National Park · Indiana, United States
Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana Dunes National Park is a national park in Indiana, United States, covering 16,268 acres (6,583 ha), established in 2019; it recorded 2,629,497 visits in 2025.
Photo: Diego Delso via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Indiana, United States |
| Area | 16,268 acres (6,583 ha) |
| Established | 2019 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 2,629,497 |
| Coordinates | 41.6533° N, 87.0524° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana Dunes National Park is a national park of the United States located in northwestern Indiana managed by the National Park Service. It was authorized by Congress in 1966 as the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and was redesignated as the nation's 61st national park on February 15, 2019. The park runs for about 15 miles (24 km) along the southern shore of Lake Michigan and covers 15,349 acres (6,212 ha). Along the lakefront, the eastern area is roughly the lake shore south to U.S. 12 or U.S. 20 between Michigan City, Indiana, on the east and the Cleveland-Cliffs steel plant on the west.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
May to September — warm weather for the lakeshore; winters are cold
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | Chesterton, Indiana |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Chicago O'Hare International Airport |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | Yes |
|---|
Like Indiana Dunes National Park? Visit Indiana Dunes National Park’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) · Chicago, United States · 37.2 miles away
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) · Chicago, United States · 49.3 miles away
- General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) · Milwaukee, United States · 99.3 miles away
Parks nearby
More parks in Indiana
Frequently asked questions
Where is Indiana Dunes National Park?
Indiana Dunes National Park is in Indiana, United States (41.6533° N, 87.0524° W).
When was Indiana Dunes National Park established?
Indiana Dunes National Park was established in 2019, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Indiana Dunes National Park?
Indiana Dunes National Park covers 16,268 acres (6,583 ha).
How many people visit Indiana Dunes National Park each year?
It recorded 2,629,497 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
When is the best time to visit Indiana Dunes National Park?
May to September — warm weather for the lakeshore; winters are cold.
Does Indiana Dunes National Park have campgrounds?
Yes — Indiana Dunes National Park has campgrounds.
How do I get to Indiana Dunes National Park?
The nearest town is Chesterton, Indiana. The nearest airport is Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Dunes_National_Park — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/indu/ — Official park page.