Indiana Dunes National Park — Interstate Access, 2026 Fees & Truck Notes

01 Park overview

Indiana Dunes is the youngest of the Great Lakes national parks (redesignated from a national lakeshore in February 2019) and the most ecologically diverse small park in the system — over 1,100 native plant species packed into 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and the dunes, marshes, and oak savanna behind it. The park sits inside an industrial corridor — steel mills and the Port of Indiana frame the boundaries — but the wild interior preserves rare ecological communities including remnant black oak savanna and inland dunes that climb 200 ft above Lake Michigan. From I-94 the standard access is Exit 26B (IN-49 north), 3 mi to the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center. Indiana Dunes State Park (separate Indiana DNR fees) sits in the middle of the national park and contains the steepest climbing dunes (Mount Tom, Mount Holden, Mount Jackson).

Redesignated from national lakeshore to national park in February 2019
15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, plus 15,000 acres of dunes and inland habitat
Over 1,100 native plant species — among the most biodiverse small parks in the system
Indiana Dunes State Park (separate IDNR-managed unit) sits inside the national park
~2.8 million visitors per year

02 Photos

Lake Michigan shoreline at Indiana Dunes Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA

03 Don't miss

West Beach with the changing rooms and pavilion
Mount Baldy "moving dune" (closed to climbing — observation only)
Cowles Bog Trail (oak savanna and dune blowouts)
Pinhook Bog (rare quaking bog, ranger-led only)
Indiana Dunes State Park 3 Dune Challenge (separate fee)

04 Getting there & truck/RV access

Route from interstate

From I-94

Exit 26B (IN-49 N / Chesterton)

3 mi north on IN-49 to the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center

Big rigs & RVs

Truck access

I-94 to IN-49 to the visitor center is unrestricted for any vehicle size. Most park access roads are paved and accommodate RVs, but parking is the binding constraint at most beach access points.

Parking: Visitor center, West Beach, and Dunewood Campground have RV-capable lots. Beach lots fill by 11 AM on summer weekends. Truck-friendly fuel is at I-94 Exit 26 and Exit 31 (Burns Harbor).

Restrictions: No length restrictions on park access roads. Many secondary beach access points have small lots that effectively exclude trailers.

05 Seasonality & road closures

Best months: May through September — Lake Michigan warm enough for swimming, full beach access, all visitor centers open.

Closures: No seasonal closures of paved roads. Mount Baldy is closed to off-trail access year-round (active erosion, sand-collapse hazard). Some beach trails close in winter ice events.

Notes: Lake Michigan rip currents are a serious hazard especially during high winds — check the daily beach hazard rating. Stay away from steel mills along the perimeter (private/industrial property).

06 Entrance fees (2026)

Pass	Price
Private vehicle (7-day)	$25
Motorcycle (7-day)	$20
Individual / walk-in (7-day, age 16+)	$15
Park-specific annual pass	$45 (Indiana Dunes Annual Pass)
America the Beautiful (annual, all NPS sites)	$80 U.S. residents · $250 non-residents

2026 nonresident fee — does not apply here

The $100 NPS nonresident surcharge applies at 11 specifically named parks. Indiana Dunes National Park is not on that list, so non-U.S. residents pay the same standard entrance fees as U.S. residents.

Fee-free days available for U.S. residents only beginning January 1, 2026.

Note: Indiana Dunes State Park (the inset state park unit) is separately managed by Indiana DNR and charges its own fees ($12 in-state, $14 out-of-state).

Official NPS fee page →

07 Current alerts (1)

Active National Weather Service alerts and FEMA disaster declarations affecting Indiana Dunes National Park's state(s). Updated every 15 minutes.

FEMA · Winter Storm IN

SEVERE WINTER STORM

Lake (County)

08 FAQ

How do I get to Indiana Dunes from I-94?

3 miles north of I-94 Exit 26B on IN-49 to the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center. The drive takes about 5 minutes. Indianapolis-direction traffic from I-65 should connect via I-94 west.

What's the difference between Indiana Dunes National Park and the State Park?

Indiana Dunes National Park (NPS) is the larger, mostly-free unit ($25 vehicle fee at staffed access points). Indiana Dunes State Park (Indiana DNR) is a 2,000-acre inset with the steepest climbing dunes; it charges its own fee ($12 in-state, $14 out-of-state). Many visitors do both.

Does the $100 nonresident fee apply?

No. Indiana Dunes is not on the 2026 NPS nonresident-surcharge list. The standard $25 vehicle fee applies to all visitors at NPS-managed access points.

Can I climb Mount Baldy?

No — Mount Baldy is closed to off-trail access due to active sand collapses (one of which buried a child briefly in 2013). The dune is observable from a designated overlook but no longer open for climbing.

From I-94

Truck access

2026 nonresident fee — does not apply here

SEVERE WINTER STORM

Indiana Dunes National Park on the live map