Indiana Dunes National Park
Managed by National Park Service
1,892 acres6.8 mi of trail
Paul H. Douglas TrailOak Ridge Place
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
AOutdoors
Outdoors in Calumet Township
Calumet Township has 51 miles of mapped trails, 0.8 for every square mile of land
91% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Indiana Dunes National Park (6.8 mi), Marquette Park (2.2 mi), Pine Station Nature Preserve (1.5 mi). 3,056 acres are parks and preserves, 34 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns · #16 of 593 in Indiana. What drives it
Conserved land
9%
3,478 acres · of 61.4 sq mi of land
Trails
51 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,056 ac
34 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
91%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
26 mi
1.4 mi lanes · 25 mi paths
Highest peak
702 ft
Mount Lieber
Lakes & rivers
21
7 beaches · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Calumet Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Calumet Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Calumet Township is ahead of 88% of U.S. towns, #16 of 593 in Indiana. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, conserved land lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Calumet Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land9% of the land · typical IN town 2% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (51 mi) · IN 0.1 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land34 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,056 acres) · IN 10 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home91% of residents within a half mile of a park · IN 51% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 88%
LessMore
Indiana towns of 2,500+ (593)Ahead of 97%
Few Indiana towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Calumet Township’s 9% is ahead of 91% of Indiana towns, while its trails per square mile lead 93% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Indiana Dunes National Park, with 6.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Marquette Park
Managed by City of Gary
241 acres2.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Pine Station Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
258 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Lake Etta County Park
Managed by Lake County Parks
96 acres1.2 mi of trail
Fitness Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Gleason Park
Managed by City of Gary
219 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve
Managed by Shirley Heinze Land Trust
52 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Three Rivers County Park
Managed by Lake County Parks & Recreation
18 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Central Park
Park
14 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 64 parks & preserves
Indiana Dunes National Park1,892 acres · 6.8 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsMarquette Park241 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · City of Gary
DirectionsPine Station Nature Preserve258 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
Lake Etta County Park96 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Lake County Parks
DirectionsGleason Park219 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Gary
DirectionsIvanhoe South Nature Preserve52 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Shirley Heinze Land Trust
DirectionsThree Rivers County Park18 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Lake County Parks & Recreation
DirectionsCentral Park14 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Seberger Park10 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Gary
DirectionsHatcher Park23 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Gary
DirectionsIronwood Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Gary
DirectionsGibson Fields3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Gary
Bayless Dune Nature Preserve15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Shirley Heinze Land Trust
Cheever Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Froebel Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Gary
DirectionsPulaski Playground4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Gary
Hoosier Prairie State Nature Preserve243 acres · Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Ivanhoe Dune and Swale Nature Preserve126 acres · The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsGaylord Butterfly Preserve118 acres
Chase Street Conservation Area82 acres
Clark and Pine Nature Preserve43 acres
M.C. Bennett Park37 acres · City of Gary
U.S. Steel Oxbow Tract35 acres
Compensatory Wetland Mitigation Property31 acres
Brunswick Park27 acres · City of Gary
Oak Ridge Prairie County Park26 acres
South Park18 acres
Tolleston Park16 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsGreen Heron Pond Nature Preserve15 acres · Shirley Heinze Land Trust
DirectionsGibson Woods Nature Preserve14 acres · Lake County Parks & Recreation
Hobart Marsh — Bailey tract13 acres
Roosevelt Park12 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsNorton Park9 acres · City of Gary
Junedale Fields8 acres
Borman Square Park8 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsBuffington Park7 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsAmbridge Mann Park6 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsPatcher Park6 acres
DirectionsEast Glen Park5 acres · City of Gary
Woodland Park5 acres
Howe Park5 acres · City of Gary
Reed Park5 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsJackson Park4 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsGateway Park4 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsAetna Park4 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsPittman Square Park3 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsFranklin Field3 acres
