Illinois Beach State Park beach hike, 6 miles with option for 2.5 or 4 miles

We last hiked here on 09/15/24 late Summer, lets try late Spring!

Directions:
Click on the map on the meetup app or use google map pin:
https://goo.gl/maps/ZEC6gHS5ea2Gw8Cy7

We are meeting in the Nature Center parking lot. From Sheridan road turn on to Wadsworth Road. At about half mile you will come to a stop sign as you enter the park. The Nature center is located about 1 mile further down the road.

Summary
According to expert Mike M https://chicagonaturenow.com
this is one of the best places to view wildflowers. What you will see depends on the season. His website says that in May and June wildflowers are predicted to be grand displays of lupines in the savannah and sandy areas and in the prairie coreopsis.

Flat trails over a variety of terrain including sand, packed dirt and gravel. Trails are all sizes and shapes from narrow foot path to wide areas. If you haven't walked on sand its a bit more work. Not all sand, but sections are maybe 15 percent sand. Full sun exposure on most trails and the hike is classified as savanna (sparse trees).

Hike 1 - 2.5 miles (Optional Water Hike)
Follow the dead river trail along a narrow footpath until it reaches Lake Michigan. Head over to the beach which has sand and gravel surfaces. Optional Water Hike! Feel free to take off your shoes and walk thru the lake barefoot if you want. If you do this then you should bring a towel or something to dry off your feet. We will stop periodically and wait for people to put their shoes back on when they want to get back on dry land again. This part of the hike will be slow paced to enjoy the lake and optionally walking in it. If waves are rough then this will not be an option. I walked this section outside water last week and saw people walking along and in the edge of lake. I'd like to walk in the lake even just for a bit and invite you to join me if conditions are safe.

Note: There are dangerous undertows in Lake Michigan and no life guards. I highly discourage swimming because of the risk involved. If you choose to do so then you are doing so at your own risk.

Hike 2: (add 1.5 miles cumulative 4 miles)
Hike the Oakridge trail and Dune Trail which will have some wildflowers blooming. The Dune trail wide crushed gravel. End up back in the parking lot.

Hike 3: (Add 1.8 miles cumulative ~6 miles)
The other side of the Dune trail and a designated beach trail which is a foot path not far from the beach. Dune trail wide crushed gravel as above. Beach trail follows very close to the beach and frequently a little higher up, 6 to 10 feet. Very narrow footpath with 1 to 2 foot high grasses on either side. Portions of this trail are sandy. A small sand dune ridge will be on the left (6 to 15 feet high). Right side of the trail is a vast expanse of open grass & not a whole lot of flowers. Will see a few sand dune blowouts which are created when wind carves a partial hole in a dune.

If time permits I'll go back and explore and add a few more miles for an additional hike.

This hike is cross posted with Trailblazers hiking group https://www.meetup.com/chicagoland-trailblazers-hiking-group/events/307598544
and my guest rsvp will include members of that group.

From the website
https://dnr.illinois.gov/parks/park.adelinejaygeo-karisillinoisbeach.html

"Illinois Beach is the only remaining beach ridge shoreline left in the state, with dunes and swales, sprawling marshes, forests of oak
and vast arrays of animal life and vegetation. More than 650 species of plants have been recorded in the dunes area alone,
including dozens of types of colorful wildflowers. Prickly pear cactus thrives in large colonies in the dry areas, and the wet prairies are carpeted with a wide variety of grasses and sedges. Large expanses of
marsh in the swales support dense stands of cattail, grasses, big bluestem and sedges. The sandy ridges are crowned by black
oak forests with an open, savanna-like appearance. For much of the year, a stream known as Dead River is blocked by sandbars formed by waves at the mouth of the river, creating a sluggish marshy habitat."