Indiana

Wolf Lake

Wind Directions: W, SW, S

Directions: (From I-90 Skyway heading East) Take I-90 to rte 41 exit (Indianapolis Drive). Follow the exit down the ramp and continue to head straight. Go up a few lights past the Horseshoe Casino entrance. Rte 41 will make a right turn. Follow route 41 to the right, and head down about one mile to the Wolf Lake park entrance on the right-side of the road. There’s a light at the entrance. Park and rig up on the grassy launch area. Note: the winds here are usually pretty gusty. Please avoid this lake if you can!

Whihala Beach County Park

Wind Directions: W, NW, N, NE, E

Whihala County Park Office is 219-659-4015 for e-coli readings or beach closing information.
Directions: Follow I90 out of Chicago to Indianapolis Blvd (Rte 41 exit off the skyway). Exit and continue going straight. Go up a few lights to the big Horseshoe Casino entrance (can’t miss it – big horseshoe sign on the right). Make a right and go over the bridge and then keep going past the casino to the end where there is a parking entrance. Park in the lot and walk to the beach. The lifeguards here are keeping the NW side (closest side) of the beach free of swimmers and sunbathers open for kiting activity which is very nice. In the sumer, its a great spot to go to get attention from all the boats visiting the casino. There is a very large brick support with a pipe running in shallow water about 50 feet out to watch for, but other than that, the spot is great and wide open with hardly anyone, ever. You can also rig just past the pipe, to the East, on NW winds, or N winds, you will be just downwind of the pipe.

Miller Beach (Marquette Park)

Wind Directions: W, NW, N, NE, E

Directions:  (From 294/80/94) Miller Beach sits East right next to Lake Street Beach. Exit I294/80/94 at Ripley St (51) just east of Gary. (there is a large McDonalds on the right side north of the highway for some quick grub). Go North on Ripley and turn left on the main road…Ripley ends at this road in a T intersection, so you have to turn. Now heading West, turn right, which is North, at the Marathon Gas Station (its about .25 mile). There is a small Brown Park sign here…Hobart Rd. Hobart winds through the woods and over some rough tracks for a bit. You will come up to the second or third street and turn right, this is Grand Ave. It is a 3 way intersection into a four lane road (there is a stop sign here, too)…now going North on Grand you just keep driving until you enter Marquette Park in about 8 blocks. The Park drive is a one-way loop so you cannot miss it. The best place to go is to the West-end of the beach, which is past the “Miller Bathing Pavilion”. This pavilion looks like a miniature Soldier Field (parthenon with columns) so you cannot miss it. Immediately past this building is a forked drive to the right from the park loop. It veers off at about a 30 degree angle to the right, right in front of the Bathing Pavilion, so don’t miss it. Take this road straight, which leads to a large parking lot beyond the bushes. This west area is away from the lifeguards and main people areas.

After riding at Miller or Lake Street Beaches, a good place to hit up for some beers is Three Floyd’s off Calumet. Take 80-94 West toward Chicago, get off at Calumet South. Take this 2.6 miles to Superior and go right (West), to Industrial. Make a left and its on the right about a half block up.

Directions:  (From I90 – skyway) leaving Chicago, take the skyway to the I65/Rte 12 exit in Indiana (the same exit as I65 to Indianapolis). After you pay the $0.15 toll and loop around, take the first right to Rte 12 East. Take Rte 12 East for about 2-3 miles (a few lights) to Lake Street and make a left (there is a McDonalds restaurant on the opposite right corner at this intersection). Lake Street winds through the town (don’t speed – lots of cops!) and through some woodsy area for a bit. You will come up to a stop sign at Hemlock Ave. You will see the lake in front of you at this point. Make a right on Hemlock and follow it to the end. Make a left at the stoplight at the dead-end and you enter Marquette Park in about 1/2 a block. The Park drive is a one-way loop so you cannot miss it. You will hit another stop light after 1/4 mile. Make another left into the parking areas at the beach. The best place to go is to the West-end of the beach, which is past the “Miller Bathing Pavilion”. This pavilion looks like a miniature Soldier Field (parthenon with columns) so you cannot miss it. Immediately past this building is a forked drive to the right from the park loop. It veers off at about a 30 degree angle to the right, right in front of the Bathing Pavilion, so don’t miss it. Take this road straight, which leads to a large parking lot beyond the bushes. This west area is away from the lifeguards and main people areas. If you miss the forked drive off to the right, you’ll have to drive around again. During the summer, there is no parking fee for Miller Beach.

