Walking the "Creepy Swamp": the Great Marsh Trail of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Walking the “Creepy Swamp”:  the Great Marsh Trail of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

May 24, 2013

We called it the “Creepy Swamp”.  Driving  narrow and bumpy Beverly Drive near dusk, with hardly another soul around, we passed a forbidden looking place full of old, dead, gnarly remains of trees, full of holes and broken limbs, standing darkly like so many zombies rising from the stretches of dark and shining water. 

Sometimes, after heavy rains, it seemed as if this swamp water leaked beyond the edges and over the road.  Driving over the water, one could imagine being pulled back into this place of zombie trees, becoming one with it all.

Swamps are one of those things with which we humans have a strange relationship; we are frightened and repelled by them and, at the same time, we are drawn to their mystery.  We can imagine swamp monsters, covered in slime, that might grab our feet and pull us in if we take one step too many.  Or we can wonder what real things might be in there:  giant snakes wrapped around twisted tree limbs?  Big, slow fish that move invisibly past our legs, their fins and whiskers brushing against our ankles?  Deep, oozy mud that sucks us in?  Or long tangles of thick algae and vines that wrap around us when we stumble?

After spending a good part of the day on the hot, open beach between the vastness of Lake Michigan before us and the sweeps of Marram Grass, clusters of young Cottonwood trees, and spots of Milkweeds on the sandy hills behind us, we would drive away to the other side of the dunes.  There it was before us, this completely different kind of place.

Strangely, on the corner of an intersection of roads, there was a quaint little spot with a nice bench, surrounded by thoughtful landscaping, snuggled right up to the swamp.  Was the creator of this spot not afraid of the swamp, or was it someone trying to make it seem friendlier, maybe taunting it?

Maybe people in this area have affection for this place. 

And what was this place?  If we knew more about it, would it seem less mysterious and forbidding?  Would it lessen the excitement if we understood it better?

As it turns out, there are people in the area with a special affection for this place.  They live here, or they work here through the National Park Service, or other entities that are involved in the local environment.  Or they live far away, and have come here to learn about it, work with it, and see that it continues to thrive.  They care so much about it that they have been involved, in one way or another, with a restoration effort that started in 1998.   They have worked hard at studying the place, surveying, researching, planning, planting native plants, eradicating non-native plants, and in developing trails and structures that enhance the enjoyment and education of others who come here, while also helping to protect the environment and its wildlife. 

This swamp lies in the eastern portion of The Great Marsh of the Indiana Dunes, which stretches roughly from Gary to Michigan City in northwestern Indiana.  After a great deal of human impact on the Great Marsh over many years, people have been working to preserve and protect any of it that remains, returning it to its original form.  The Great Marsh Trail of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, near the town of Beverly Shores, Indiana, is one of the latest efforts.

On the morning of May 24, the day we were to leave the Indiana Dunes of northwestern Indiana to head back down to the southwestern part of the state, my husband and I decided to try out a new trail we had heard about, this Great Marsh Trail near Beverly Shores.  We drove east on one of our favorite old highways, Route 12 (also called Dunes Highway), which runs parallel to State Road 20 to the south and the Lake Michigan shoreline to the north.  It also runs right along the railroad tracks that carry South Shore passengers from Chicago through Dunes country, and the Calumet Bike Trail that runs right along the railroad tracks.  Route 12 runs between the ancient Tolleston Dunes and the older Calumet Dunes, and it skirts the Great Marsh that formed between those dunal areas (see the blog entry “The Great Marsh of the Indiana Dunes: The Backstory”).

We turned north off of Route 12 onto Broadway, a short road that starts just on the other side of Route 12.  It continues through the town of Beverly Shores to Lakeshore Drive, which offers, all along the stretch of road, beautiful views below to the dunes, beach, the lake and the Chicago skyline way out on the lake's horizon (where the other, more famous Lakeshore Drive exists).  The only road intersecting Broadway is Beverly Drive, which divides Beverly Shores from the Great Marsh.

