Cowles Bog Trail

Cowles Bog packs a surprising amount of ecological drama into its nearly five miles. You'll start in dense woodland before dropping into a boggy lowland where the boardwalks keep your feet dry — most of the time. The trail threads through a patchwork of habitats that would make a botanist weep with joy: dark ponds ringed with sedges, marshy flats buzzing with dragonflies, and sun-dappled black oak savannas that feel more like the Ozarks than northwest Indiana. The route earns its moderate-to-strenuous rating not through brutal climbing but through soft, sandy stretches that sap your legs, especially on the final push to the Lake Michigan beach. That first glimpse of open water through the dune grass is your reward. This one's built for hikers who want variety over vertical — five distinct ecosystems in a single outing.