In the very middle of the Indiana Dunes National Park there is a large steel mill, right on the lakeshore.  Park trails exist to the north, west and south of the mill.  Some of the trails run right up to and alongside the mill, providing some impressive views of the massive industrial facility.  Interestingly enough the existence of both the steel mill and the national park are intertwined.  For historical political reasons it turned out that one could not be created without the other.  I find it fascinating how this incredibly biodiverse park co-exists alongside the heavy industry of the steel mill.  On most of the trails you can see the plumes of steam rising from the stacks if you look in the right direction.  At times you can hear the hum of distant heavy machinery, and of course trains rumble through the area on a regular basis.  And yet somehow I barely notice the presence of the mill while I am out hiking as my attention is so caught up in the endless variety of fauna and flora in the park.  These photos were all taken on a cold winter day when the temps were in the low single digits, thus making the plumes of steam even more impressive that usual.

This stack lets off a huge plume of steam pretty regularly on about 20 minute intervals. Here it is shortly after it got started.

A closeup of the stack which can barely be seen amidst all the steam.

Here we see multiple stacks all going off at once. The gas flame in the background makes for a nice contrast against the billowy clouds of steam.

I think the six stacks in this image are actually part of a power plant which is in the industrial park.

I love how the balls of fire separate before quickly dissipating.

All of these pics were taken from the other side of the Dunes Highway which runs through the park. There were power lines and railroad tracks between me and the mill. Sight lines were a bit suboptimal.

The steam enshrouded industrial structures have an ethereal beauty which contrasts sharply with the gritty industrial might of the mill.