With summer beginning to wane, it's a perfect time to discover and walk one of the many beaches of Northwest Indiana. More than 23 miles of undeveloped beaches on Indiana's 45-mile shoreline await to provide a good workout, relieve stress and connect you with nature, a perfect way to celebrate Coast Week, Sept. 5-13.
According to the Lake Michigan Coastal Program, which is overseen by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, approximately 234 square miles of Lake Michigan is held in public trust for the citizens of Indiana.
Randi Light, an avid beach walker and resident of Ogden Dunes, enjoys walking from Ogden Dunes all the way to Wells Street Beach in Gary.
"There's just something about being next to the water and feeling the sand in your toes," Light said. "Walking a beach can give you whole new perspectives on life and alternatively allows you to just live in the moment."
While that particular stretch of beach is a little more developed, other sites can make you feel like you are far removed from urban areas. For that experience, Susan MiHalo, who sits on the Coast Week Committee of the LMCP, recommends strolling from Mount Baldy to the Central Avenue Beach, both of which are units of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, or hiking east from the parking lot of Indiana Dunes State Park.
Walking the beach also can be a learning experience. Due to wave action and other dynamics, the beach can change every day. Some beaches also have historical features, such as a mysterious shipwreck that can be seen on the beach in Ogden Dunes or the site in Marquette Park in Gary where Octave Chanute first tested a glider in 1896, predating the Wright Brothers' first flight by three years.
Some portions of Indiana's shoreline are more accessible than others. For safety and security, public access to approximately 21.8 miles of heavily developed and industrialized shoreline is limited. A few shoreline communities, such as the Town of Ogden Dunes, maintain public beaches but have restrictions on parking.
Rising lake levels can also complicate access, depending on the Ordinary High Watermark (OHW), which now is about 2.5 feet above Lake Michigan, defining the upper limit of public beach held in public trust for the citizens of Indiana. If there is private land above the OHW, landowners' rights can sometimes trump others' ability to access the lower beach and walk the shoreline.
The best way to ensure that you are legally accessing the beach and respecting landowner rights is to use one of the parking lots maintained by either Indiana Dunes State Park or Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Combined, these entities provide more than 18 miles of mostly walkable shoreline.
When you visit, bring sunglasses, sunscreen and plenty of water. Hiking in the middle of the winter can be enjoyable too, but stay off of the shelf ice, which can be full of hidden cracks, crevices and other dangers.
Learn more about the beaches of Lake Michigan in Indiana during a short, guided sunset beach hike on Sept. 10.
Hikers will hear about coastal dynamics, such as lake levels and how sand starvation can impact the beach, as well tales about historical figures such as Diana of the Dunes.
Susan MiHalo, immediate past president of Save the Dunes, and Steve Davis, Lake Michigan specialist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Water, will lead the hike.
Participants should meet at 6 p.m. at the Pavilion of the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk, which can be accessed from Indiana 249 in Portage. Parking is free.
Participants should come prepared to wade through Lake Michigan water in an area that has no beach, and is currently being impacted by sand starvation in Ogden Dunes. This portion of the hike will take place only if determined to be safe on that day. The hike will end shortly after sunset at 7:08 p.m.-the parking lot closes ½ hour later.
Hosted by Save the Dunes, the hike is part of "Coast Week 2009: Discover Your Coast," organized by the Lake Michigan Coastal Program, Sept. 5-13. Coast Week features a wide variety of events to celebrate the diversity and splendor of the Lake Michigan Coastal Region. For more information on Coast Week events, see the interactive map at http://www.in.gov/dnr/lakemich/news/coastweek.html.
For more information about Coast Week see www.coastweek.IN.gov
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