Another beautiful August day exploring the Lake Michigan shoreline with Murphy! I love heading up to this part of Indiana, finding new beaches, hiking trails, and little towns to explore along the way.
This trip took us around Indiana Dunes National Park, Beverly Shores, Central Beach, and Michigan City, with a stop in Three Oaks, Michigan, before heading home.
Hiking the Paul H. Douglas Trail
One of the main adventures of the day was hiking the Paul H. Douglas Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park.
Murphy and I hiked 3.6 miles, and it was definitely more challenging than I expected! There was quite a bit of deep sand along the trail, which made walking much harder, especially in the August heat.
Walking through sand for that long is quite the workout! But the trail was beautiful, with wooded sections, dune grasses, and views of Lake Michigan.
I love photographing the different landscapes around the dunes. The mix of sandy trails, green vegetation, and blue water makes this area so pretty in the summer.
Murphy was a trooper, although I think we were both ready for a break after that hike!
Beverly Shores, Central Beach & Lakeshore Drive
After our hike, we spent more time exploring some of my favorite areas along Lake Michigan.
I really love Beverly Shores and Central Beach. The shoreline is beautiful, and I enjoy driving along Lakeshore Drive, stopping at different spots to photograph the water and dunes.
There are so many little beaches along this stretch of Indiana, each with a slightly different view of Lake Michigan.
I especially love the contrast between the sandy dunes, beach grasses, and the blue water. On a sunny summer day, it's hard to beat.
Murphy got to spend some time along the water, too. I always love getting photos of him with Lake Michigan in the background.
A Stop in Three Oaks, Michigan
We also made our way to Three Oaks, Michigan, to walk around downtown.
Three Oaks is a cute little town with some interesting shops and colorful buildings. I enjoyed walking around with my camera and checking out the storefronts.
Froehlich's is a neat place to visit if you're exploring the area. I love finding places like this when I'm out driving through small towns.
It's fun to combine a day of hiking and exploring nature with a stop in a town I haven't spent much time in.
Another Day Along Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan continues to be one of my favorite places to explore in the Midwest. I love the beaches, scenic drives, hiking trails, and all the little towns along the shoreline.
This was a full day of hiking, photography, and exploring with Murphy. The sandy trails definitely gave us more of a workout than expected, but I'm glad we did it.
There are still so many stretches of Lake Michigan I'd love to explore, and I'm always looking forward to the next trip.
Photography and adventures by Dawn Bergeron
