From Trails to Museums: Experience Indiana’s Cool North Heritage
Posted on October 1, 2025 by Dina Miller
Indiana’s Cool North is rich with history, offering travelers a journey through time. Explore historic sites like the Barker Mansion and Buckley Homestead, wander scenic heritage trails in Amish Country and Indiana Dunes Indigenous Cultural Trail. Celebrate diverse ethnic heritage through cultural events, museums, and community festivals, while strolling charming small towns. From Native American roots to immigrant influences, history and culture come alive across this northern Indiana region.
From Lake Michigan to Legacy: The Diana of the Dunes Dare
The Diana of the Dunes Dare is a hiking challenge at Indiana Dunes National Park’s West Beach, honoring Alice Mabel Gray, known as “Diana of the Dunes.” Gray, a former Chicago intellectual, lived alone in the dunes in the early 1900s, advocating for their preservation. The dare follows the Dune Succession Trail, a 0.9-mile loop showcasing four stages of dune development. Hikers ascend numerous stairs to reach a scenic overlook with views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline
For information on nearby lodging. and Dunes Deals. Request a destination guide of the Indiana Dunes
- 25 Minutes to South Shore
- 35 Minutes to Michigan City
- 75 Minutes to Elkhart County
