Favorite Spaces in Outdoor Places

Our summer intern, Isabel, who joined Save the Dunes in part of the McKinney Climate Fellowship, had never been explored the Indiana Dunes! Over her 12 weeks on staff, she made it her mission to experience as much of the glorious bio-diversity our region has to offer. Below is her excerpt from during her time with Save the Dunes. She rated some of her favorite places, along with a rating system, using marram grass!

Over the last three months, I’ve been exploring outdoor spaces throughout Northwest Indiana (NWI). As a newcomer to the region, I’ve made it my goal to see as many diverse ecosystems, plants and animals as possible. I’ve been to Mount Baldy, the Dunes Succession Trail, Chellberg Trail/Farm, the Hobart Woodland Trail, Heron Rookery, Miller Woods, Cowles Bog, the Dunes Kankakee Trail, the Great Marsh, and Pinhook Bog in the National Park. I’ve ventured to the Indiana Dunes State Park, where I’ve completed the 3 Dune Challenge twice. While I have spent countless hours in the national and state park, I’ve explored city parks as well as Shirley Heinze properties like Lydick Bog, Ambler Flatwoods, and the Dale B. Engquist Nature Preserve.

And I’ve made it to the beach too. I wouldn’t have been able to have a complete experience without it! I’ve been to Porter Beach, West Beach, Kemil Beach, Miller Beach, Lake View Beach, and Washington Park Beach.

As I wrap up my internship and my time in the region, I’ve been reflecting on all of the places I’ve visited. I’ve decided to rate my five favorite trails and my two favorite beaches. As an honorary NWI resident, I’m going to rate the trails and beaches in one of the region’s most important plants: marram grass. Marram grass symbolized by this icon 🌾 plays a fundamental role in stabilizing dunes. Marram grass is what keeps dunes from moving and marks an early stage of ecological succession. The more marram grass a place receives the more I identify with that space.

Trails

🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾 With five marram grass, my favorite trail is the Dunes Succession Trail in Gary. Throughout this three-mile loop, I have had the opportunity to see diverse ecosystems. The Dunes Succession Trail is essentially an hour-and-a-half long walk through time, because you can see how one ecosystem dynamically develops into another. I enjoyed walking the succession trail during Dunes Dash.

🌾🌾🌾🌾Receiving four marram grass, my second favorite trail is the 3 Dune Challenge in the State Park. This strenuous one-and-a-half mile walk traverses three massive dunes, the tallest of which stands at 192 feet above sea level. I hiked this trail a second time, so that I could get a sticker, because I completed the challenge the first time after the visitors center closed.

🌾🌾🌾 Miller Woods is high on my list too with three marram grass. Miller Woods is a scenic hike along wetlands full of vibrant flowers, including lupine. I walked on the trail one evening and stumbled upon the beach a little before the sun started setting. It was beautiful to finish my hike through the woods as I watched the sun fall.

🌾🌾As a wetland, Pinhook Bog contains animals and plants vastly different than those found in Miller Woods. The bog has green frogs, carnivorous plants like the pitcher plant and the sundew, and much more. As I’ve visited various bogs, fens, and marshes this summer, I’ve grown a greater appreciation for wetlands. They are incredibly important for retaining rainwater, but also have constantly changing ecosystem dynamics.

🌾Ambler Flatwoods is last but not least. With one marram grass, Ambler Flatwoods is a state dedicated nature preserve, where I feel at peace. Albeit the bugs, Ambler is a relaxing place to take a stroll.

Beaches

🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾 My favorite beach receiving five marram grass is Porter Beach. It’s my go-to spot to sunbathe in the morning or gaze into the lake.

🌾🌾🌾🌾Although rocky, Kemil Beach is one of my favorites ranking only second to Porter Beach. Kemil Beach is a less well-known, but stunning stop in the National Park.