Carolina Park3 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsTot Park3 acres
DirectionsRutledge Totlot3 acres · City of Gary
Glen Ryan Park2 acres · City of Gary
Knox Park2 acres · City of Gary
Nichols Place1 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsJune LaBroi Park1 acres · City of Gary
Idle Hour Park1 acres · City of Gary
Elsie's Park1 acres
Marshalltown Playground1 acres · City of Gary
Kieon Henderson Park1 acres · City of Gary
DirectionsGoodson Park1 acres
DirectionsTarrytown Playground1 acres · City of Gary
Spring Park1 acres
Aetna Playground 21 acres · City of Gary
Central Drive Totlot1 acres · City of Gary
3rd & Dallas Playlot1 acres
Who protects it
3,478 conserved acres
9% of Calumet Township’s land. Who manages Calumet Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
National Park Service1,735 ac
Town or city658 ac
State natural resources538 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits166 ac
Private owners150 ac
County143 ac
Joint75 ac
National Park · 1,695 acLocal Park · 838 acState Conservation Area · 552 acConservation Easement · 169 acPrivate Park · 150 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 129 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Dunes National Park National Park | National Park Service | 1,695 | Open |
| Pine Station Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 257 | Restricted |
| Marquette Park Local Park | Town or city | 181 | Open |
| Hoosier Prairie - Gaylord North State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 128 | Restricted |
| Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 111 | Restricted |
| Gleason Park Local Park | Town or city | 109 | Open |
| Ivanhoe Dune And Swale Fee Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 107 | Closed |
| Gleason Park Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 105 | Open |
| Lake Etta County Park Local Park | County | 98 | Open |
| Ivanhoe Nature Preserve Local Park | Land trusts & nonprofits | 52 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
143 places to go in Calumet Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Calumet Township
Buffington Harbor Beach
DirectionsEast ShorelineIn Marquette Park
DirectionsLake Street BeachIn Marquette Park
DirectionsMarquette BeachIn Marquette Park
DirectionsPlus 3 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Calumet Township
Nature Play AreaIn Indiana Dunes National Park
Directions115 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Calumet Township
2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Calumet Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Fishing spots in Calumet Township
Lake County Fish and Game Protective Association
DirectionsPlus 3 fishing spots without a name on the map.
Peaks in Calumet Township
Mount Lieber702 ft elevation
DirectionsChanute Hill640 ft elevation · In Marquette Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Calumet Township
12 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
2 named trails and 21 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 6.5 mi
Paul H. Douglas Trail2.1 mi
Fitness Trail0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Back LakelakeBongi borrow pitpondEast Breakwater ArealakeEast Grand Calumet LagoonGeorgia-Pacific LagoonlakeGreen Heron PondpondLake EttalakeMiddle Grand Calumet LagoonNorthwest PondPond 1pondPond 2pondPond 3pondPond 4pondRalston Street LagoonreservoirSerenity LakepondSouth Blast Furnace Recycle BasinreservoirStockton PondpondTerminal LagoonWest Grand Calumet LagoonGrand Calumet RiverLittle Calumet River
Biking & sports
26 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.4 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
25 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
77Basketball
54Tennis
33Baseball
26Tracks
11Pickleball
9Football
6Soccer
2Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Calumet Township: April, August and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 33 | 36 | 47 | 59 | 70 | 80 | 83 | 82 | 76 | 63 | 49 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.3 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Calumet Township →
Next door
Calumet Township and its neighbors
Calumet Township has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Calumet Township51 miGary49 miNorth Township42 miSt. John Township16 miHobart Township11 miHighland8.2 miGriffith4.6 miLake Station3.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calumet Township | 9% | 0.8 | 34 | 91% | A |
| Gary | 9% | 1.0 | 41 | 95% | A |
| Hobart Township | 7% | 0.4 | 24 | 87% | A− |
| North Township | 6% | 0.8 | 14 | 98% | A− |
| Griffith | 15% | 0.6 | 37 | 95% | A |
| Highland | 12% | 1.2 | 21 | 99%+ | A |
| St. John Township | 7% | 0.4 | 14 | 86% | B+ |
| Lake Station | 5% | 0.4 | 13 | 93% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Calumet Township
Where can I hike in Calumet Township?
The longest trail networks: Indiana Dunes National Park, 6.8 miles; Marquette Park, 2.2 miles; Pine Station Nature Preserve, 1.5 miles; Lake Etta County Park, 1.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Calumet Township is conserved land?
9% of its land, against a typical 2% for an Indiana town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Calumet Township’s trails?
Indiana Dunes National Park and Marquette Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Calumet Township?
26 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.4 of painted or protected lanes and 25 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Calumet Township?
20,971 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Calumet Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,056 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Calumet Township have?
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #16 of 593 in Indiana. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Calumet Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →