Tolleston Dunes Trail

What Is It

The Tolleston Dunes trail is one of my favorites in the Indiana Dunes National Park.  The trail passes through wetlands and black oak savannah.

It has ample parking and I have never seen it full. There is a short loop about 1.5 miles in length and a longer loop which is a little over 3 miles long. Much of the trail runs along the top of dune ridges, some of which have steep elevation changes through soft sand which makes for a nice workout in a manageable day hike. 

Why I Like It

This trail pretty much sticks to Black Oak forested dunes and savannah. It has an abundant variety of wild flowers and with all of the dead wood on the ground it is a great trail for Fungi and Lichens when conditions are right. The long straight stretch of trail from the parking lot to the first dune ridge is mostly open terrain, and in cooler weather I have often come across snakes stretched out on the trail to catch the warmth of the sun. There is also a very interesting “Easter Egg” at the base of one of the dune ridges. The very weathered remains of an old automobile just sitting out in the middle of nowhere. Like much of the park, this area was reclaimed from other uses and at one time there was a trash dump in this location. Apparently the park service had the junk hauled away, all except for this one automobile. Why it was left seems to be a mystery as none of the park rangers I have asked know why it was not removed along with the rest.

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