About
Length1 mi
ShapeLoop
DifficultyEasy
Elevation gain200 ft up
Typical time15 min
TrailheadWest Beach, Portage
Surface270 stairs and open sand
Best seasonYear round. Spring and autumn migration are the birding peaks; summer beaches are busy and winter is bleakly beautiful.
DogsLeashed / limited stretches
What you'll see ⛰️ Summit🌄 Big views🌼 Wildflowers

A stair climb up through every stage of dune succession, ending with the Chicago skyline across the water.

Tips
Two hundred and seventy stairs, and the view from the top takes in the Chicago skyline forty miles away across the lake. There is a beach parking fee at West Beach in season.
🎒 What to pack

A 1 mi walk — here's the short list worth having in the pack.

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Trail data: USGS National Map / PAD-US, the National Park Service, state agencies, and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Access and conditions change — check with the managing agency before you go.