Submitted by: Stephen Lehman
For the busy adventurer Location: https://goo.gl/maps/cnp2hCwe6oz Cost: Free Hours: Always Open What to expect: Easy parking, a great view of the Chicago skyline, and a very large beach.
Porter Beach is located just west of Indiana Dunes State Park. It is so close that it is very easy to walk to the the main beach in the State Park where you can find a shower house, concession building, and even a sledding hill for the winter. Some of the photos I took include areas found in the the state park.
Driftwood
After walking onto the beach, the first thing I noticed was this large piece of driftwood. This type of wood has always fascinated me. It’s name is not derived from the tree it came from or even it’s seed; it comes from the water, another force in nature entirely. This unorthodox object gets lots of attention because of its smooth texture and decorative appeal. Driftwood can also become the foundation for a sand dune. There are so many interesting facts about driftwood. What do you use driftwood for? Comment below.
Backyard
As usual, after I spotted the large dune to the south, I just had to climb it. At this point I am about half way in between Porter Beach and the Indiana Dunes State Park beach. Once I got to the top, I realized that Porter Beach is a bit of a “backyard” so to speak. Small trails and even a few houses lined the back portion of Porter Beach. I plan on walking down some of the trails at some point. There are so many interesting landmarks and oddities that I can’t wait to check out.
The Stairs
As I walked further east, I found a set of stairs among another structure that looked like an almost handicap accessible (construction has been in the works for over a year now) lookout tower. I’m anxious to see this finished. The stairs lead to a parking lot next to the state park beach.
Gloomy Water
The sun was starting to go down (even though it wasn’t visible behind the dismal clouds) so I decided to walk the beach front on the way back. Over and over I would walk up to the shoreline and wait for a wave to roll in, clicking my shutter button time and time again. I knew that I would eventually score a nice shot. I ventured out here the day before our first snow, so it was beginning to get very cold, which set the mood for the photo shoot. The water was very gloomy and so was the sky. The browns of the beach grass mixed with the deep aqua of the lake made for a killer color combination.
All in all, Porter Beach is a beautiful place. I am anxious to come back when the warmth returns to us.
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