Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk
Portage, IN
Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk is part of Indiana Dunes National Park, a former industrial site at the mouth of Burns Waterway reclaimed and opened in 2008. There's a sandy beach, a LEED Gold pavilion, an accessible fishing pier, and a restored 900 foot breakwater with steel mills visible just east. It's free.
An accessible, free beach with an interesting industrial backdrop, though it's not the prettiest in the park.
How we score beachesWalk out the breakwater to the end for views of the mills and the Chicago skyline.
Free parking at the site.
Paved paths and an accessible fishing pier make this one of the easiest park beaches to reach.
Summer brings swimmers and anglers. Stay off the breakwater in high waves.
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