Indiana Dunes National Park

[Martin Hash]

Entrance Sign.JPG

I'd never been to Indiana before going to the Indiana Dunes National Park on the Southern shore of Lake Michigan. In fact, I didn't know there even was a National Park in Indiana because when I made the list of National Parks to visit, it hadn't become one yet: on February 15, 2019 it became the 61st National Park. I'm going to have to say it doesn't deserve it. There was already the Indiana Dunes Lakeshore, authorized by Congress in 1966, and the National Park doesn't include the best parcels which are in the Indiana Dunes State Park, established by the State of Indiana in 1925. Of the 15,000 acres, almost a 1000 acres ares still privately owned, including a golf course and housing development, and many private homes and streets. It's not unlike any rural community, and quite near several urban centers, with a Power Station Cooling Tower on the horizon. We walked the beach, and climbed up and down one of the few sand dunes. I've seen better sand dunes at lots of places.



I'm starting to get the political feel of some of these National Parks, especially the newer ones. Most people have an image in their mind of precious & rare wilderness that must be protected from exploitation, but Indiana Dunes doesn't ring that bell, the important bits were already protected and what was added has little special to offer, so there must be something else going on behind the scenes us tourists aren't privy to.