December 2004: Exploring the Indiana Dunes

The Indiana Dunes are located on the south end of Lake Michigan. 15,000 acres of land in and around the dunes are preserved by the Indiana Dunes State Park, and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. This photo was taken near the top of Mt. Baldy, in the eastern part of the dunes area.

Much of the dunes area consists of native forests and marsh. Trails through these areas provide a little more solitude from the beach-going summer crowds, and are great for cross-country skiing in winter.

The protected portion of the dunes is interrupted somewhat by heavy industry. Steel mills and power plants located within and next to the dunes area provide a contrasted view of the landscape.

Morrow Grass gains a fleeting foothold in the ever-shifting sands near the lake shore. The West Beach visitor area features an interesting ecological trail that passes through the many ecological zones present among the dunes – from sand to grass to pine and oak forests.

In the cold of winter, ice forms, melts, breaks, and re-forms along the edge of the lake. This action can create a wide variety of dramatic natural sculptures. The unstable shelf ice can extend many meters from the shore – one has to take care not to wander too far from the true shoreline, which can be sometimes difficult to discern.

The melting and freezing cycles can also lead to the formation of a variety of icicles, often twisted and shaped by the wind and waves, and peppered with grains sand.

Here, some icicles form below some shoreline ice, just above beach pebbles.