Parking
Use one of the three paved public lots at the Portage Lakefront pavilion, 100 Riverwalk Road. Park only in designated spaces; roadside parking can damage the fragile dune habitat.
Overview
About Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Trail
Why go
- An easy paved loop links restored dunes, Lake Michigan and a boardwalk.
- Pavilion restrooms and drinking water are available at the start.
Heads up
- One stair section breaks wheelchair access through the full loop.
- Industrial buildings remain visible across part of the waterway.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Indiana Dunes map
Full mapElevation580–611 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Indiana Dunes alerts
- ClosurePortage Lakefront trail section closedMentions this trailThe section of the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Trail along Burns Waterway is closed because erosional damage has made it unsafe.Official details
- CautionLake Michigan water safety after stormsMentions Lake Michigan, referenced in this guideAfter recent storms, E. coli levels are likely to exceed safe swimming standards; do not enter Lake Michigan after heavy rainfall or when a health-hazard warning is posted.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Indiana Dunes Tour Guide
Your drive to Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Indiana Dunes National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Indiana Dunes audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk0:00 / 0:30
“You're coming up on Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk, an easy place for a short walk beside the lake. The shore has a beach and pier, though industrial buildings remain part of the view.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Indiana Dunes Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Woman Behind Diana
- The Sundew’s Sticky Trap
- Tolleston Dunes: An Old Shoreline
- A Flower That Makes Heat
- 51 audio storiesacross Indiana Dunes’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bald Eagle, Sandhill Crane, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 34 trails, 30 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Trail
An easy lakefront loopPortage Lakefront and Riverwalk Trail is a 0.
Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Trail is a 0.9-mile loop from the pavilion: a paved path through restored dune habitat, then a boardwalk return along Burns Waterway. Allow about 45 minutes. It’s a good pick for a short, easy walk beside Lake Michigan; expect a developed waterfront rather than a remote dune hike.
Follow the loop in this orderFrom the pavilion, take the trail south on the east side of the road off the traffic circle.
From the pavilion, take the trail south on the east side of the road off the traffic circle. It winds through restored dunes. After about half a mile, cross the road, go down one flight of stairs, and head north on the boardwalk beside Burns Waterway back to the pavilion. The route is nearly flat, with about 39 feet of gain.
A shoreline shaped by industryThe public lakefront opened in 2008 on land once used for steel-industry settling ponds and a…
The public lakefront opened in 2008 on land once used for steel-industry settling ponds and a sewage-treatment facility. The restored dune walk and Lake Michigan views make this a worthwhile stop, though the industrial buildings remain part of the view across the waterway.
Lake, birds and winter iceThe open shoreline is a good place to watch clouds build over Lake Michigan.
The open shoreline is a good place to watch clouds build over Lake Michigan. The park points out migrating birds in spring and summer and shelf ice along the beach edge in winter. High lake levels and storms can change trail conditions quickly.
Pavilion and accessThere are three paved parking lots at the pavilion, with restrooms and drinking water available…
There are three paved parking lots at the pavilion, with restrooms and drinking water available when the pavilion is open. Its snack bar is seasonal. A pass is required for the site. Pets may walk the trail on a leash no longer than six feet, but aren’t allowed inside the pavilion. Most of the loop is wheelchair accessible; the stairs at the southern end interrupt access through the full route.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Indiana Dunes
85 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
48 sightingsSandhill CraneMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
114 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
23 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
49 sightingsBeaverMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
13 sightingsBarred OwlMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Indiana Dunes. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
