Indiana Dunes History Trail

Our 20 miles of interconnected biking and hiking trails take you on a unforgettable ride through history,

Lake Street Trail is the quintessential Indiana Dunes History Trail:

Discover the Rich and Unique History of Miller Beach

Miller Beach has a deep and fascinating history that’s been well documented through many sources ranging from the National Park Service, our Big 10 unversity satellite campus, and our walkable downtown that’s surround by thousands of acres of preserved and protected lands.

This lakeside community has seen it all — from Potawatomi roots, French explorers, and escaped slaves, to Swedish immigrants, historic architecture, and even silent films. It’s home to world-renowned authors and was once the setting of a bold fight to protect rare dune ecosystems from industrial development.

Miller Beach also has a legacy of fishing, three railroads, sand mining, civil rights protests, redlining, and early tourism along Lake Michigan. Our connection to famous Illinoisans illustrates our location as the western gateway to the Indiana Dunes.

All of this is set against a stunning natural backdrop: 3.5 miles of shoreline, over 2,500 acres of surrounding national parks and preserves, and more than 20 miles of scenic trails to bike and hike.

Lake Street has a bike trail running directly next to it, with colorful buildings and dried plants in the foreground

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Map of Miller Beach Bike and Hike Routes in Gary, Indiana, showing bike lanes, off-road trails, water trails, bus stops, parking areas, and points of interest, with landmarks such as Lake Michigan, Miller Woods, and the Indiana Dunes National Park.

Bayless Dune Trail

Sandy. Take a scenic dune hike through wooded areas, dunes, and blow outs marked with interpretive signage. Located at 8975-9047 Indian Boundary Road, Gary, IN. Inside the Shirley Heinz Preserve in the northeast residential section of the Miller Beach neighborhood.

Photo Credit: Tom Cera

Sign for Bayless Dune Nature Preserve managed by Shirley Heinze Land Trust, with a background of trees and grass, under a partly cloudy sky.

Marquette Park Loop

Paved. 1 1/2 mile. Bike path circling Marquette Park in with gorgeous views of Lake Michigan and oak savanna habitat. Passes the kayak launch on the Calumet Lagoon, the Marquette Pavilion, and the historic Gary Aquatorium, and the lakefront playground.

A bicycle leaning on the side of a rural road surrounded by fall foliage, with colorful trees and a cloudy sky.

Beachfront Trail

Sandy. Over 3.5 miles of beautiful public beaches are open year round for walking along the Lake Michigan. Miller Woods Beach starts at the west end, to Lake Street Beach, then Marquette Beach, stretching east across the entire Miller Beach neighborhood. See beaches page for public parking available Lake Street beach, Marquette Park Beach, Wells Street Beach and West Beach. Miller Beach has 3.5 miles of the 15 miles of Indiana Dunes beaches, all lined by lovely sand dunes and connects directly to another 1.5 miles of public beaches on the east.

A sandy beach at sunset with small green plants on the sand, trees on the dunes to the left, and a calm body of water reflecting the orange and blue sky with clouds.

Miller Woods Trail

Sandy. 3 1/2 mile. This trail connects to the Paul H Douglas Center and winds through oak savannas habitat, dune and swale habitat, across the Calumet Lagoon, thru sand dunes, and ends up on Miller Woods Beach, the westernmost beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park with gorgeous views of Chicago. It features an awe inspiring bloom of millions of lupines every May that is lauded as a beautiful sensory experience in many nature books and publications. During warms months, there are displays of wildflowers.

Easily loop back on the Lake Street bike path for a faster return to the Douglas Nature Center by walking east a couple of hundred yards to the parking area and walk south on the Indiana Dunes History Trail (Lake Street). The national park was dedicated on this trail!

A lush green hillside with trees and wildflowers under a blue sky.

Chanute Trail

Paved. Connects Lake Street Beach and Marquette Beach parking lot. Extensive views of wetlands and open dunes, with peeks of Lake Michigan.

Connects to the Indiana Dunes History Trail on Lake Street and the Marquette Park Loop.

Take any of the sandy paths north of the paved trail to access the beach. This fun trail is easy to walk, or bicycle between two beach areas.

Trail and informational signboard at Marquette Park with trees and clear blue sky.

Coyote Trail

Sandy. Connects the hill across from the Marquette Pavillion, through an oak forest across small dune ridges over to the parking lot on the south end of Marquette Park.

It’s a short but fun little walk up and down on the dunes through the woods. There is trailhead at the top of the hill across from the Marquette Pavilion and another at the break between the parking areas on the south end of the park between two parking areas.

A trail sign for Coyote Trail in a wooded area with bare trees and fallen leaves, during late autumn or early winter. Coyote Trail is in Marquette Park.

