Notre Dame Campus Hike
The on-campus hike will meet at 10:30 am in front of the Jordan Hall of Science. This guided walk will take you on a scenic route around the beautiful Notre Dame lakes and give you the opportunity to see several of the University’s iconic landmarks, including the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Golden Dome, and the Grotto.
Warren Dunes State Park Hike
Our primary hike will be at Warren Dunes State Park in Michigan, which is about 45 minutes away from Notre Dame on the shore of Lake Michigan.
Warren Dunes State Park is representative of the sand dunes that occur along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. These dunes are famous in ecological research for inspiring early ideas about ecological succession by Henry Cowles.
Bus transportation will be provided, leaving from the flagpoles at the south side of the stadium between 8:00 am and 8:30 am (buses will leave as they are filled) and leaving the park between 11:30 am and 12:00 pm to return to campus for the afternoon session at 1:15 pm.
There are multiple options for hikes at Warren Dunes State Park, as described below. Please note that some of the hikes are somewhat physically challenging due to portions that are steep and/or involve walking in sand. Please consider your physical condition in deciding which hike you select, especially given the limited time we have at the park. Anyone who does not return to the buses by 12:00 pm will have to find their own transportation back to campus.
Other factors to consider in preparation for the hike include that much (but not all) of the hiking here involves open sun. Sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses are strongly recommended, as is ample water. Trails at Warren Dunes State Park are not always clearly marked, especially near the beach. Downloading a map of the area around the park on Apple or Google Maps is recommended. You should also make sure that you are with one or more other conference attendees at all times while on the hike in the interest of safety.
Because the hike will occur at a park along the beach, swimming is an option but is not recommended and should be done at your own risk. Swimming in Lake Michigan can be dangerous at times. Please refer to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for more information about beach safety.
See below for descriptions of each hike!
Hike 1 – Lakefront Loop – 4 miles
The Lakefront Loop is an ideal choice if you are physically able and would like to experience the full spectrum of vegetation at the dunes, from beach to oak woodland. This guide on AllTrails provides an overview of this hike, although note that you would need to begin the hike from the parking lot at the point indicated with the yellow star in the map. We also feel that its estimated time of 1hr 25min may be overly optimistic. If you are in average physical condition and want to take some breaks and look at plants and birds along the way, it could take you as much as 3 hrs. Please keep an eye on the time to ensure you have enough time to return to the buses if you choose this hike.
Hike 2 – Warren Dunes Beach Trail – 3.2 miles
If the beach is your thing, the park has a 3-mile trail that goes up and down the beach! Given that this hike does not involve any change in elevation, it would be a good option for those who are not strong hikers or don’t want to worry as much about missing the bus back to Notre Dame. This guide on AllTrails provides an overview of this hike. Rather than venturing inshore as the guide map shows, you may also walk along the shoreline and venture as far north as you want (leaving time to return) if you’d prefer to stay near the water and off the looser dune sand.
Hike 3 – Mount Randall Loop – 2.1 miles
This hike is shorter than the others but mighty in terms of steepness and fun! This guide on AllTrails provides an overview of this hike. If you want to make the most of being at the dunes and spend your hike climbing up sand (which is hard) and running down the dunes (which is fun), then this hike is a good option for you. Or you could simply pick a dune from the parking lot and hike up and run down until you’ve worn yourself out and are ready for lunch and a bus ride back to Notre Dame.
The parking lot at Warren Dunes State Park is surrounded by dunes like this in case you want to spend your morning running up and down dunes.