Climb the dunes and check out beaches this holiday weekend at Indiana Dunes National Park
The Indiana Dunesin northern Indiana tower almost 200 feet above Lake Michigan and have formed over thousands of years.
It's also a spot to enjoy miles of sandy beaches and nature preserves. Here's a look at what you should know if you're heading up to the lake this holiday weekend.
What can I do at the Indiana Dunes?
The Dunes, now a national park, has a diverse range of wildlife over its 15,000 acres. According to the National Park Service website, among other activities, visitors can:
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R15ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R25ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeHike on 50 miles oftrails.
Gocamping.
Hit thebeach.
Gofishing.
Ride ahorse.
How to get to Indiana Dunes
It'll take you less than 3 hours to travel to theDunes from Indianapolis via I-65.
Indiana Dunes National Park admission
An entrance pass is required to enter the state park or national park area at the Indiana Dunes. It's $15 per person; $20 for a motorcycle; or $25 for a private vehicle, and can be purchased on site oronline. There's also an annual national park pass for $45 and a National Park Service pass for $80.
Find more information about fees and passes at nps.gov.
Indiana Dunes State Park admission
The state park includes more than 1,500 acres of nature preserves and landmarks. The daily entrance fee is $7 per vehicle for Indiana residents; and $12 for nonresidents.
Which Indiana Dunes beaches are closed?
Click herefor a list of alerts and information about conditions at the Dunes.
Are there fireworks at Indiana Dunes for the 4th of July?
Fourth of July celebrations are taking place in communities near the national landmark, including Hebron, Portage, Porter and Valparaiso.
How photogenic are the Indiana Dunes?
A recent study by a company called Chicks Gold named the Indiana Dunes National Park one of the most photogenic in the U.S. Its research looked at Instagram hashtags to rank sites based on the highest "hashtags per acre," according to a news release.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R1lekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2lekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeHere's what else made the list:
Gateway Arch (123.44 hashtags per acre)
Bryce Canyon (20.32)
Acadia (11.8)
Zion (9.69)
Arches (8.72)
Hot Springs (8.61)
Haleakalaā (7.85)
American Samoa (7.21)
Indiana Dunes (6.12)
Yosemite (4.46)
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Dunes National Park has beaches, nature and miles and miles of sand
