Sand dunes can’t compete in size with the mountains on this list, but seeing natural mounds of sand standing nearly 200 feet high is quite the spectacle. Indiana Dunes National Park has 3 such dunes (Mount Tom, Mount Holden, Mount Jackson), but the majority of visitors come to swim and enjoy the beach.

For 15 miles along the south shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes National Park’s sandy beaches connect with bogs, marshes, swamps, rivers, and forests to provide an array of ecosystems and activities, among thousands of plant and animal species.

Swimming, hiking, camping, fishing, bird watching, and even cross country skiing are some of the reasons people travel from near and far to visit Indiana Dunes National Park, which officially became a US National Park in 2019. The park is 25 miles long altogether including the fully encompassed Indiana Dunes State Park.