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.
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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