Here is the start of the trail, off of Broadway.  You can see that it starts with a drier stretch and then goes through a wet area, then through a longer stretch of drier area.  We will then walk to the east, skirting the wetland, move north in a dry area, a little west, then south through wetland again.  We then return westward, again skirting the swampy area, and dip to the southwest where we can go to the observation deck that overlooks the largest part of the swamp.  From there, we will continue southwest to the other trail beginning, and then we will back-track and head south on the first part of the trail to where we are parked.  Note that if you go past the observation deck to the west-south-west, you get to the alternative trail head.  This trail head has Handicapped parking and this section of trail is suitable for wheelchairs going to the observation deck, which has a sloped ramp to the deck (views of the deck appear later in this entry).

Richard takes off on the first leg of the Great Marsh Trail.  This section is being converted from industrial use to natural area.  The mowed trail is relatively new, and there are still a number of non-native and invasive plants along the way, though strong restoration efforts are taking place.  One of the objectives of the restoration is to “Provide recreational opportunities for hikers, birders, botonizers, and wildlife watchers”.  We were taking advantage of the opportunity provided, of course, and there was much more along the way.

One sign of a wet area is a stand of Cattails.  These may be one of the native species (Broad-Leaved or Narrow-Leaved), or they may be the Hybrid – I cannot tell from this distance.  Another objective of the restoration is to “Protect rare species by controlling non-native, aggressive plant species, and creating high quality plant and animal habitat”.  One of the plants that restoration workers are trying to control is the more invasive species of Cattail.  The Hybrid Cattail is a hybrid between the native Narrow-Leaved and the native Broad-Leaved.  Both the Narrow-leaved and Hybrid can out-compete the Broad-leaved and dominate the wetland, forming very dense stands.  To learn more about them as well as the differences between the three, go to:  www.bwsr.state.mn.us/wetlands/plantid/Forbs/scientificname/Typhacomparecattail_comparison_08.pdf

 

A Pearl Crescent butterfly rests on the vegetation, sunning its wings.  A diverse, healthy habitat attracts many different kinds of butterflies and moths that use the habitat for shelter, moisture and sources of nectar, as well as sources of food for the larvae.

Here we come to the first swampy area of the trail.  There is evidence that the restoration teams have been working at controlling non-native invasive plants by carefully spraying herbicide.

Another invasive plant the teams have been trying to control is Reed Canary Grass, a real bane to many wetland areas.

A small Black Locust tree in bloom along the trail.  Black Locust is native to the east, but has become naturalized to a great extent in Indiana.  Some consider it invasive.  It does not get very big, so it begins blooming while it is still a small tree.

Someone has identified this for me (from a photo) as Field Cress, but I would like another look at it sometime.  If it is Field Cress (Lepidium campestre), it is a non-native, introduced plant.

A group of Sensitive Fern, which loves damp places.

We move along a drier section of trail now, but toward the swamp.

A patch of Starry False Solomon's Seal is found blooming along the way.

We continue on a narrow, grassy path between willows.

Honeysuckle blooms along the trail.  I am not sure what species this is, but it may be a non-native Bush Honeysuckle.  If so, then it is one of those invasive plants that are very difficult to control.  I hope this is a native, as the flowers are very pretty.

We are getting nearer to the big swamp.

The swamp is just beginning to reveal itself along the trail.

I am not sure what this new, emerging plant is, but it is so beautifully accented with bright orange.  Someone wondered if it was a new Buttonbush, but I haven’t been able to find information on how a new Buttonbush plant looks when just emerging.

We come to the edge of the big swamp.  

One of the goals of the restoration is to “Increase native plant and animal diversity”.  Restoration teams try to encourage native species that exist as well as re-introduce those that had existed in the pre-industrial period.  Diversity is the key to a healthy ecosystem.  Diverse plant life provides more food, shelter and building materials to a diverse animal population, increasing opportunities for all to sustain the ecosystem. 

