Even if the Indiana Dunes National Park closes on October 1, the Indiana Dunes State Park will remain open and fully staffed during the federal government shutdown. Visitors will have full access to the park, its paths and the shoreline. Additionally, the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, staffed by employees of Indiana Dunes Tourism, a department of Porter County government, will also remain open.

“We’re disappointed to see any type of government shutdown, especially our National Park Service partner, which is an integral part of the Indiana Dunes area,” said Dustin Ritchea, the Production Director for Indiana Dunes Tourism, “but we want to remind visitors that the Indiana Dunes State Park’s trails and beach will remain open to the public. Also, the State Park and many other exciting opportunities, including our area’s communities, events and attractions, will still be available during this time.”

 The Indiana Dunes State Park, which encompasses over 2,182 acres of beach, dunes, marshes, swamps, hardwood forests and white pine groves, will not be affected by the government shutdown.

The park’s Nature Center and 16.5 miles of trails will continue to allow visitors to explore diverse habitats, learn about remarkable animals and see astonishing views of Lake Michigan.

The Indiana Dunes State Park is also home to Trail 9, which USA Today named one of the top scenic hikes in the nation, and the 3 Dune Challenge, a 1.5-mile challenge trail with 552 vertical feet to climb, including the three tallest sand dunes in the Indiana Dunes area.