Mount Baldy Beach at Indiana Dunes National Park is open again after closing for several months, the National Park Service announced on Monday, June 15.
The sand dune attraction was closed while approximately 27,000 tons of sand was relocated to Crescent Beach in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ ongoing shoreline stabilization beach nourishment efforts, the NPS said in a news release.
The work helped address sand accumulation near visitor infrastructure that accumulated on and around the existing parking lot.
“Visitors should be aware that the reopening applies to the Mount Baldy access site, including the parking area and beach access route. The Mount Baldy summit and dune face remain closed due to ongoing safety concerns, including unstable sand conditions and the continued risk of sand collapse. Visitors must stay on designated routes and follow posted closures,” a news release from NPS reads.
The park will continue monitoring slope stability and slope response along the new dune face.
Where is Indiana Dunes National Park?
The national park spans an area along the southern tip of Lake Michigan across the Indiana lakeshore.
Mount Baldy is just off U.S. 12, south of the Michigan border, not far from New Buffalo.
Michigan City, Indiana, is located at the eastern edge of the park and Gary, Indiana, is at the western edge. The park lies north of U.S. 20 and along both sides of U.S. 12.
What can I do at the Indiana Dunes?
The Dunes, which recently became a national park, is home to a diverse range of wildlife over its 15,000 acres. According to the National Park Service website, among other activities, visitors can:
Indiana Dunes National Park admission
An entrance pass is required to enter the state park or national park area at the Indiana Dunes. It’s $15 per person; $20 for a motorcycle; or $25 for a private vehicle, and can be purchased on site or online. There’s also an annual national park pass for $45 and a National Park Service pass for $80.
Find more information about fees and passes at nps.gov.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: National park beach near Michigan reopens. What happened at Mount Baldy
Reporting by Jalen Williams, USA TODAY NETWORK / Detroit Free Press
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By Jalen Williams, USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Network
