This Little-Known Hiking Path at Indiana Dunes National Park is Our Favorite First Hike of the Year

Indiana Dunes National Park is one of those places that's sure to blow your mind the first few times you visit - if it ever stops blowing your mind, that is. It's astonishingly beautiful, presenting an almost alien landscape unlike anywhere else in the entire state. There is an amalgamation of awesome hiking trails in Indiana, some right here at the park. Take the little-known hiking path known as the Paul H. Douglas Trail, a 3.5-mile trek through some truly exceptional landscapes.

Entry into Indiana Dunes National Park will cost you a little bit of money—$25 per car—but I promise that every penny is worth it. (Our advice? Grab an America The Beautiful pass for the year. It grants access to all the national parks in the U.S. and pays for itself in just a couple visits!) Park at the Paul H. Douglas Center and head counterclockwise (north); the trail will eventually curve west and meander around the wetlands.

This path is amazingly beautiful in the winter. Sure, it gets all the publicity during the spring and summer thanks to some truly awesome wildflowers, but the winter wonderland it transforms into before all that is also worthy of a day trip (or longer—turn it into a whole weekend if you'd like). Winter in Indiana is an undoubtedly chilly, if not downright frigid, time of year - but I promise our hiking trails make it oh-so-dreamlike.

Wildlife is commonly spotted on this hike, though in the winter, this might be muted a smidge as (almost) everyone has moved south for the season. Lake Michigan is the main event here (other than the sand dunes,) though I also absolutely love the various small ponds and wetlands you'll discover peppering the landscape along the way.

During this hike, you'll wander through a few biomes, from wetlands sure to amaze to ultra-rare (no matter where you are or are from) black oak savanna, gorgeous open dunes, and a wonderful beach so beautiful and endless it rivals the ocean any day.

The trail is rated as moderately challenging, and hikers should remember that there's very little shade along the way. Doing the hike in winter doesn't matter in this regard - be sure to pack plentiful water anyway. It's very important, especially considering the overall lack of shade or sheltered areas. It's an out-and-back hike where you'll wander out to the lake and then back - and every step is worth it.

For more information about this amazing little-known hiking path in Indiana, be sure to check out the official Paul H. Douglas Trail AllTrails listing. Don't forget to stay warm - check out our awesome ultimate winter packing list.

Do you have a favorite hiking trail in Indiana you'd consider doing first thing this year? Tell me about it in the comments!