What is Indiana Dunes National Park?
[[File:Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.jpg|thumb|Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore]] [[File:Sap buckets on maple trees.jpg|thumb|Sap buckets on maple trees]] '''Indiana Dunes National Park''' is a national park in [[Indiana]], [[United States]]. '''Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore''' is known for its beautiful [[beach]]es. More than 3.5 million people visit a sandy, hilly area called Indiana Dunes each year. It sits along the shores of [[Lake Michigan]], about {{convert|50|mi}} southeast of [[Chicago]]. Visitors to the area swim and sail on the lake. They watch birds in the wetlands. They study plant life in the forests of oak and maple trees. Now, the 6,000-hectare site is the newest national park, and also 61st national park in the United States. It became Indiana Dunes National Park on February 15, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Porter|first=Mailing Address: 1100 North Mineral Springs Road|last2=Us|first2=IN 46304 Phone:395-1882 Indiana Dunes Visitor Center phone number Contact|title=National Lakeshore Renamed Indiana Dunes National Park - Indiana Dunes National Park (U.S. National Park Service)|url=https://www.nps.gov/indu/learn/news/renamed-national-park.htm|access-date=2020-08-18|website=www.nps.gov|language=en}}</ref> == A name change == The park used to be known as Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, managed by [[National Park Service|National Park service]]. The related act in February, 2019 did not influence finance and the area of the park at all. It changed the name from Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore into Indiana Dunes National Park. It does, however, give the area the same recognition as more well-known national parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Thiele|first=Rebecca|title=Park Service: Indiana Dunes Shouldn&#039;t Be A National Park|url=https://www.wbaa.org/post/park-service-indiana-dunes-shouldnt-be-national-park|access-date=2020-08-18|website=www.wbaa.org|language=en|archive-date=2020-08-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807004102/https://www.wbaa.org/post/park-s