One set of restoration teams came from the Student Conservation Association.  They worked to control invasive species, grow native plant species in greenhouses, and plant native seedlings into the Derby Ditch area, as well as into Cowles Bog.  The following is a list of plants they added, culled from a set of reports from the work an SCA team did in 2012 (with botanical names and some common names):

Carex stricta     Tussock Sedge, Upright Sedge, Uptight Sedge

Carex aquatilis     Water Sedge, Leafy Tussock Sedge

Carex pellita     Woolly Sedge, Broad-Leaved Woolly Sedge

Carex scoparia     Broom Sedge, Pointed Broom Sedge

Carex Squarrosa     Squarrose Sedge

Scirpus validus     Softstem Bulrush, Great Bulrush

Scirpus acutus (Schoenoplectus acutus)     Tule, Common Tule, Hardstem Tule, Tule Rush, Hardstem Bulrush, Viscid Bulrush

Zizia aurea     Golden Alexander

Mimulus ringens     Allegheny Monkey Flower

Liatris spicata     Gayfeather, Blazing Star, Dense Blazing Star, Marsh Blazing Star

Pontadaria cordata     Pickerelweed

Coreopsis tripteris     Tickseed, Tall Tickseed, Tall Coreopsis

Acorus calamus     Sweet Flag, Calamus

Another was mentioned just as “Iris”.  I am assuming it is Yellow Water Iris (Iris pseudacorus)

All of these plants thrive in very wet environments, immersed in water, periodically in water, or places that are always damp.

To read the reports of the 2012 SCA restoration team, see:  https://thesca.org/13_idn12_nps

Derby Ditch used to be a straight drainage ditch that drained various areas, including Beverly Shores, directly into Lake Michigan. There were problems associated with it, such as flooding, and elevated levels of E.Coli going into the lake.  In recent years, this was addressed by plugging some ditches, including Derby Ditch, which resulted in replacing straight ditches with pools of water.  Spillways were installed to control the flow of water.  The Great Marsh is a part of the Derby Ditch watershed. Restoration of the swamp area not only helps to control water flow and flooding, but also controls contaminants, which can be absorbed by wetland soils and become naturally altered, instead of flowing into the lake.  The whole system benefits the natural environment of the swamp, waterways, woodland, the town, the beach and the lake; thus, another goal of the restoration is fulfilled, to “Protect the beaches and improve Lake Michigan’s water quality for swimming by intercepting runoff and releasing water gradually”.

Common Cursed Crowfoot, growing through the water.  The name probably comes from the fact that this plant is highly toxic.

What a wonderful habitat this is for animals that live in or near the water, such as waterfowl, crayfish, frogs, turtles, muskrats and others, and those that visit the swamp for food and water.

You can see how high the water has been by looking at the trunks of the dead trees. Bark has rotted off at the level where the trees were saturated.

But, dead trees are valuable habitats for various animals.  Woodpeckers have drilled holes in this one in search of insects and also for nesting.  Other animals also use these holes for shelter and nesting, including Wood Ducks who nest above water, usually in tree cavities.  Smaller beings and their larvae, such as various insects and crustaceans, use the dead wood for food and shelter, helping to gradually break it down to soil.  A dead tree is not really dead!

Another lush swamp scene along the trail.

Dead trees at the edge of the swamp provide raptors with viewing places to watch over the swamp for potential prey.  Nearby green trees and shrubs provide shelter for songbirds.

On our walk, we often see ducks flying over the swamp, sometimes landing on the water.

Another goal of the restoration is to “Provide an irreplaceable, migratory rest stop for birds near Lake Michigan’s southern tip”.  The Indiana Dunes is rich in a variety of bird life, and is an especially great area for bird-watchers to come during migration periods.  The increasing health of the Great Marsh ecosystem is evidenced by the increasing number and types of resident and migrating birds.  Some of the birds now seen are:  Great Egrets, Coots, Mallard Ducks, Wood Ducks, Kingfishers, Tree Swallows, Rusty Blackbirds, and Green Herons, among others.  

Algae and pond weeds in the swamp water are food for waterfowl and cover for animals that live below the surface.

A bench along the trail is a nice resting spot…

…and it has a good view of diverse flora near the swamp.  This will be a good place to watch for Monarch Butterflies and other interesting insects later when those tall Milkweed plants bloom.

Now we go over a little bridge and continue on another grassy path.

Common Arrowhead lifts its large, glossy leaves above the swamp, surrounded by sedges and floating pond weeds.

Now we have arrived at the Observation Deck.  We can follow the ramp up to a beautiful view of the swamp.

A bicyclist rests on the deck and takes in the view.  Bicycles, wheelchairs and pedestrians can all have access to this view because of the long ramp.

 Come and have a seat, rest your feet, and enjoy!

