Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore recently completed the annual review and update of the Superintendent’s Compendium of rules and operating hours for the park. This year there are several significant changes that will have an effect on the public’s use of the park. These changes are designed to improve the experience of the visiting public and protect park resources.

The possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages in and around Dunewood Campground is now prohibited. The action was taken to improve public safety and sanitation and to promote a quieter, family-friendly camping experience, The National Lakeshore will extensively publicize this change over the upcoming camping season and park rangers will strictly enforce this prohibition. The campground will open for the season on April 1.

To ease the confusion over when different areas of the park are open, a single park-wide standard of 7:00 a.m. until dusk has been established for all gated parking areas in the National Lakeshore. Parking areas included in this new standard are the Douglas Center, Inland Marsh, Cowles Bog and Greenbelt, Bailly/Chellberg, Porter Beach, Ly-co-ki-we (Horse/Ski Trail), Kemil Beach, Dunbar, Lake View and Mount Baldy. West Beach is open from 7:00 a.m. until dusk except during the summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day when the hours are 9:00 a.m. to dusk. Central Avenue Parking Lot and the Tremont Picnic Area are also open during these hours, except between November 15 and April 15 when they are closed for the off-season.

To better serve the public during the spring season, the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center will switch to its extended hours approximately two weeks earlier than in previous years.

Beginning on May 14, the visitor center will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., seven days a week.

These extended hours will continue through Labor Day and then return to the standard hours of 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. each day.

Due to observed impacts upon the nesting bird population, the area of the Heron Rookery Unit north of the Little Calumet River is closed to all use, including fishing, from March 1 through August 31. The river itself and the south half of the unit remain open and fishing is permitted from the south bank or in the river itself.

Additional information on the Superintendent’s Compendium is available by calling the National Lakeshore’s Chief Ranger’s Office at 219-926-7561, extension 300.

Posted 3/20/2006