Cowles Bog Trail (South)
in Indiana · centroid 33 mi from Chicago
Cowles Bog Trail 4.7 miles, 202 feet of elevation gain, 2% average grade, 15% maximum grade Hike time: 4 hours The Cowles Bog Trail highlights an area of such outstanding plant diversity that it was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1965. This location, where Dr. Henry Cowles conducted much of his early work in plant ecology and succession in the early 1900s, remains an important focus for scientific study today.
Explore several distinct habitats along this 4.7-mile trail including ponds, marshes, swamps, black oak savannas and beaches. Steep sand dunes near Lake Michigan can make this a strenuous journey. Many visitors pack a lunch to enjoy at the shoreline while resting for the return trip (don't forget to "pack out" your trash).
Make sure to bring plenty of water, sun protection, and extra clothing layers as the the weather at the lake can be very different than at the parking lot. This featured hike is a lollipop shaped trail and a classic of the Indiana dunes. Starting from the north parking lot, hike out back to Mineral Springs Road on the gravel entrance road and pick up the trail across the street.
- States
- Indiana
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Chicago, IL · 33 mi · ~55 min drive
- Centroid coords
- 41.6369°, -87.0872°
About Indiana Dunes National Park
This trail is inside Indiana Dunes National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $20 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/cowles-bog-south.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Cowles Bog Trail (South) and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Stay nearby
Other trails within 50 miles
Cowles Bog Trail (North)
1 miles from this trail's centroid
DLT n - Howe Rd to Broadway
2 miles from this trail's centroid
DLT j - Midwest to Howe
3 miles from this trail's centroid
Glenwood Dunes Trail (Main)
4 miles from this trail's centroid
Calumet Dunes Trail
4 miles from this trail's centroid
Glenwood Dunes Trail (Alternate)
4 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.