The Basics
The Bailly Calumet trail in the Indiana Dunes National Park is a real gem. There are actually multiple trail options here, but I like the 3.6ish mile loop around the perimeter. It encompasses a variety of terrain including woods, a ravine, open prairie and a nice long boardwalk across a wetland. The dashed line on the map shows an alternate trail segment which follows the Little Calumet River for a ways, by passing the Mnoke Prairie segment. There is a nice long elevated boardwalk across part of the flood plain. The trail can be quite muddy when it rains, so it always pays to wear shoes that can hold up to slogging through the puddles. It also features an historic homestead and a working farm which both date back to the earliest settlers in this area. The farm and homestead are the focus of some festivals and historical celebrations throughout the year which makes this one of the more popular sites in the national park. As such there is ample parking and year round bathrooms.
Why I Like It
The flood plain and river make this a really good trail for wild flowers. It is a nice length and there are multiple short trail segments which you can use the change up the route. One of these segments leads to the old Bailly family cemetery which is very interesting to visit. Proximity to the river makes this one of the buggiest trails which can be a bit annoying and I always use mosquito repellant when I come here from June through September. The upside of this is that you can get some fantastic photographs of a wide variety of insects and arachnids. If you find a spider web with its owner sitting in the middle, just stand still and watch for a bit (assuming you can stand being swarmed by mosquitos). There is a good chance you will have the opportunity to see the spider capturing a meal which is fascinating. I’ve also seen spiders mating along this trail, it is just so packed with them. The Mnoke Prairie provides access to a different habitat than most of the rest of the park which is nice.
Posts Featuring The Bailly – Calumet Trail
- Color… when is it “Right”?Color balance in photography is a subtle thing. You can easily find a lot of arguments online about the subject, and most of them assume… Read more: Color… when is it “Right”?
- … More Than Just Cicada’s
As one would expect, I saw much more than just Cicada’s out on the Bailly-Calumet trail this weekend. The initial spring wild flower bloom has… Read more: … More Than Just Cicada’s - Cicada’s
This is an unusual year for Periodical Cicada’s. In Illinois we are expecting both a 17 year cycle brood and a 13 year cycle brood.… Read more: Cicada’s - #52
At the start of 2023 I set a goal to make it out to the park an average of once per week. I hit visit… Read more: #52 - Camping Excursions
Now of course the point of going rain camping is not to simply experience rain while sitting under a tarp (see my previous post if this… Read more: Camping Excursions