Indiana Dunes National Park Cowles Bog Trail

Beautiful and well maintained trail...went in mid-December so ticks were not an issue. Good for exercising, bird watching, and calming the mind. Great way to relax and you will be rewarded with magnificent shoreline views at the end.

Some dunes are steep but in general a nice hike. We spent two hours including staying on the nice beach from where you can see Chicago skyline. It is dog friendly but everyone should be careful about ticks.

This trail is amazing for bird watchers, and botanist alike - there was even a whooping crane sighting in spring 2025! The trail has a wonderful view of the wetland and continues through the woods. The final dune that allows access to the beach is STEEP. Historically, my dog would take a break halfway back up. Because of this dune, it is not ideal for small children or beach access in the summer. You DO NOT want to lug all of your beach items AND your family here for beach fun - they will give up. Parking can be limited, do get here early, or park at the lots on Mineral Springs Rd south or Rte 12. Enjoy, and I hope you see some cool birds AND plants!

A true gem in Northwest Indiana! Good 1 a half hike (one way) with a secluded beach at the end, and with a lovely sunset!

Started from the trailhead at around 8:50am on a very chilly Thursday morning in October. Didn't take the shortcut, and it ended up being a 4.7 mile walk with around 450 ft of elevation gain. Was done by 10am. The trailhead parking lot is across the road from the actual trail, and has space for around 15 vehicles. The trail gets less runnable as you get closer to the lake, with deep sand all around. There is some bad smell on the beach as some people have pointed out, likely from the chimneys nearby. If you're short on time and not big on observing swamps and different kinds of trees, you should skip this.

This is a nice and easy trail that takes you through some of the forest growth, past a swamp, over some dunes, and to the freshwater beaches of Indiana Dunes. The trail is a mixture of sand and mud and seems to drain well in the rain. There's not a lot of trash or people around, and the beach at the end is pretty quiet as well (we probably saw about 8 people out there). The water is usually pretty cold (it was 70°F when we were there in July), so pucker up before you jump in.

We parked across the road and took the bridge to the trailhead next to the tracks. The first bit of trail is less than exciting. Train tracks and muck water on one side with massive power lines connecting to a substation. That said, it's worth it once you reach the wooded section. Pretty hot out so we just did the small loop and walked back on the road.

This is my favorite hike in Indiana Dunes National Park! I highly recommend this trail!