Inland Bridge

Formerly called the Inland Marsh, this area of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is now named Tolleston Dunes.

It's Spring, and the wildflowers are just starting to bloom in the wetland areas of the park. Last year was rather dry, so there is very little water under this footbridge. This is a great place for bird watching and butterflies.

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All Rolled Up

Slowly unrolling each Spring, the ferns of Cowles Bog put on an interesting show for a few days while turning into full-length fronds. Once opened, the fronds hide any new fiddleheads, so this is the perfect time to see them.

What always intrigues me is how the center of the rolled up fiddlehead has groups of leaves that each appear to be miniature versions of full fern fronds. Only about the diameter of a nickel, these curled creations pack a dollar's worth of detail inside.


Cowles Bog is one of the few places I've come across where so many ferns can be seen in such close proximity. Hundreds of clumps are visible from the trail; I wonder how many are hidden from view.

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Spring in Front of Old Main

A few days of warm weather and rain transform the North Central College campus into a colorful landscape. Students and staff alike enjoy time outside after a long winter.

Old Main, built in 1870, has undergone a few additions, including the south tower and the fifth level in the center of the building.

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