Glenwood Dunes Trail (Main)
in Indiana · centroid 35 mi from Chicago
Glenwood Dunes Trail 6.8 miles, 129 feet of elevation gain, 1% average grade, 4% maximum grade Hike time: 4 hours This extensive trail system features interconnected loops ranging from less than a mile to nearly 15 miles and is popular with hikers, runners, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. In addition to the Glenwood Dunes Trail, the 4.4 mile round trip Dunewood Trace Campground Trail connects the Glenwood Dunes trail system to the National Park's Dunewood Campground to the east. The 2.6 mile round trip Glenwood Dunes Extension Trail connects the system to the Dune Park South Shore Railroad Station to the west.
In the center, the Glenwood Dunes Trail connects to the Calumet Dunes Paved Trail. Bring a trail map as there are 13 trail junctions. The trail system is accessible from either the Glenwood Dunes Trail or Calumet Dunes Trail parking lots.
This featured loop hike is equestrian friendly and also a favorite of cross-country skiers. Park at the Glenwood Dunes parking lot located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 20 and Brummitt Road. Bring a trail map as the route has too many trail junctions and cut-offs to fully describe here.
- States
- Indiana
- Trail type
- National Park trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Chicago, IL · 35 mi · ~1.0 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 41.6482°, -87.0154°
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/glenwood-dunes-trail-main.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 Glenwood Dunes Trail (Main) 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
Calumet Dunes Trail
1 miles from this trail's centroid
Glenwood Dunes Trail (Alternate)
1 miles from this trail's centroid
DLT n - Howe Rd to Broadway
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Dune Ridge Trail
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Great Marsh Trail (South)
2 miles from this trail's centroid
Great Marsh Trail (North)
2 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.