Nelson Algren / Simone de Beauvoir Trail

Paved. Short connection to Marquette Park Pavilion from east end of Forest Avenue off of Lake Street. Oak savannas & views of the Calumet Lagoon. Begins adjacent to the former home of famous author Nelson Algren at the end of Forest Avenue near the Calumet lagoon and let’s out next to the Marquette Pavillion in Marquette Park.

Author Nelson Algren wrote his book “Man with the Golden Arm” here winning the National Book Award for Fiction. It was made into a movie starring Frank Sinatra. Simone deBeauvoir worked on her manuscript for “the Second Sex”, and internationally famous groundbreaking work of feminist philosophy.

A view of winding Nelson Algren Trail, through a lush green Marquette Park with tall trees and grass, with some cars visible in the distance.

Paul H. Douglas Trail and ADA loop (Miller Woods)

Paved. Gorgeous views and trails through wooded areas and interdunal ponds. Lovely picnic areas with grills. Boardwalk trail leads hikers over a beautiful interdunal pond and marshlands. 1 mile hard pack trail loop is suitable for people with disabilities or families with strollers. Enter next to the Paul H. Douglas Center (the western visitor center for the Indiana Dunes National Park). Hikers can follow the trail north to reach Lake Michigan and Miller Woods Beach.

This is the only section of the national park that features both globally rare dune and swale topography and oak savannas. Because of its diverse habitats and rich history, the Indiana Dunes National Park chose to dedicate the park here in 2019.

The boardwalk in Miller Woods, runs over a wetland to the path to Miller Woods Beach on Lake Michigan. It's surrounded by lush green trees and grass with bright sunlight.

Marquette Trail

Hard Pack/ Gravel. (aka Marquette Greenway Trail) Beautiful views of Long Lake, scenic wetlands with beaver lodges, oak savannas, and forested dunes. This east- west trail connects West Beach to the Douglas Nature Center on Lake Street.

Cuts through the center of the Miller Beach neighborhood. Additional trailheads at Grand Avenue and Montgomery Streets about 1/2 mile south of the lake. Note: Grand Avenue to West Beach is great for bike riding. Grand Avenue to the Paul H. Douglas Center parking lot is good for hiking and not recommended for biking at this time. West of Lake Street is rough gravel. The intersection with Lake Street is only 2 blocks north of downtown Miller Beach.

This is a 6 mile section (of the 60 mile regional Marquette Trail that starts in Chicago and ends in New Buffalo, Michigan) is exclusively in the Indiana Dunes National Park lands. Connects to Gary Union Station on the west, and West Beach in the national park on the east.

This trail is scheduled for paving from West Beach to Lake Street, and then west from Lake Street to downtown Gary in 2025 (at Broadway near Union Station).

The National Park Service has been seeding a pollinator trail on this greenway which creates colorful beauty through all of the bloom seasons.

The Marquette Greenway Trail is on a gravel path alongside Long Lake, surrounded by leafless trees and golden grass under a clear blue sky. A scenic landscape.

West Beach - Indiana Dunes National Park

Sandy & Boardwalks. The West Beach area at Indiana Dunes National Park is located at the eastern end of the Miller Beach neighborhood. This is the site of “Diana of the Dunes Dare” famous Succession Trail. It starts at the beach and winds through dunes, pines, deciduous forest, and up many stairs to a scenic overview with panoramic views of the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan. The West Beach trails include The Long Lake Trail, the West Beach trail, and the Dune Succession Trails, which wind through wetlands and dunes. Listed as an Important Birding Area by the Audubon Society.

Diana of the Dunes (her real name was Mabel Gray) lived in this section of the national park but was a frequent visitor in the “Town of Miller”, now known as Miller Beach to see friends and get provisions.

Mayapples en masse on the Long Lake Loop Trail.

Succession Trail in 3 Dunes Challenge. Diana of the Dunes history.

Wooden walkway through a fall forest with yellow and green leaves and fallen leaves on the path.

paddle board and kayak lake michigan water trail

Lake Michigan Water Trail stop in Marquette Park

Water Trail with entry from sandy beaches and launches: This trail stretches about 40 miles from Whiting (near the Illinois border) to Michigan City (near the Michigan border). Marquette Park is one of 12 distinct access points along the route located in the main section of the park near the Beach Buds concession in the park at Access Point Latitude and Longitude: 41.619, -87.256.

Paddlers will see white sand beaches, towering dunes, forested bluffs, industrial hubs, bustling ports, and fabulous sunsets and cloud formations with a panoramic view of the Chicago skyline.

Large ships (freighters, lakers, barges, and tugs) are commonly seen on this route and could be encountered near marinas and industrial ports. Use your paddle as a signal to make yourself visible and use a horn/whistle. Recreational boats and jet skis are common during the warm months. No wake zone parallel to shore, Follow safety protocols.