Gary, IN: Shoreline to Ridge Hollow Loop
Loop 5.7 miles into shaded hollows and up the highest dunes on Lake Michigan's southern shore in Indiana Dunes State Park.
Mapped by Andrew Matranga
Trail Facts
- Distance: 7.8
Waypoints
IDL001
Location: 41.6625099182129, -87.0628433227539
Head NNE along beach, Indiana’s largest undeveloped shoreline
IDL002
Location: 41.6703796386719, -87.0400314331055
At Beach House Blowout (an amphitheater of eroded sand), go SE onto user trail; traverse dune to Trail #9. Turn L; head into marram grass, then onto dunes
IDL003
Location: 41.673900604248, -87.0290145874024
Straight through cottonwoods to Furnessville Blowout, R @ 3-way; stay on Trail #9 along dune?s edge
IDL004
Location: 41.6734504699707, -87.0267868041992
R @ 3-way; descend into hollow sculpted by glaciers and lake wind
IDL005
Location: 41.6687660217285, -87.031867980957
R @ Y. Stay on Trail #9 by dunes left by glacier 14,000 years ago
IDL006
Location: 41.6650314331055, -87.0448837280274
Turn R, staying on #9; head S in mixed hardwoods
IDL007
Location: 41.6602172851562, -87.0476531982422
R @ T into northern jack pines along hard-packed path
IDL008
Location: 41.6595001220703, -87.0481643676758
R onto Trail #8 toward Mt. Jackson visible through thinning trees
IDL009
Location: 41.6613998413086, -87.0508804321289
R @ Y continuing on #8, head uphill on wide-sand alley toward Mt. Jackson’s sandy crest
IDL010
Location: 41.6625671386719, -87.0503845214844
Mt. Jackson (176 ft.); views of Tremont and Lake Michigan through trees; continue N
IDL011
Location: 41.6641998291016, -87.0527801513672
Steep incline onto Mt. Holden; skyline views to W. Descend blowout; head W on .3-mi. side trip to 192-ft. Mt. Tom
IDL012
Location: 41.6628379821777, -87.0563735961914
Mt. Tom, park high point; return to WPT 11, descend toward lake
IDL013
Location: 41.6659507751465, -87.0542526245117
L @ windswept lakeshore; backtrack to car
Trail above Lake Michigan
Location: 41.6703300476074, -87.0369644165039
The azure waters as seen from the dunes. ©Regina Matranga
Mt. Jackson
Location: 41.6623649597168, -87.0494155883789
Looking south over Tremont from the sandy crest of Mt. Jackson (176 ft.) ©Regina Matranga
Sandy Path
Location: 41.6653022766113, -87.0533599853516
Enjoy the views before descent back to shoreline. ©Regina Matranga
Mt. Holden
Location: 41.665225982666, -87.0528182983398
Beach views through trees from Mt. Holden (184 ft.) benchmark. ©Regina Matranga
Dunes at Sunset
Location: 41.6651496887207, -87.0574569702148
Waning streaks of daylight color the sky over Lake Michigan. ©Regina Matranga
Lakeshore at Dusk
Location: 41.664608001709, -87.0596237182617
The tide laps against the beaches of Indiana Dunes State Park. ©Regina Matranga