Love long walks on the beach or hikes in the woods? This national park has both.

Travelers may not think of dunes when they think of Indiana.

“Cornfields they would believe,” joked Bruce Rowe, a ranger at Indiana Dunes National Park.

But sure enough, there are dunes right along Lake Michigan.

“The sand dunes are a remnant of the glaciers that created the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan, of course,” he explained. “You've actually got four different dune ridges in the park, only one of which the average visitor would recognize as a sand dune. The others, they just think they are driving by or walking over a hill.”

Here’s what visitors should know about Indiana Sand Dunes, the latest national park in USA TODAY’s yearlong series.

What is special about Indiana Dunes National Park?

“When people ask what's special about this park, in addition to the beauty of the dunes, what I always say is it's really the diversity,” Rowe said.

He shared these fun facts:

• Indiana Dunes is the fifth most biologically diverse national park with 1,960 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and vascular plants.
• There are more than 1,400 species of plants, including 28 species of orchids, which is more than in the state of Hawaii. 
• More than 350 species of birds have been seen within the park, making it in the top 5 of all national parks. The birding is so great that the park hosts the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival each May in partnership with the Indiana Audubon Society. 
• 30% of Indiana’s listed rare, threatened, endangered and special concern plant species have populations within the park. 
• The park is home to four national natural landmarks: Pinhook Bog, Cowles Bog, Hoosier Prairie, Dunes Nature Preserve.
• The park also features a national historic landmark, the Bailly Homestead, belonging to an early French Canadian fur trader, and a national historic district, the Century of Progress 1933 Chicago World’s Fair Homes that were moved to the Indiana shoreline after the fair.  

Who are the Indigenous people of the Indiana Dunes?

The Miami and Potawatomi tribes are historically tied to the land.

“We actually are working with both tribes right now to develop an Indigenous cultural trail near our visitor center … which will have exhibits that talk about the Native peoples’ lives then, but just as importantly, that those people still live here today. They're not just back in history,” Rowe said.

He said the park and tribes have also partnered on an upcoming school program.

What does it cost to get into Indiana Dunes National Park?

Park entry costs $25 for a private vehicle, $20 for a motorcycle, or $15 per person arriving by foot, bike or boat.

Visitors should note that fees only cover admission to the national park, not adjoining Indiana Dunes State Park, which charges separate fees.

Can you slide down Indiana Dunes? 

No. 

“That doesn't really work here,” Rowe said. “Plus, we don't actually allow it because, unlike those dunes in Colorado, ours do have, in many places, grasses and even some trees growing … If people start sliding down and stuff, what they're going to do is they're going to start sliding all over and kill off the plants that help build the dunes.”

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Can you swim at the Indiana Dunes?

Yes.

“We actually have 15 miles of beach, but only about 300 yards of it – West Beach – are actually life-guarded,” Rowe said. “The rest are all swim at your own risk, which a lot of people do, but they need to understand the dangers … You don't want to swim when there are large waves because they can create rip currents that can be deadly.”

What is the most popular beach in Indiana Dunes?

West Beach is the most popular beach within the national park.

“Just as popular, as busy is the Indiana Dunes State Park beach as well,” Rowe said, noting that the parks are next to each other.

Which Indiana Dunes beach is least crowded?

“Central Avenue Beach, I would say for sure,” Rowe said. “Mount Baldy Beach gets a few more people because Mount Baldy – the great big, bare sand dune – is right behind it. … Central has dunes all along it as well, but Mount Baldy is the more famous, so I would recommend Central Avenue Beach for people trying to get away from the crowds.”

On hot summer days, even Central Avenue Beach’s parking lot can fill up.

“But there's still plenty of room if you just walk a couple hundred yards down the beach either direction,” he said. “You can get away from people there even in the heat of the summer.”

Is Indiana Dunes worth visiting in winter?

Yes.

Rowe said cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter pastimes in the park.

“It's a really neat way to get out and explore the winter woods and see the park in a whole different light,” he said. “If they come at the right time, they can get really a spectacular view on Lake Michigan. It can literally look like the Arctic at times.”

He acknowledged that may only happen come once or twice a winter, after a long cold stretch when winds have pushed ice chunks on the lake progressively further out. “You will see ice all the way to the horizon of Lake Michigan.”

Can you do Indiana Dunes in one day?

The park offers suggested itineraries for guests with limited time, but Rowe recommends more time if possible.

“You really need a long weekend, two or three days at least, just my opinion,” Rowe said, noting that there are 50 miles of trail in the park. “We've had people come here and camp for a week, and they certainly didn't get bored. There are lots of places to see in the park.”He said some visitors take day trips to Chicago on the South Shore Line commuter train or explore nearby towns in Indiana. “It depends on what you're looking for.”