Trails for Hiking and Biking

Gary’s Miller Beach neighborhood sits at the heart of over 20 miles of interconnected biking and hiking trails. This trail system links the Miller South Shore station, the Indiana Dunes National Park, and Miller Beach’s main street shops and restaurants.

Bayless Dune Trail

Sandy. Take a scenic dune hike through wooded areas, dunes, and blow outs marked with interpretive signage. Located at 8975-9047 Indian Boundary Road, Gary, IN. Inside the Shirley Heinz Preserve in the northeast residential section of the Miller Beach neighborhood.

Photo Credit: Tom Cera

Marquette Park Loop

Paved. 1 1/2 mile. Bike path circling Marquette Park in with gorgeous views of Lake Michigan and oak savanna habitat. Passes the kayak launch on the Calumet Lagoon, the Marquette Pavilion, and the historic Gary Aquatorium.

Beachfront Trail

Sandy. Over five miles of beautiful public beaches are open year round for walking along the Lake Michigan. Trail begins at Miller Woods Beach and stretches east across the entire Miller Beach neighborhood. Public parking available Lake Street beach, Marquette Park Beach, Wells Street Beach and West Beach.

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Miller Woods Trail

Sandy. 1 1/2 mile. This trail connects to the Paul H Douglas Center and winds through oak savannas habitat, dune and swale habitat, across the Calumet Lagoon, thru sand dunes, and ends up on Miller Woods Beach, the westernmost beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park with gorgeous views of Chicago. It features an awe inspiring bloom of millions of lupines every May.

Chanute Trail

Paved. Connects Lake Street Beach and Marquette Beach. Extensive views of wetlands and open dunes, with peeks of Lake Michigan. The trailhead is accessible via the Lake Street and Marquette beach parking lots. Take any of the sandy paths north of the paved trail to access the beach.

Nelson Algren / Simone de Beauvoir Trail

Paved. Short connection to Marquette Park Pavilion from east end of Forest Avenue. Oak savanna & views of the Calumet Lagoon. Begins adjacent to the former home of Nelson Algren at the end of Forest Avenue near the Calumet lagoon.

Lake Street Cycle Track

Paved. Starts in downtown Miller Beach on Lake Street, at the South Shore’s Miller train station. A bike lane runs north on Lake Street, thru downtown Miller Beach. Man stores and restaurants have bike racks for your convenience. This trail connects to the Indiana Dunes National Park Paul H. Douglas Center in 10 short minutes from the train station.. Bikers and Hikers may continue north on Lake Street Cycle Track until they reach Lake Street Beach (Lake Michigan). There, it’s easy to connect to the Chanute Trail and into Marquette Park for scenic Lake Michigan views.

Paul H. Douglas Trail and ADA loop (Miller Woods)

Paved. Gorgeous views and trails through wooded areas and interdunal ponds. Lovely picnic areas with grills. Boardwalk trail leads hikers over a beautiful interdunal pond and marshlands. Small boardwalk trail loop is suitable for people with disabilities or families with strollers. Entrance at the Paul H. Douglas Center ( the western visitor center for the Indiana Dunes National Park). Hikers can follow the trail north to reach Lake Michigan and Miller Woods Beach.

This is the only section of the national park that features globally rare dune and swale topography. Because of it’s diverse habitats and rich history, the Indiana Dunes National Park chose to dedicate the park here in 2019.

Marqette Greenway Trail

Hard Pack/ Gravel. Beautiful views of Long Lake, scenic wetlands with beaver lodges, oak savannas, and forested dunes. Long, east- west trail connects to Miller Woods and West Beach. Cuts through the center of the Miller Beach neighborhood. Trail connections at Grand Avenue and Montgomery Streets about 1/2 mile south of the lake. Note: Grand Avenue to West Beach is great for bike riding. Grand Avenue to the Paul H. Douglas Center parking lot is good for hiking and not recommended for biking at this time. West of Lake Street is rough gravel.

The National Park Service has been seeding a pollinator trail on this greenway which creates colorful beauty through all of the bloom seasons.

West Beach - Indiana Dunes National Park

Sandy & Boardwalks. The West Beach area at Indiana Dunes National Park is located at the eastern end of the Miller Beach neighborhood. This is the site of “Diana of the Dunes Dare” famous Succession Trail (which inspired the theory of Ecological Succession). It starts at the beach and winds through dunes, pines, deciduous forest, and up many stairs to a scenic overview with panoramic views of the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan. The West Beach trails include The Long Lake Trail, the West Beach trail, and the Dune Succession Trails, which wind through wetlands and dunes. Listed as an Important Birding Area by the Audubon Society.

Diana of the Dunes (her real name was Mabel Gray) lived in this section of the national park but spent her time in the “Town of Miller”, now known as Miller Beach to see friends and get provisions.