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  "description": "Climb the Dune Succession Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park. Get tips for tackling the stairs, enjoy stunning lake views & discover the history of the dunes.",
  "path": "/dune-succession-trail-guide/",
  "publishedAt": "2025-09-17T04:48:00.000Z",
  "site": "at://did:plc:xoczgo53ahhoei6pror2b43g/site.standard.publication/3mmwwrtzqnc7k",
  "tags": [
    "Hiking",
    "History",
    "Indiana",
    "Indiana Dunes National Park",
    "Road Trips",
    "Midwest"
  ],
  "textContent": "When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. See our Affiliate Policy. My parents probably didn’t expect that “dog sitting for a music festival” would turn into climbing dunes at Indiana Dunes National Park, but that’s exactly how we all ended up on the Dune Succession Trail together. The Dune Succession Trail loop is only a mile long, but it makes you work for its beautiful view. This trail climbs about 270 stairs before dropping you out at West Beach along Lake Michigan. While you can head straight to the beach by walking north along West Beach Road, we decided to take the stairs route instead, mostly because we like working for the view. And this trail definitely gave us a cool one. 🔬 Science with Sam: The “succession” part of the trail name is literal: these dunes show how bare sand slowly becomes shaded oak woodland as different plants move in over time. It’s basically a tiny, walkable ecology lesson. Getting Started on the Dune Succession Trail We parked in the Indiana Dunes Parking Lot around 4 pm on a Friday in early May this past year. The large West Beach parking lot (it has space for 600 cars) was nearly empty, with maybe 15 cars across the lot, which was great because it meant we basically had the trail and beach to ourselves. View of the parking lot You’ll walk across a lot of boardwalks This was also a family hike. My parents joined us from Wisconsin as they were driving alongside us for a trip to Ohio (we traveled from Alabama to the Sonic Temple Festival and they were kind enough to travel quite a few hours from home to watch our dogs, Toby and Lily, during the all-day show). We explored the Great Marsh Trail earlier that morning and were treated with ticks covering both of our dogs. After we de-ticked our pups, we let them relax and recover back in the Airbnb in Chesterton. So, it was just the four of us for this hike without the dogs. If you’re looking for places to stay while visiting Indiana Dunes, there are quite a few hotels around the area! The Dune Succession Trail offers two routes to the beach: a walk along the paved road toward the West Beach Bath House, or the more challenging stairs that climb directly over the dunes. The steps and boardwalk leading to West Beach As soon as we started climbing, the only sound we heard was sand crunching under our feet until we made it to the top and started our descent towards West Beach. Climbing the Stairs to the Dunes Now, 270 stairs isn’t terrible (especially compared to the Colorado Springs’s Manitou Incline which has 2,744 stairs), but it’s enough to get the blood flowing to your legs. Halfway up, we stopped and had a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline all the way across the lake. You can see Chicago from the dunes The boardwalk at the top winds you along the ridge while dropping you down towards the beach. Not much shade up there, but the breeze off the lake helped keep us cool during the stair climb. West Beach and Lake Michigan Views As we climbed over the last dune, we had a beautiful view of Lake Michigan in front of us with Chicago all the way in the background. Growing up in Wisconsin, I was used to seeing the lake from Milwaukee, but I’d never thought much about it beyond that (and didn’t visit it much, if at all). We wandered down to the water and that’s when we noticed a baby turtle trying to make his way into the lake, but he kept flipping over when the waves came in. We stood there for a while watching, hoping he’d figure it out, but he never quite made it past the breakers. Seeing the little baby turtle making its way to the Great Lake, with rolling dunes and a wide beach stretching out in front of it and the city skyline in the distance, was such a cool contrast between nature and manmade structures. Little fella is making his way towards the lake History of Diana of the Dunes The dunes also carry the story of Diana of the Dunes (Alice Mabel Gray), a woman who left behind her city life in the early 1900s to live simply along this shoreline. She spent nearly a decade here, swimming in Lake Michigan, foraging, and writing, becoming something of a local legend. Newspapers called her “Diana of the Dunes,” and over time she became both a symbol of independence and a voice for protecting these fragile landscapes. I hadn’t heard her story before this visit, but I can understand the pull she must have felt. The more Minerva and I road trip and travel, the more we realize how tired we are of cities and the hustle culture. At one point we thought about living in or near a big city like New York, but the older we get, the more appealing quiet places like this feel. You’ll get sand in your shoes Completing the Loop The trail loops back toward the West Beach Bath House, where we dumped about a pound of sand out of our shoes (somehow I had the least sand; don’t ask me how). All in all, we spent about an hour between the trail and hanging out at the beach. There are picnic tables by the West Beach Parking Lot Tips for Hiking the Dune Succession Trail The best time to go is late afternoon when the crowd is smaller, you get better light and a breeze off the lake. Sneakers work fine, just expect sand in your shoes. If you don’t like stairs, you can walk straight to West Beach from the bath house. This trail is good for pretty much anyone: families, casual hikers or anyone who wants to see the dunes without a long hike. If you want to add on another trail, the Great Marsh Trail nearby is an easy flat walk and great for birdwatching. Just watch out out for ticks. This AllTrails map needs analytics cookies to load. These cookies cover both our site and the embedded content. Or View on AllTrails Quick Facts About the Dune Succession Trail Here’s everything you need to know about the trail at a glance so you can plan your hike. Trail OverviewTrail StatsTrail Length~0.75 – 1 mile loopStairs~270Difficulty LevelEasy loop with a short, steep climbEstimated Hiking Time45 minutes – 1 hourElevation Change~75 – 100 feetBest Time to VisitLate afternoon for fewer crowds & great light Is the Dune Succession Trail Worth It? If you’re in or near Indiana Dunes National Park, I’d high recommend it! The Dune Succession Trail is a short hike that gives you an awesome view of Chicago from the top of the dunes (plus a stair workout), some time on the beach, a lot of sand in your shoes and maybe even a chance to see a turtle! Captured this cute picture of my parents walking across the beach",
  "title": "Dune Succession Trail Guide: The Best View & Tips for the 270 Stairs",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-09T21:41:42.000Z"
}