Indiana / Porter County / Portage / Indiana Dunes National Park

West Beach Picnic Shelters

Closed — Open daily year-round from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm Central Time. Picnic shelters are reservable through Recreation.gov up to six months in advance for day use.

About

West Beach Picnic Shelters provides an exceptional day-use picnic experience at Indiana Dunes National Park along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The facility features 8 covered picnic shelters that are wheelchair accessible and reservable up to six months in advance through Recreation.gov. Each reservation allows day use from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm Central Time. The shelters are equipped with grills for cooking, and visitors may also bring approved portable grills. The West Beach area offers extensive amenities including year-round restrooms and potable water at the main parking lot, with seasonal restrooms, potable water, showers, and lockers available at the bath house. The large paved parking lot accommodates 600 cars and 20 buses or RVs. Visitors can enjoy beach access, swim in Lake Michigan during summer months, and explore the West Beach Trails including the popular Dunes Succession Trail with its 250 stairs offering sweeping lake views. The facility is located at 376 North County Line Road in Gary, Indiana, within the diverse 16,000-acre national park that features 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and 50 miles of hiking trails through dunes, wetlands, prairies, and forests. Pets are permitted on leash throughout the area except the lifeguarded swimming zone during summer.

Directions

376 North County Line Road, Gary, IN 46403. The facility is located within Indiana Dunes National Park at West Beach.

Nearby Campgrounds