Erosion Closes Popular Beach At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
(STMW) -- A beach at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in northwest Indiana has been closed because of erosion that created a "dangerous" 8-foot drop near a walking path.
Central Beach and its parking lot are closed effective immediately because of the erosion, caused by large waves earlier this week, a statement from the National Park Service said.
What little sand was left at the beach has washed away, according to park officials. The erosion left a "dangerous" 8-foot drop-off from the access path down to a mix of clay and asphalt chunks from an old road bed.
Park officials will be monitoring the area, and will reopen the beach after the sand has been replenished through natural deposition from the lake.
However, that's not likely to happen in the near future because of high water levels in Lake Michigan, the statement said.
Ranger-led sunset hikes scheduled for Central Beach this summer will be moved to Kemil Beach, the statement said.
Central Beach is located on Central Avenue north of U.S. 12, just west of Michigan City near Beverly Shores, Ind.
More than 13 miles of other beaches at the National Lakeshore are still open to the public, as is the neighboring Indiana Dunes State Park beach.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2015. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