 A view over the swamp to the east, from the observation deck.

Looking toward the northwest over the swamp from the observation deck.  You can barely see the roads.  The road visible on the left is Broadway, and the one that is visible in the right side of the photo is Beverly Road.  The corner where they meet, behind a grove of trees, is the location of the nicely landscaped resting bench.

 A view almost straight ahead from the observation deck.  It is easy to see the value of water retention here, and difficult to imagine water flowing quickly through this area instead of spread out over this acreage.  But it can also be easy to imagine how spooky this seems when it is near night time.

After spending time on the deck, watching over the swamp, it is time to leave.  I would love to come back another day and spend much more time here, preferably with a good pair of binoculars.  I think it would be wonderful to spend time here at dusk and almost-dark – especially in autumn.

 On the trail back, we see a number of these, with numbers and letters stamped on the metal tags.  I am very curious to find out what they are.  My guess is that they mark areas that were planted with certain native plant species (or where planting is planned), or maybe they designate special study areas.

 The team from the Student Conservation Association learned a great deal from their experiences here, about the environment, the plants, the work, the watershed, and about working hard together on the common goal of restoration.  On their last day, they set up an information table on the busy beach to help educate people about the area and about invasive plants. 

Other work-based educational programs take place here, some of it curriculum-based, and many volunteers help with the project, also.  These are some of the ways another goal is accomplished, to “Enhance educational opportunities for students and the public as they learn about the National Park Service’s preservation mission and Northwest Indiana’s rich natural heritage”.  

 We watch a hawk being chased by a blackbird.

Near the end of the Great Marsh Trail, we bid a fond farewell to the “Creepy Swamp”, to this fantastic ecosystem, and return to our truck.

  Did the swamp become less mysterious to us, now that we had gotten to know it better?  Not necessarily.  The more one learns about something, the more questions one has.

We drive north on Broadway, through the town of Beverly Shores, and up to Lakeshore Drive.  We park at Lakeview and take in the wonderful view as wind sweeps through the trees and our hair and stirs up waves on Lake Michigan.  

The saying goes, “we all live downstream”.  Here, where water ultimately drains, there is significantly healthier water at the beach than in years past.  Here we can think of the water settled in well behind us in the Great Marsh, providing habitat for a great variety of wildlife.

 View to the west from Lakeview Beach, looking toward Burns Harbor and the steel mills.

In Northwest Indiana, industry resides near delicate ecosystems.  Long ago, people worked tirelessly to save the remaining stretches of natural dune land from industrialization, and they worked to educate others.  This work continued through the years, via various organizations such as Save the Dunes, the National Park Service, and the Indiana State Parks system, among others.  It continues today in efforts such as the preservation of the Great Marsh that stretches from east to west through this area.  

 An Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Beach and Lake Michigan, with the Chicago skyline on the horizon to the left

Now, we can all enjoy walks along the beaches, in the woodlands, up the dunes, and through swamps, fens and other wetlands.  Wildlife can continue to flourish.

 We will return as soon as we are able, to enjoy more of the Indiana Dunes, thanks to the good work of other people.

The final goal of the Great Marsh restoration effort:  
 “Leave a natural resource legacy for future generations”. 

Here are some web sites that I used for information, and that are interesting to explore to learn more about the Great Marsh and its restoration:

www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/upload/great_marsh_restoration_pdf.pdf

Brochure:  Great Marsh Restoration At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

https://thesca.org/13_idn12_nps

Indiana Dunes Wetland Restoration Team 2, 2012 (Student Conservation Association)

www.nps.gov/indu/photosmultimedia/great-marsh-restoration-photo-gallery.htm

Many photos of the Great Marsh Trail, including restoration efforts.  This also includes photos of Cowles Bog, another part of the Great Marsh where restoration is taking place.

http://www.in.gov/dnr/files/lmcp-sheets/DerbyDitchHydrology_10.pdf

Derby Ditch Hydrology Habitat Restoration Analysis

http://www.beverlyshoresindiana.org/uploads/BevShrs_Comprehensive_Plan_Final_2012.pdf

“For the Town of Beverly Shores: A Comprehensive Plan: By the Beverly Shores Plan Commission: Approved on October 22, 2012”