Welcome to the LaPorte County home page!

LaPorte County provides a wide variety of attractions. Michigan City's beaches, outlet shopping, and commerce; LaPorte's lakes and industry, and other county attractions, such as Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore's Mount Baldy, U-pick farms, or the Heston Steam Museum (shown at left) offer a lot to residents and visitors.

Fall Foliage Tour

Explore the brilliant spectrum of fall foliage as LaPorte County's rolling hills that stretch from the lakeshore to harvest country become painted with the bright crimson and gold hues of fall. You will enjoy this tour through the beautiful countryside in fall, or any time of year.

1. Heston

The community of Heston features the finest in country living. From horseback riding stables that offer trailsthrough miles of brilliant fall coIors, to a premier restaurant specializing in prime rib, you'll want to stop and enjoy this country town. As you travel 1000 North, take note of the small church and cemetery on your right, the only remains of a mill built in 1846 by the town's founder, P M Hess.

2. Rolling Prairie

Visit the quaint shops and stop for a hearty meal with a heaping portion of hometown hospitality. Perhaps you will want to stay in a restored 1880s prairie home that now welcomes guests as a bed & breakfast. Who would guess that this tiny rural community is home to two elite private boarding schools and a famous Chicago-based television talk show host.

3. John Hancock Fruit Farm, 7355 North Fail Rd.

Stop for a visit at one of the oldest orchards,which began in 1939 with 2,000 peach trees and 500 apple trees. See where reindeer roamed during the filming of the holiday classic movie, "Prancer". From spring blossoms through fall foliage, this farm is representative of the many farms and orchards in LaPorte County that are open to visitors.

 

Outdoor Tour

LaPorte County, where the heart of the Midwest's harvest country meets the cascading shores of Lake Michigan, is the ideal setting for an adventure into the outdoor recreational experience. There are few places on earth one can find this unique balance of the ecosystem: the wide open fields and prairies abundant with wildlife the misty fog that sometimes hovers over the inland lakes the magnificence and grandeur of the dunes, and the breathtaking shores of Lake Michigan, all rolled together in the delicate balance of nature.

1. Washington Park & Zoo, Lake Shore Dr. -parking fee /zoo admission fee

This 90-acre lakefront park features a swimming beach, picnic areas, trails, shore fishing, and playground. Enjoy fishing charters, sailing, sightseeing cruises,andrecreational boating from the marina. The park is home to Indiana's only operating public lighthouse and catwalk, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Talk with the animals at one of Indiana's oldest and largest zoos, which houses over 200 animals in a wooded sand dune setting. Features include Monkey Island, the Siberian tiger in its natural setting, the majestic golden eagle exhibit, and the Rotary Children's Castle.

2. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Mount Baldy, US Hwy. 12

The National Lakeshore features miles of wooded hiking trails. beautiful beaches, and impressive sand dunes. Mount Baldy stands an imposing 123 feet tall and actually moves southward at a rate of four-five feet each year. Delicate wild flowers, colorful foliage, and abundant woodland wildlife inhabit this protected natural wonderland.

For more information contact the National Lakeshore Visitor Center, US 12 and Kemil Road, Porter, Indiana, 926-7561.)

3. Creek Ridge County Park, 7943 W. 400 North

This new county park features 76 acres on the west branch of Trail Creek, a Lake Michigan tributary. A 400-foot boardwalk along the creek, entirely accessible for persons with disabilities, allows easy access to the salmon and trout runs.

4. Soldiers Memorial Park, Grangemouth Rd. -parking fee

This scenic 556-acre city park offers a swimming beach, trails, and shelter. Cross-country skiing, recreational boating, and fishing are popular in this area surrounding Pine Lake and Stone Lake.

5. Luhr County Park, 3178 S. 150 West

A unique 73-acre outdoor area with a nature center hiking trails and a natural prairie area. An observation platform allows a birds-eye view of the mammals that inhabit thearea. Countless bird species, small woodland animals, deer, and waterfowl predominate.

6. Kingsbury State Fish & Wildlife Area, 5344 South Hupp Rd.

Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the 6 ,000 acres bordered by the Kankakee River on a restored portion of the original Grand Kankakee Marsh. The woods abound with wildlife, including a large deer population, plus ducks, pheasants, rabbits, squirrels, and doves.

(Tours of the nearby Mixsawbah State Fish Hatchery are available for groups by reservation only. Call 369-9591.)

Visit LaLumiere School online.