Indiana Dunes National Park now requires entrance fee

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Dunes National Park will require an entrance fee beginning Thursday.

The new fee was put in place to help the park with funding for parking information improvements, deferred maintenance projects and visitor services.

Costs will depend on the method of entrance into the park.

For those walking, biking or boating into the park, it will cost $15 per person to enter (maximum of $25 per family). Entering via motorcycle will cost $20 per person.

A vehicle pass which lasts between one and seven days will cost $25.

Frequent visitors can purchase an annual park pass for $45. Annual passes can be purchased at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, the Paul H. Douglas Center and online at www.recreation.gov/sitepass/indu.

These fees are only for the national park and do not include Indiana Dune State Park.

You can enter the state park without entering the national park at it's only entrance at the northern terminus of State Road 49.

The state park charges a daily entrance fee per car for almost the entire year ($7 for Indiana plates, $12 for out of state plates).