Water Safety
Do not swim when rip current warnings are in effect—these currents can carry away even the strongest swimmer. If you do get caught in a rip current, don’t try to swim against it. Instead, swim parallel to the shoreline until you’re out of the current. We also don’t recommend swimming when there are large, crashing waves, as they can also cause rip currents. Lastly, avoid swimming when E. coli levels are high because the bacterium can cause sickness.
During summer months, lifeguards are stationed at West Beach within Indiana Dunes National Park and at the swimming beach in the Indiana Dunes State Park. Lifeguards are not present at other locations of the beach. Call 219-926-7561 followed by prompt #2 for information regarding E. coli levels.
Closures & Weather
If dangerous rip currents or high E. coli levels are present, Indiana Dunes State Park will bar people from entering the water, although guests may still enjoy the beach. Signs alerting the public about closures are placed at the main gate at 11AM on the day of the closure. In addition, the park advises people to visit the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office for rip current conditions along Lake Michigan and to visit the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and click on BeachGuard Online Monitoring System for E. coli closures and advisories.
The Indiana Dunes National Park beaches are accessible and open year-round; however, in the case of unsafe conditions, signs will be posted to indicate that swimming is prohibited.
Indiana Dunes FAQ
To help guide you, we’ve compiled a list of questions about our two main attractions: the Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes State Park.