Ambler Flatwoods Nature Preserve
LaPorte County, Indiana

Fall is the perfect time to visit Ambler Flatwoods. The white bark of paper birch trees glows luminously as autumn's late-afternoon sun filters through the treetops.

A vast array of mosses — including many club mosses — covers the forest floor, and a diversity of mushrooms and other fungi thrive. The red fruits of partridgeberry and wintergreen are abundant; many will linger to provide winter fodder for wildlife. The trees are alive with the sound of birdsong, and bird populations swell as migrating species stop temporarily to feed and roost. Numerous birds, seen in our area only during migratory flight, take brief refuge in the flatwoods after their long journey down the shorelines of Lake Michigan.

On the eastern edge of Chicago Wilderness, and less than a mile from the Michigan border in LaPorte County, Indiana, Ambler Flatwoods is like no other natural area in the Chicago region. Situated in a pocket of lake-effect climate, it is Indiana's largest protected example of boreal flatwoods, a natural community of low-lying, wet woodland with species normally found much farther to the north.

Ambler survived the 20th century free from urban development and largely pristine in nature, and for that we can probably thank a few challenging characteristics that still discourage the casual visitor from venturing inside. Though this nature preserve covers only 168 acres, the lack of an organized trail system, coupled with a dense forest canopy that often blocks out clear views of the sky and sun, complicates navigation. Hikers should strongly consider using a compass.

Ambler Flatwoods is also extremely wet in spring and summer, and swarms of mosquitoes will attack visitors as they slog their way through the mud. Much of the standing water dries up by autumn, however, combining with cooling temperatures to reduce insect numbers considerably. A final challenge, deer hunting season (mid-November through December), demands additional caution. Even though hunting is prohibited on the preserve, the surrounding privately owned woodlands echo with the sound of gunfire during those weeks.

The unique and watery ecosystem of Ambler Flatwoods will richly reward those with an adventurous and moisture-resistant spirit. Standing water and tip-up mounds made by tree windfalls abound at Ambler because of its poorly drained soil. Vernal pools and rivulets cover about half the woods in early spring, the wettest time of year. This soggy environment provides habitat for a diverse population of amphibians. A herpetological survey conducted in 2001 identified 20 species of amphibians and reptiles at the preserve, including blue racer and hognose snakes.

For botanists, Ambler is a paradise. The preserve boasts more than 250 (and counting) native plant species, including at least 50 considered extremely rare in our area. The wet conditions also provide perfect habitat for many of Indiana's astounding 42 species of native orchid (Hawaii, by comparison, has only three). Among these, the rare crane-fly orchid exists in the flatwoods as an isolated population far outside its usual range and nowhere else in the Chicago Region.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources first identified the biological importance of Ambler Flatwoods during a statewide survey of natural areas some 20 years ago. The area remained vulnerable to urban sprawl, however, until the Shirley Heinze Land Trust, a nonprofit organization (and Chicago Wilderness member) that acquires, protects, and restores significant natural areas in Indiana's three lakefront counties, purchased the property in two large parcels, totaling 148 acres, in 1999. The group, which has partnered with the Indiana DNR, Indiana Heritage Trust, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and The Nature Conservancy in the acquisition and protection of Ambler Flatwoods, added a 20-acre section in 2002.

Visitors may wish to contact Shirley Heinze Land Trust, (219) 879-4725 or shef@heinzefund.org, for advice prior to going to Ambler Flatwoods. To learn more about the Shirley Heinze Land Trust, visit www.savedunes.org/html/shef.html.

Roaming
The nearby Indiana Dunes region offers numerous recreational opportunities, primarily near the towns of Chesterton and Porter. Indiana Dunes State Park has a range of hiking trails. For a good two-hour walk through a variety of habitats, try Trail 9 from the Wilson Shelter parking area. After a not-too-strenuous climb to the top of a high dune ridge, you'll have great views of the lake and beach. Return via Trail 2, which includes a half-mile boardwalk through a swamp forest.

Visitors can find the best of many trails in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore at Cowles Bog, located near the town of Dune Acres on Mineral Springs Road. The main trail includes plenty of ups and downs as it leads past wetlands, through heavy forest, and over high dunes to a secluded beach. For a less strenuous alternative, pick up the Little Calumet River Trail a little farther south on Mineral Springs Road. While there, visitors can explore the restored 1830s homestead of fur trader Joseph Bailly, as well as Chellberg Farm, a late-19th-century Swedish farm that now operates as a working museum. Stop at the National Park Visitors Center, (219) 926-7561, at U.S. 12 and Kemil Road for information and trail maps.