Lake Street Beach

Wind Directions: W, NW, N, NE, E

Directions: (From 80/94) Just West of Miller, it is a good spot on West winds in the spring/fall since there is no parking fee and you can pull up right to the sand. Exit I294/80/94 at Ripley St (51) just east of Gary. (there is a large McDonalds on the right side north of the highway for some quick grub). Go North on Ripley and turn left on the main road…Ripley ends at this road in a T intersection, so you have to turn. Now heading West, turn right, which is North, at the Marathon Gas Station (its about .25 mile). There is a small Brown Park sign here…Hobart Rd. Hobart winds through the woods and over some rough tracks for a bit. You will come up to the second or third street and turn right, this is Grand Ave. It is a 3 way intersection into a four lane road (there is a stop sign here, too)…now going North on Grand you go straight to Hemlock Ave. Make a left on Hemlock Avenue. Go up to the stop sign (about 1/2 mile up) and make a right on Lake Street. Follow Lake Street to the water and the beach where there’s public parking. (From I90/94 – skyway) leaving Chicago, take the skyway to Rt. 20 in Indiana (just after I65). Take I20 East to Lake Street and make a left and follow it to the beach. (From I90 Skyway from Chicago) leaving Chicago, take the skyway to the I65/Rte 12 in Indiana (the same exit as I65 to Indianapolis). Take Rte 12 East a few miles to Lake Street (a few streetlights up) and make a left (there is a McDonalds restaurant on the opposite right corner at this intersection). Lake Street winds through the town (don’t speed – lots of cops!) and through some woodsy area for a bit. Follow all the way to the beach. During the summer season, there is a parking fee for Lake Street Beach. After summer, no parking fee and parking right on the beach.

On the road out, there’s a Cafe 444 right at the first stop sign. Great food at this place.

After riding at Miller or Lake Street Beaches, another good place to hit up for some beers is Three Floyd’s off Calumet. Take 80-94 West toward Chicago, get off at Calumet South. Take this 2.6 miles to Superior and go right (West), to Industrial. Make a left and its on the right about a half block up.

Michigan City Beach

Wind Directions: WSW, W, NW, N, NE

Directions: Take I90 or I294/I80/94 from the city south around the lake through Northern Indiana to the Michigan border. Michigan City exit is off I94 just before the border and clearly marked (Rte 421). Exit to the right and loop around heading north on 421 through town. You will see two large American flags, as you first enter, giving you a good indication of the wind here. Head though town to the harbor, which is straight ahead. At 9th street, there is a stop sign. Make a right on 9th and go up to the next street and make a left. This will take you right into the harbor. Enter the beach/harbor (it is a one way entry and exit) and follow over the drawbridge into the park area. The best place to park is in the second lot, at the Zoo. Enter the Zoo ($2-5 parking in summer) and proceed to the end, where there is a small bathroom house on the left of the parking drive. There is a small park and playground on the right. Park there and take the walkway to the beach that is just before the small bathroom house. This area is away from the crowds, being between the main beach that is to the left and the condo beach that is to your right. There is plenty of room to rig and launch kites here during summer season. In the spring and fall, it is acceptable to launch and ride under the protection of the jetty, but don’t ride up near any bathers that are still hanging out.

Mount Baldy State Park

Wind Directions: WSW, W, NW, N, NE

Directions: Take I90 or I294/I80/94 from the city south around the lake through N. Indiana toward the Michigan border. Michigan City exit is off I94 just before the border and clearly marked. Exit to the right and loop around heading north through town. You will see two large American flags, as you first enter, giving you a good indication of the wind here. Head though town to the harbor, which is straight ahead. Before entering the harbor, take the last left-hand turn you can take (this is a 4 lane road and I think its route 12, or Red Arrow Hwy.). When you make this left, you should be staring right at a cooling tower for the coal energy plant (this has been mistaken for a nuclear tower by many, including me, until I learned the truth). Pass this tower and go about another mile, you will cross over some tracks with some empty railroad cars sitting on the right, and about 500 yards past the tracks, on the right there will be a sign and small entrance to Mt. Baldy’s parking area. This beach is located to the Southwest of the harbor and breakwall/tower. Parking is free and you have to climb a 50 foot dune to get to the beach, so be sure your gear is in a backpack and you’re traveling light!