Indiana Dunes National Park is a National Park in Indiana. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 16 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Indiana Dunes
We matched 16 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Indiana Dunes. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Lakes (1)
Beaches (1)
Lighthouses (4)
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseSand Dunes (6)
Sand Dunes
Sand Dunes
Sand Dunes
Sand DunesSand DunesSand DunesBotanical Gardens (2)
Dark Sky Places (1)
State Parks (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Indiana Dunes the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:14 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:43 PM | 242° | 9h 30m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 254° | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:55 PM | 268° | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 284° | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:01 PM | 297° | 14h 32m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:25 PM | 303° | 15h 11m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:22 PM | 300° | 14h 54m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 290° | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:00 PM | 275° | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:09 PM | 259° | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:20 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:30 PM | 246° | 9h 51m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:20 PM | 239° | 9h 11m |
Computed for the park's reference point (41.6377, -87.0965); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Indiana Dunes, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 4:18 AM – 5:18 AM | 1.0 | 16° |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:19 AM | 2.0 | 19° |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:27 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| June | 10:36 PM – 2:56 AM | 4.3 | 19° |
| July | 10:26 PM – 1:36 AM | 3.2 | 19° |
| August | 9:36 PM – 11:36 PM | 2.0 | 19° |
| September | 8:34 PM – 9:34 PM | 1.0 | 16° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
6 Estimated Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos.
Weather & best time to visit
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.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20.00 |
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $25.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Visitors can access the national park via Interstate 94, the Indiana Toll Road (Interstate 80/90), U.S. Highway 12, U.S. Highway 20, Indiana State Road 49, and various other local roads. The Indiana Dunes Visitor Center is located on Indiana State Road 49, between U.S. Highway 20 and Interstate 94 (1215 IN-49, Porter, IN 46304). For a driving map to the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center or other locations, check out our maps page.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Boating
- Camping
- RV Camping
- Fishing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Kayaking
- Stand Up Paddleboarding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Playground
