Dune Ridge Trail

Dune Ridge packs a surprising punch for something you can knock out in under an hour. The trail climbs a forested dune — not the leg-shredding sand slog you might expect, but a proper wooded ridge with enough elevation change to earn its moderate rating. From the top, the reward is a sweeping panorama of wetlands and forest stretching south, a landscape that feels more like the Boundary Waters than a park wedged between Chicago and Gary. You'll pass through an almost absurd variety of habitats along the way: oak savanna, interdunal wetlands, and dense hardwood forest, all compressed into less than a mile. The diversity here is the real draw — birders and plant nerds will want to linger at every transition zone. Perfect for hikers who appreciate ecological variety over raw mileage.