.
Moderate Hiking
3.2 km away
An easy and fully-accessible hike through a series of dune ridges.
Easy Hiking
3.5 km away
A moderate hike with "outstanding plant diversity" and the option to enjoy lunch of the shores of Lake Michigan.
Moderate Hiking
4 km away
A short hike with expansive views of the Great Marsh.
Easy Hiking
5 km away
An easy hike exploring the restored Mnoké Prairie, Bailly Homestead, and Chellberg Farm.
Moderate Hiking
5.5 km away
A short hike great for birdwatching in "the largest wetland complex in the Lake Michigan watershed."
Easy Hiking
10 routes · Hiking
4 routes · Hiking