Crews In The Wild

In July 2024, I visited Indiana Dunes and Cuyahoga Valley. These parks were my 15th and 16th national parks. I visited these parks during July 4th weekend which ended being packed of course. For this trip, I stayed in a hotel and did glamping. I planned it last minute and couldn’t find any campgrounds near the parks.

Day 1 I did the West Beach – Dune Succession Trail. This trail is 1.0 mile long. At the end of the trail is a spectacular view of Lake Michigan and Chicago. The beach was full of people because it was July 4th so everybody and their momma was there.

Day 2 I spent more time exploring Indiana Dunes. I hiked the 3 Dune Challenge. This is 1.5 miles long. It is a loop trail that takes you to the tops of Mt. Jackson, Mt. Holden, and Mt. Tom. Now these mounts are just tall sand dunes so it’s not much elevation. This trail gives great views of Lake Michigan as well. After visiting the dunes, I relaxed at the beach and read a book.

Day 3 I drove to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I planned out my trails before heading to my glamping site. I stayed at Valley Overlook in Peninsula, Ohio. The glamp site was $115 a night. It included a bed, fire pit, outdoor chairs, and walking distance to an outhouse with showers. It is less than 10 minutes from Cuyahoga Valley.

Day 4 I spent the whole day hiking. My first trail was Blue Hen Falls. This trail is 3 miles round trip.

Afterwards, I hiked Bradywine Falls and Gorge Trail. This trail is 2.2 miles long. This trail takes you to the beautiful Bradywine Falls.

Thanks for coming along with me on another national park adventure. See y’all next time.

Yours truly,

Crews In The Wild