Indiana Dunes State Park, Porter police and Indiana Dunes Tourism are alerting the public that 4th of July weekend is historically one of the busiest weekends at the Indiana Dunes.
People are advised that if the weather is warm and sunny on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday of 4th of July weekend, traffic backups are likely on Ind. 49, entering the park.
Brandt Baughman, park manager at Indiana Dunes State Park, said the peak hours for entering the park are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. He advises people to arrive earlier in the morning, or wait until about 3 p.m., which is the time when traffic usually clears up and many of the early arriving guests leave and free up parking spaces.
Baughman said guests can help speed up the entry process by paying with cash rather than a credit card.
Indiana Dunes Tourism Executive Director Lorelei Weimer said that West Beach, located on Lake/Porter County Line Road in Portage, like Dunes State Park, has extensive parking and is a good option for holiday weekends. Many of the beach access points with smaller parking lots fill up much earlier each day than West Beach or Dunes State Park.
The bottom line, said Porter Police Chief James Spanier, is to “stay patient and expect delays.”
Baughman said Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day weekends are generally the busiest weekends if the weather is good.