Glenwood Dunes Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features Fall Colors · Wildlife

This extensive trail system features interconnected loops ranging from less than a mile to 6.8 miles and is popular with hikers, runners, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers. In addition, the 2.2 mile Dunewood Trace Campground Trail connects the Glenwood Dunes trail system to the Dunewood Campground to the east. The 1.3 mile Glenwood Dunes Extension Trail connects the system to the Dune Park South Shore Railroad Station to the west. The trail surface is a mixture of packed dirt and loose sand.

Horseback riding is permitted on portions of this trail from March 16 through December 14. However, if there is sufficient snow cover for cross-country skiing (3 inches or more) before December 15 or after March 15, the trail will remain closed to horseback riding. Horses are prohibited in the winter to prevent accidents with skiers on the trail. Visitors must provide their own horse or ski equipment. Skiers and horseback riders should complete the Glenwood Dunes Trail in a counter-clockwise fashion to allow for one-way traffic.

In the summer, use insect repellent, wear long sleeves, and tuck long pants into socks to avoid ticks and poison ivy.

The main parking lot is horse friendly and located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 20 and Brummitt Road. The lot is gravel and large enough for horse trailers. Runners and cross country skiers can also access the Glenwood Dunes Trail system by parking at the old visitor center located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 12 and Kemil Road (East State Park Road (300 E). The Glenwood Dunes Trail system can be accessed by running a short portion of the Calumet Dunes Paved Trail.

The Glenwood Dunes Trail traverses the oldest sand dunes in the Indiana Dunes National Park. Now covered in oak forest, these dunes formed 12,000 years ago when Lake Michigans shoreline was about 60 feet higher than today. Wetlands, ranging from swamps to vernal ponds, fill the low spots between the dunes and help contribute to the rich diversity of plant life found on the Indiana dunes.

Indiana Dunes National Park (formerly national lakeshore) was established to preserve portions of the Indiana Dunes and other areas of scenic, scientific, historic and recreational value. Up to two million annual visitors enjoy the park's 15,000 acres of wetlands, prairies, sand dunes, oak savannas, forests, and historic sites. The park's 15 miles of beaches hug the southern shore of Lake Michigan from Gary, IN, to Michigan City, IN. For more information, visit nps.gov/indu/index.htm or facebook.com/IndianaDunesNPS.