All the Lake Michigan beaches offer great views of the sun setting over the distant Chicago skyline. Try the Lakeview Overlook on Lakefront Road near Broadway in Beverly Shores.

More Daytripping
The Washington Park Zoo, (219) 873-1510, near the lakefront in Michigan City, is just the right size to satisfy young children without overwhelming them (open April through October). To learn about Lake Michigan shipping and get a little local history, visit the Old Lighthouse Museum, (219) 872-6133, also in Washington Park. For a break, stop at Lakeshore Coffee, (219) 874-7006, nearby at 444 Wabash Street in Michigan City.

Visitors also can take walking trails through a mix of dune, prairie, beech woods, and wetland habitats at the model conservation community Tryon Farm, 1500 Tryon Road, Michigan City. The still-growing development clusters houses and uses progressive design on its 170 acres to preserve natural ecosystems. It hosts an open house every Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Call (800) 779-6433 for appointments.

Both LaPorte and Porter Counties have extensive bicycle route systems on quiet back roads. Pick up maps and information from the LaPorte County Convention & Visitors Bureau, (800) 572-3740, 1503 Meer Road in Michigan City, and the Porter County Convention, Recreation & Visitor Commission, (800) 283-8687, 800 Indian Boundary Road, Chesterton. Or bike the nine-mile Calumet Trail, which parallels the Dunes parks from Cowles Bog to Mount Baldy. This off-road bike path suits mountain and hybrid bikes and, being car-free, is a better choice for children.

Both Chesterton and Michigan City offer hours of shopping possibilities for antique lovers. Stop at any of the shops around the intersection of Broadway and Calumet in downtown Chesterton to pick up a guide to antique dealers, or call (219) 926-1400. The LaPorte County Visitors Bureau has a good brochure identifying dealers in Michigan City and farther afield.

Foraging
Café Lucrezia, (219) 926-5829, on Broadway at Porter Street in Chesterton, presents fine Italian cuisine in a funky green-and-purple Victorian house. Weather permitting, diners may also choose to be served on an outdoor patio. Also in Chesterton is Taste of Thailand, (219) 921-0092, 425B Sandcreek Drive North, featuring authentic Thai food at reasonable prices in a casual setting.

Locals flock to Wagner's, (219) 926-7614, 361 Wagner Road in Porter, for its signature barbecued ribs. This popular bar doesn't allow children, but it does offer takeout. Also try Smokey's, (219) 878-1418, 375 E. U.S. 20, for pulled pork sandwiches served with barbecue sauces ranging from mild to scorching. Smokey's has no liquor license but welcomes BYOB. Visitors can find good sandwiches and light entrees at Pumps on Twelve, (219) 874-6201, 3085 W. Dunes Highway (U.S. 12), and Swing Belly's, (219) 874-5718, 103 S. Lake in Michigan City. Pumps inhabits an old gas station, and Swing Belly's occupies a restored railway terminal.

To find deli-style sandwiches for your picnic, try Club Deli, (219) 879-6732, 519 Franklin Street in Michigan City, or Bert's Bagels, (219) 926-6650, 552 Indian Boundary Road in Chesterton. Add locally produced wines to your basket (and do some tasting) at Dune Ridge Winery, (219) 926-5532, U.S. 20 and Beam Street in Porter. Good microbrew beers are available at Duneland Brew House, (219) 878-9180, 5718 Franklin Street in Michigan City.

Bedding Down
 To spend a night or host a group in the big 1896 farmhouse at Tryon Farm, call (800) 779-6433. For the local bed-and-breakfast experience, try Dunes Shore Inn in Beverly Shores, $42-75 per night, (219) 879-9029, Creekwood Inn in Michigan City, $99-185 per night, (800) 400-1981, and Gray Goose Inn in Chesterton, $90-185 per night, (800) 521-5127.

Camping is available year-round at Indiana Dunes State Park, (866) 622-6746, and from April 1 to October 31 at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (219) 926-7561, ext. 225.

Events
Wizard of Oz Festival
September 19–21
Join Dorothy and all her friends, including the original Munchkins from the 1939 film classic, in a celebration of the Wizard of Oz fantasy. Fri.–Sat.: 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Broadway and Calumet Road, Chesterton, (219) 926-5513.

Duneland Harvest Festival
September 20–21
Experience an authentic early American harvest, featuring crafts, old-time music and dancing, and voyageur encampments. 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Bailly/Chellberg Unit, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, (219) 926-7561, ext 246 Mineral Springs Road between U.S. 12 and U.S. 20, Porter.

— Ron Trigg