Pinhook Upland Trail

The Pinhook Upland Trail highlights a rich beech and maple forest growing on top of a glacial moraine. The Pinhook Bog is visible from parts of the trail.

Free parking and access. There is a seasonal porta-potty from early May through early November, but no potable water source. This trail is not wheelchair accessible. Mosquitoes can be abundant along this trail during the summer. Use insect repellent, wear long sleeves, and tuck long pants into socks to avoid ticks and poison ivy.

Please note that the Pinhook Bog Trail has restricted access. Information on the bog trail can be found on the Pinhook Bog Trail page.

The Pinhook area features two very different habitats. The Upland Trail highlights a rich beech and maple forest growing on top of a glacial moraine formed about 15,000 years ago. The Pinhook Bog Trail leads to a depression in the moraine created when a large piece of ice broke off the melting glacier.

The Upland Trail starts from the east end of the parking lot. The trail is lollipop shaped and easy to follow. The recommend route is to run the loop in a clockwise direction. The trail rolls though the glacial moraine with a packed dirt surface.

The national lakeshore was established in 1966 to preserve for the educational, inspirational, and recreational use of the public, certain portions of the Indiana Dunes and other areas of scenic, scientific, and historic interest and recreational value in the state of Indiana. About two million annual visitors enjoy the parks 15,000 acres of wetlands, prairies, sand dunes, oak savannas, forests, and historic sites. The parks beach hugs the southern shore of Lake Michigan from Gary, IN, to Michigan City, IN. For more information, visitnps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/….