Paws on the Sand

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Cowles Bog Trail

Dune Acres, Indiana · Indiana Dunes National Park

Dogs on a leash all year

Loop through wetland and dunes that reaches the Lake Michigan beach. 6-foot leash, even in the water.

Source: National Park Service, Indiana Dunes National Park: Pets. Checked October 28, 2026.

Follow the signs at the trailhead: parks can close areas to dogs for wildlife.

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Indiana Dunes National Park: the rule in full

Leashed pets (6 feet or less, even when swimming) are allowed all year on all park beaches, except the lifeguarded swim area at West Beach from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Not on the Pinhook Bog Trail or the equestrian part of Glenwood Dunes. Indiana Dunes State Park, inside the national park, has its own rules.

Dog walks nearby

Nearby beaches