1. Galien River County Park

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New Buffalo, MI

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Galien River County Park

4.7 (26 reviews)

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Board walk
Marissa C.

What a beautiful spot! The trails aren't very long but provide a great view of the river and the marshland. One takes you down the hill from the parking lot out onto a boardwalk through the marsh area, which is full of plants, flowers, and animals in the summer, and out onto an overlook to the river. Heading up takes you to a 60 foot high marsh overlook that sways just a little bit and gives you a great view of the area. Fishing is permitted from the lower deck. The park is free to enter. A very enjoyable walk.

Michael W.

THIS spot! When we first tried to check it out, the parking lot was full, so we left to have a beer down the street. After our beer, I decided to give it one more try, SO glad we did. This is one of those quick turn high return nature areas, meaning, for minimal effort, you can experience and enjoy some pretty impressive natural areas and views. Shout out to the physically challenged, this is a conducive spot to enjoy, complete with handicap parking spots and well groomed zig zag trails with handrails to traverse. Is it worth stopping for? Absolutely. If you are scared of heights, you may want to skip the upper observation deck. Also, this spot begs to be photographed, but please do be careful with your electronic devices because if you drop them you probably will not be able to retrieve them. Overall, the entire loop is less than two miles long, so it will not take long to complete; but the views will be worth it. Enjoy!

Aimee D.

My family had an amazing time here! We originally set our sights on Warren Dunes State Park, but the line of cars to get in was completely insane. I used the Yelp app to see what was nearby, and Galien River County Park caught my eye immediately. It wasn't too crowded at all, and parking was a breeze. This spot is open from dusk until dawn, and is closed in the winter due to snow and ice (this is not a place you want to experience covered in ice! Lots of climbing.) My sons had the best time hunting for bugs and spiders here. There was definitely no shortage. We were all mesmerized by the views, too. The marsh was so amazing to walk over -- bright greens and blues everywhere you look. They have a boardwalk that lets you walk out so far! They also have a lookout point but we were a little freaked out by that. Not for those with a fear of heights! We loved following different trails and taking in the views. You can experience the whole park in less than an hour, for sure. It also would be a great option for someone who wants to walk but needs ground that's a little more sturdy. We were grateful to find this place!

Kelly G.

We looked for some trails to see before heading to the beach and so lucky we stumbled upon this find. Fall was the perfect time to see the beautiful colors the park has to offer! Its free, which is nice and a different setting than your normal park. It was busy but plenty of photo opportunities. It's a must see!

viewing platform
John H.

We visited here based on a recommendation. Wow, the viewing platform is national-park build quality. The board walk gets you out and into the marshland. Thanks, GRCP, for a good hike.

Howard L.

First time coming to Michigan in a while but this place was outstanding! Located a little over an hour away from the Chicagoland area sits this place. It's small but it's perfect for anyone that's handicapped limited. There are two trails. One takes you out into the marshlands and the other trail takes you to this amazing overlook site. Parking can be a bit of a hassle since it's small and limited. Overall highly recommend the visit!

The lookout where some of the other pics were taken from
Brendan M.

Perfect little jaunt and worth it. Nice well maintained trails and boardwalks. The lookouts over the River are amazing!

Marshscape, keep an eye out for rabid muskrats (only kidding).
Josh P.

Nice little park to go for a 30 minute or less jaunt through the trees and riverside. It's a good park to walk around when trying to build up an appetite for another Redamak's burger. We went on a sunny day at the end of May and the weather was perfect. The park mainly consists of an observation deck that is pretty high up and offers great views of the rest of the park and the river. There is also a short boardwalk that leads to the end of the river where you will find many kayakers on the river. While this park is limited in what it offers in recreational activities and acreage, it is a nice place to spend 30 minutes.

Jen M.

Amazing place. Boardwalk over marsh to river is a great walk. The canopy Boardwalk through the woods is spectacular with amazing views. Rent kayaks nearby and dock them at the river by this park. Then walk the boardwalk and canopy. Across the road from this is the rest of the park-beautiful modern park with outdoor basketball court, volleyball court, kids playground and mini water park. Gazebo for picnicking and individual picnic tables in cool spots throughout property. Free admission to all. What a gem this place is!

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Photo of Dan G.
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5 years ago

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1 year ago

Easy stop not far off the expressway. The boardwalk and skywalk were a lovely break after my drive around crazy Chicago.

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5 years ago

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4 years ago

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

Nice trails through woods and over the marsh with a nice overview of the river. Ends up being a little over a mile to make the whole loop.

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3 years ago

Fun outdoor excursion with a short, kid friendly path. Excellent views of the marsh and river.

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9 years ago

Very pretty park, small there are no picnic areas to bring food. Just a small walking area.

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Review Highlights - Galien River County Park

“The marsh was so amazing to walk over -- bright greens and blues everywhere you look.”

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Indiana Dunes State Park - View finders at look out tower - free views

Indiana Dunes State Park

4.2(201 reviews)
20.4 mi

State park is $7 per car for Indiana residents and $20 for all other. Great nature views. Dunes…read moreare fun to climb and run/walk down. Beaches are beautiful and water is cold early in the season. The day I went there was a high wave advisory so they didn't let people in the water. Best views of the lake are from observation tower located west of the pavilion. Waves are loud if the wind is blowing from the north. You can see the City of Chicago skyline from anywhere on the beach when it is clear weather conditions. No pets on the beach and it does tend to get crowded when the weather is nice. Walking/hiking paths are available and some go the the highest points in the park where the views are breathtaking.

Indiana Dunes State Park was the first stop on my road trip across America, and unfortunately, it…read morewas a pretty disappointing experience. I came here really excited and ready to hike, but visiting in the summertime meant dealing with an unbelievable number of mosquitoes. I expected bugs, but I have never seen anything like this! My friend and I were completely covered in mosquito repellent, and it honestly felt like we were walking through a fog of mosquitoes. We were literally trying to run down the trail to get away from them. There was hardly anyone else around, which we quickly understood because the conditions were so difficult. We kept going for about 20 minutes hoping the bugs would eventually clear up, but they never did, so unfortunately, we had to turn around. The beach itself was nice, but I didn't come here for the beach I came to hike and experience the trails. I was really disappointed that we couldn't actually enjoy the hike because of the mosquitoes. Maybe it would be a completely different experience at another time of year, but based on our summer visit, I can only give it

Photos
Indiana Dunes State Park - Plaque on bench

Plaque on bench

Indiana Dunes State Park - Some of the lovely details of the pavilion at Porter Beach

Some of the lovely details of the pavilion at Porter Beach

Indiana Dunes State Park - Shore

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Shore

Galien River County Park - parks - Updated October 2026

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