Basics
The Dune RIdge and Beverly Shores trails are near the eastern end of the Indiana Dunes National Park. The trail head for the Dune Ridge trail is in the Kemil Beach parking lot, which has year round facilities. Beware however that in the summer this lot fills up early on the weekends with beach traffic. I try to go during the week and off season.
The IDNP Dune Ridge trail (in green) is relatively short at just over a half mile loop. The highlight feature of the trail is that it snakes along the crest of a forested dune ridge, with some really nice views down into the “Great Marsh” to the south. Right next to this trail is a separate but connected system of trails maintained by the town of Beverly Shores.
Why I Like It
As I describe in my post titled “A New Favorite Trail”, the adjoining trail system in the town of Beverly Shores and an abandoned stretch of Beverly Dr. can be tacked on to the Dune Ridge trail to make for an excellent 3.5 mile hike through a variety of habitats, including a marsh which has been reclaimed from residential use and is in the process of being restored to a natural state.
From the Dune Ridge trail you get a very good view looking down into the marsh as it undergoes restoration. Over just the last couple of years the changes have been very interesting to observe. The fact that you can access the middle of the marsh via an abandoned stretch of Beverly Dr really adds to the experience as you get a very up close view from within the marsh itself. The whole area is rich in wild flowers, butterflies, mosses and lichens, and fascinating insects. You also get some spectacular views of the fall colors along the ridge line and within the forested areas of the trail systems.
Posts Featuring Dune Ridge & Beverly Shores Trails
- Ridge to Road II
The second half of the Dune Ridge & Beverly Dr. trail begins when the Beverly Shores trail ends at the road closed barriers on Beverly Dr. Now you are traveling… Read more: Ridge to Road II - Ridge to Road – I
One of the things I find appealing about the Dune Ridge to Beverly Dr. trail system is that you get to experience two very different ecosystems in a single 3… Read more: Ridge to Road – I - Watching Restoration
Among the many benefits of returning to the same location many times over years, is that you get to see and appreciate the changes which occur. At the Indiana Dunes… Read more: Watching Restoration - Fall Treats Before The Fall Colors
It is early October. Most of the showy wild flowers have faded, the colorful fall leaves are still a few weeks away. And yet there is no shortage of treats… Read more: Fall Treats Before The Fall Colors - It is not where you look…
…it’s how you choose to see that matters. A pile of dirt unceremoniously dumped across an old road to close it off. The result of a dispute between governmental entities… Read more: It is not where you look… - Camping VII – Things Seen
There are many advantages I see to returning to the same location repeatedly. Each successive visit reveals new things, and you begin to notice and appreciate the subtle things which… Read more: Camping VII – Things Seen - Vantage Points
One of the things which I spend more and more time doing is contemplating vantage points. Given the subject, where do I want to place the camera so that I… Read more: Vantage Points - Spring Marches On
It is late spring, everything is lush and vibrant. There is a some filling in still to come. Trees will soon be filled out and grasses and ferns will begin… Read more: Spring Marches On - Pic Of The Day – 012724
- Thanksgiving – Swamps & Marshes
Swamps and Marshes are probably my favorite areas to go hiking. The diversity of plants, insects, birds, amphibians and reptiles is amazing. The landscape itself is just really fascinating as… Read more: Thanksgiving – Swamps & Marshes - Third Leg
The third leg of my Dune Ridge – Beverly Shores – Beverly Drive hike is one of my favorite stretches of trail in the park. Something about seeing the reclamation… Read more: Third Leg - Full Color Fall – Beverly Shores
These days when I hike the Dune Ridge trail I make use of a connected trail system in Beverly Shores to more than double both the length of my hike… Read more: Full Color Fall – Beverly Shores - Full Color Fall
End of October and the fall colors along the southern shore of lake Michigan are pretty much at their peak. Today was also the first day it really felt like… Read more: Full Color Fall - A New Favorite Trail
I have a new favorite trail at the Indiana Dunes National Park. Actually it is a composite of a National Park designated trail Dune Ridge (green), an adjoining series of… Read more: A New Favorite Trail - Abandoned Beverly – Spring
This is the first part of a series of posts examining an abandoned stretch of Beverly dr. through a portion of the Great Marsh in the Indiana Dunes National Park. … Read more: Abandoned Beverly – Spring - Anandoned Beverly – Autumn
This is the third in a series of posts examining an abandoned stretch of Beverly dr. through a portion of the Great Marsh in the Indiana Dunes National Park. The… Read more: Anandoned Beverly – Autumn - Abandoned Beverly – Summer
This is the second part of a series of posts examining an abandoned stretch of Beverly dr. through a portion of the Great Marsh in the Indiana Dunes National Park. … Read more: Abandoned Beverly – Summer - Nature Is Brutal
Have you ever had the experience of noticing something for the first time, and then seeing it everywhere as if it had never been there before? This happens to me… Read more: Nature Is Brutal - A Pre-4th Hike
It has been a bit of a cool and dry summer all the way through the end of June. The rain and humidity however arrived just in time for the… Read more: A Pre-4th Hike - An Unexpected Find.
As much as I like to annoy my friends and family about going out in crappy weather, I do get it. Not many people are interested in going out for… Read more: An Unexpected Find. - Favorites From 2022
From Jan 2 through Dec 29 this year I made 45 trips to the Indiana Dunes National Park, hiked 141 miles of trails and took almost 4000 photos. Weather conditions… Read more: Favorites From 2022 - Nearing The End Of Winter
A couple days after what was likely the last good snow storm of the winter I went out to the Dune Ridge Trail which you can take out to Kemil… Read more: Nearing The End Of Winter