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Know before you go: Indiana Dunes

How to stay safe here, what to pack and what to leave at home.

By The Green Adventures · Updated · How we check

Today at Indiana Dunes

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Alerts: National Park Service, checked hourly. Forecast: National Weather Service, for Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center (Indiana Dunes Visitor Center). Always confirm on the official park site before you set out.

Stay safe

  • Wildlife: Keep at least 25 yards (23 m) from all wild animals, and 100 yards (91 m) from bears and wolves where they live. Never feed wildlife. Use pullouts to watch animals from the road.
  • Water and weather: Conditions on the water change fast. Check marine forecasts and tides, wear a life jacket on boats, and remember cold water is dangerous even in summer.
  • Cell service: Coverage is patchy in most parks. Download offline maps and the park’s info before you lose signal.

What to pack

Start with the park service’s ten essentials:

  • Navigation: a paper map or offline map, plus a charged phone and battery pack
  • Sun protection: sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat
  • Layers: a warm layer and a rain shell, even in summer
  • Headlamp or flashlight
  • First aid kit
  • Fire starter (matches or a lighter) for emergencies
  • Repair kit and tools (a small knife, tape)
  • Extra food
  • Extra water and a way to treat it
  • Emergency shelter: a space blanket or tarp

For Indiana Dunes also bring:

  • Water shoes or sandals
  • A dry bag for phones and cameras
  • Seasickness tablets if you are taking a boat
  • Binoculars for wildlife watching from a safe distance
  • Camping: tent, sleeping bag rated for night temperatures, camp stove and fuel bought locally

What to leave at home

  • A drone: launching, landing or flying drones is banned in almost every national park site.
  • Firewood from home: it can carry tree-killing pests. Buy it where you burn it, ideally within 10 miles.
  • Pets: of the 2 hikes the park service lists here, 2 allow pets. Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
  • Anything you plan to take home from the park: rocks, plants, antlers, artifacts and fossils must stay where you find them.
  • Food that wildlife can reach: store it as the park directs, in your car or a locker, never in a tent in bear country.

Weather

On average, the warmest month is July and the highest recorded temperature was 105F in 1934. The coolest month is January, with the lowest recorded temperature of -25F in 1985. June sees the most precipitation with an average rainfall of 4.66 Inches.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Sources

Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What should I pack for Indiana Dunes?
The ten essentials (map, sun protection, layers, light, first aid, fire starter, tools, extra food, extra water and emergency shelter), plus water shoes or sandals.
Can I fly a drone in Indiana Dunes?
No. Launching, landing or operating drones is prohibited in national parks unless the superintendent approves it in writing.