Indiana Dunes National Park Cowles Bog Trail - Chesterton, Indiana

Vipul Singh

Started from the trailhead at around 8:50am on a very chilly Thursday morning in October. Didn't take the shortcut, and it ended up being a 4.7 mile walk with around 450 ft of elevation gain. Was done by 10am. The trailhead parking lot is across the road from the actual trail, and has space for around 15 vehicles. The trail gets less runnable as you get closer to the lake, with deep sand all around. There is some bad smell on the beach as some people have pointed out, likely from the chimneys nearby. If you're short on time and not big on observing swamps and different kinds of trees, you should skip this.

Marcin Jackowski

Very nice trail. Except steep sandy approach to dunes it is a fairly easy walk. Parking is limited.

Greg Eakins

This is a nice and easy trail that takes you through some of the forest growth, past a swamp, over some dunes, and to the freshwater beaches of Indiana Dunes.

The trail is a mixture of sand and mud and seems to drain well in the rain. There's not a lot of trash or people around, and the beach at the end is pretty quiet as well (we probably saw about 8 people out there). The water is usually pretty cold (it was 70°F when we were there in July), so pucker up before you jump in.

Glorkar Floki

We parked across the road and took the bridge to the trailhead next to the tracks.
The first bit of trail is less than exciting. Train tracks and muck water on one side with massive power lines connecting to a substation.
That said, it's worth it once you reach the wooded section. Pretty hot out so we just did the small loop and walked back on the road.

Dan McCrossen

Great hike, very few people (although I had to pick up other hikers' trash... C'mon everyone; please don't litter) and fairly easy. There are a few places where the sand is pretty soft, but nothing too serious. The beach was EMPTY; no one else around! Great secluded spot!

David Whalen

officer at the guard station was super helpful, trail is nice and well groomed however it is a bog so beware mosquito central through the entire path so be sure to come prepared with bug spray to help contain the bites.

B. L.

Awesome hike to the beach! Dress appropriately to the weather. The wind can be mighty powerful but always worth it so see this view. I come here all year long and the mosquitoes can be pretty vicious in the summer time so definitely pack a repellent. We pack water, snacks, and sandwiches to eat down on the beach but there's plenty of spots to relax. There's a few inclines and what not so it's a nice work out for your legs. There are some other trails that split in a different direction.. I'm hoping to check those out this year. Grateful to have been shown this spot! One of my favorites. There's more than corn in Indiana lol.

Bipul Pandey

Awesome place for a good short hike, birdwatching and enjoying some forest ambience.

The beach at the end of the trail was very pristine and clean. Make sure to take sandals for the beach and good shoes for the rest of the trail.