“The biodiversity alone is without question one of the reasons why it should be a national park,” said Weimer. “It is the fourth largest national park in the country.”

A bee flies around and pollinates the flowers along the path on the mountain. Holden in Indiana Dunes State Park.

The Indiana Dunes National Park in combination with the surrounding Indiana Dunes State Park attracts around 3.7 million visitors annually. Weimer said he ranks 7th among national parks nationwide, just behind Yellowstone and just before Acadia in Maine.

Although other travel destination options have opened up as coronavirus vaccinations have increased, visits to the dunes are expected to continue increasing this year.

“The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival sold out quickly,” said Weimer. “People have been pent up for more than a year and really want to get out.”

With so many people making visiting all of the national parks a bucket list, the Indiana Dunes are positioned to attract more visitors, especially from the Midwest, East Coast, and international markets. The top states for visitors were Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio in 2019.

Visitors also came from more than 64 countries, led by Canada, Germany, the UK, France and Italy. Canada surpassed Germany for the first time since the Dunes National Park was designated, Weimer said.

“Indiana is America’s crossroads,” she said. “It’s very easy to get to. About 50% of the country’s population can be reached within eight hours by car, and people who fly to Chicago can visit the national park.”