1966 Hiking Challenge: Dunes-Kankakee Trail

The Dunes-Kankakee Trail is a paved path that leads from the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center to Indiana Dunes State Park along Indiana State State Road 49.

The 1966 Hiking Challenge is comprised of 19 hikes that cover 66 miles of trail in the park- celebrating the park’s founding in 1966. The ranger-led hike for this trail meets at the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center parking lot. For more information, including specific dates and trail locations, visit this Thing to Do and scroll down. Do not worry if you cannot make each of the 19 ranger-led hikes. A check-off sheet will be available at the Visitor Center or the the Paul H. Douglas Center for those who complete the hikes on their own.

REMINDER: Information found on this page is specific to the 1966 Hiking Challenge

• Please visit Dunes-Kankakee Bike Trail to access general information about these trails

• Please visit Hiking at Indiana Dunes National Park for general information and maps of all of the park's hiking trails

BE PREPARED

• Please visit Trail Safety for tips and reminders to ensure your adventure is both safe and enjoyable
• Ranger-led hikes occur rain or shine and are only canceled in inclement weather such as high winds or thunderstorms when conditions are unsafe

Getting There

Trailhead Parking Lots
Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center: 1215 IN-49, Porter, IN 46304

Trailhead GPS Coordinates
41.633349, -87.053762 (Decimal Degrees)

Need to Know

• Hours – Open daily from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm. The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center is open daily from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the Monday of Labor Day weekend. The center is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm for the remainder of the year.
• Passes are required.
• Hike Length: 4.6 miles (out-and-back distance)
• Hike Time – 2.5 hours
• Difficulty – Easy with a change in elevation going over the U.S Highway 12 and 20 bridges.
• Trail Surface – Trail is paved.
• Facilities – Year-round restrooms and potable water at Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center.
• Pets – Permitted on a leash (6' or shorter).
• Prohibited – Littering and hunting.
• Prohibited – Motorized vehicles.
• Prohibited – Removing plants, rocks, shells, and fossils.
• Prohibited – Glass and fires.

 

Hike from the Visitor Center to the State Park pavilion and back.