An Autumn Expanse


The Chellberg Farm sugar bush is an expanse of Fall color at this time of year. There are a few trails meandering through the woods, and each offers great views of the rolling landscape. Unlike the natural oak savanna in this area, these woods are more dense, cutting off distant views, but concentrating the color. 

This particular trail winds through the lower portion of the sugar bush, where a few small creeks flow.  Foot bridges cross the creeks and ravines, and some staircases assist with the steeper climbs, but the rest of the trail is the natural soil.


The bridges seem to divide the area into zones, and crossing them leads you into another micro environment within the park. The trails in this area are not strenuous, but more or less leisurely walks through a beautiful part of northern Indiana.

Descent Into Autumn

Descent Into Autumn

One of the most striking autumn hikes in the Indiana Dunes National Park is the Chellberg Farm trail through the sugar bush.  Planted decades ago by the land owners, these woods are primarily maple, and were used for their sap to make maple sugar. In autumn, these trees glow bright yellow-green, turning the woods into a magical place.

The trail winds through the rolling landscape, crossing several small creeks which tend to flow only after some rainfall.  The rain on this day darkened the sky and the forest floor, giving a nice contrast to the glowing leaves.

The Forest Floor

Because of the rainfall, I encountered only two other visitors walking the trails. Sometimes poor weather makes for great hikes.

Autumn Creek

I find it a bit unfortunate that visitors must keep to the trails and not wander off into the woods, but I completely understand why this is. Views such as this make me wish I could follow the valley between the hills, just to see what is beyond my view.

Overcast Over The Lake

Overcast Over The Lake

It's amazing how a bit of overcast weather will keep visitors away from Lake Michigan. Cloudy days make for empty parking lots, empty beaches, and even lighting for photographs. It seems that if the sun isn't shining brightly, people don't even think about heading to the beach, but they're missing out.

Soon, the cold winds will blow across the lake and discourage even more people from visiting. It may get very uncomfortable to walk along the shore, but winter can be one of the best times to explore and experience the beach.

Rocks and Reflection

The shore changes constantly with the wind and waves.  From a sandy beach to a rocky beach, to no beach when the waves are too high, it's never the same twice. The small streams that empty into the lake also change their path because of the waves -they can change 180 degrees in a day. These streams become obstacles when the weather turns cold, one can no longer simply walk across because the water is too cold, a narrow portion needs to be found in order to continue walking down the beach.  Many winter hikes have been cut short due to these streams.

Dune Valley

Dune Valley Our hike inland through the grassy and wooded dunes began at the beach, where we found a trail through the valley between two dunes. The size of the dunes don't show so well on the photos - they are much larger than they appear - especially when you hike up and down. We decided to head between the dunes for just a bit, then take the trail up the dune on the right side to hike the ridge all the way around the series of dunes near what is called the blowout. This time of year is perfect for hiking in the tall Marram grass. The temperature is a bit cooler for the climbing portions, and there are no ticks to worry about. Along with the ever-changing plants of the dunes, we always encounter some sort of animal or insect. We were once startled by a very loud turkey we surprised as we came over this ridge. He all of a sudden flapped his wings and screamed as he flew away, waking up every creature within a mile on a very quiet early morning. View From the Dune After taking the trail up the dune, we were able to view the valley floor, and the spot where the top photo was taken. Lake Michigan doesn't always appear this deep blue, most of the time it's a bit lighter in color. This is probably due to the time of year, time of day, and the overall weather conditions. It does, however, provide a great contrast to the sky and sand near it.

Beached on Beverly Shores

Beached on Beverly Shores Just a few steps away from the famous Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore's Century of Progress Homes, and across the street from the lakefront homes of Beverly Shores, these boats add some color to the landscape of green Marram Grass and tans sands. It's surprising to me that these boats are left untied so close to the unpredictable waters of Lake Michigan. While it's doubtful the waves ever reach this far up, anything is possible when the north winds kick up the lake. Ten foot waves are not unusual here, and these boats have been in this spot through so many heavy storms. Every so often, after a very windy storm, tons of wood, debris, and boats of all sorts, wash up on the beaches here, proving just how items along the shore can be washed away in a moment. The photo below shows the aftermath of one of those storms about five years ago. All Washed Up