Indiana Dunes National Park guide · 1 min read
Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Trails History
Bailly Homestead is a National Historic Landmark within Indiana Dunes National Park. It belonged to Joseph Bailly de Messein, a fur trader and one of the earliest settlers in the area.
The site is known as the homestead of the first non-native resident of Northwest Indiana.
Bailly ran a trading post that served as a meeting point for travelers moving between Detroit and Chicago. Today the grounds hold rustic log and brick buildings with late 19th century details. The site also includes an unusual family cemetery.
Chellberg Farm sits on the same trail system, so both sites can be seen on one outing. Visitors can leave a car at the farm and reach the homestead on foot along a wooded path of three-tenths of a mile. Or they can park on Howe Road beside the boat launch, which is a one-minute walk from the homestead.
The Outer Loop Trail is a featured hike of 3.4 miles that links several trails into one perimeter circuit, taking about 2.5 hours. It begins at the Bailly and Chellberg parking lot and runs north on the Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm Trail. The Little Calumet River runs close to the trail along the way. Shortly before the farm buildings, hikers bear onto the Little Calumet River trail, which dips through a narrow ravine with steps. A round trip of 0.6 miles from the loop climbs to the Bailly Cemetery.
Maple syrup making is another activity tied to the park. Indiana Dunes is the only national park that produces its own maple syrup.
