Battle to the Dunes 2025 - Adult Overnight

Mileage: Day 1: 75 Miles | Day 2: 55 miles

Support: Semi supported - you carry the majority of your own camping gear etc. on your own bike. OPTIONAL: (We will allow 1 school-size backpack to be carried in our support vehicle to lighten your load.)

Lodging: Tent (camping gear not provided). We will stay at Dunewood Campsite (IN Dunes National Park) located near Dunbar beach in Beverly Shores, IN 46301 (map).

Pace: 12-15mph

Trail/Route: Paved road with minimal gravel incorporated and possible snow. - cut this or add "all bikes and wheels sizes welcome"

Age: Adult Ride (21+)

This is a challenging yet very doable bike ride. For this ride, our guides will give you an in-depth tour of the South Eastern Chicago and Northwestern Indiana region. As we travel from the heart of Chicago to Indiana Dunes State Park and back, we will learn about the history of steel manufacturing, the regional nature, bridges, beaches and dunes.

The Lake Michigan shoreline of Southern Chicago and Northwestern Indiana reveal the marks of a century-long conflict over land use in the region. Sand dunes, steel mills, power lines, marshland, and a commercial harbor battled for and shared a ten-mile stretch along the lakeshore. We'll learn about the struggle for a National Park and discover the birthplace of ecology, the rise of steel manufacturing, and the geological forces that shaped this land.

Let’s travel back in time to the 1893's World’s Fair as we cruise along Chicago's world-class museum campuses, Daniel Burnham Park , Jackson Park and the beginnings of green spaces in Chicago. We'll pop the famous Calumet Fisheries, one of the last remaining wood-smoked seafood shacks in Illinois for a mouth-watering snack.

And most important of all, spend an evening enjoying that oh so lovely lake and habitats of our region’s only national park.

Read more about the 2023 adventure in our blog post here.

• Campground fees (hated cabins, firewood, etc.)
• Food for Day 1 dinner and Day 2 breakfast.
• Education about our local history and nature
• Really nice and supportive guides

• Food for Day 1 lunch
• Food for Day 2 lunch
• Snacks
• *We will stop at designated restaurants where you can buy your lunch

Our guides are part of a community of volunteers that believe in adventure and helping others find adventure right out our front door. They exude a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive spirit which are foundational values at OOFD. They have love and appreciation for their home and like sharing knowledge about that home with others, thus helping the riders to develop a stronger sense of gratitude for our local history and nature.

The guides will be set with the route and an extensive script about the area you’ll be riding through with intentionally chosen breakpoints along the way.

They are more than someone to follow on the ride. They are trained and will be there to encourage and support you as well as support with mechanicals that may arise.

Participant Cancellation: No Refunds. By registering, you acknowledge and agree there will not be a refund if you cancel or do not show up for the event. Tickets cannot be resold.

Transfers permitted before the event and to an event in the same calendar year. Check out this Transfer Policy flowsheet to determine what next steps you need to take. Contact us if you have any issues.

Organizer Cancellation: Full Refund | Nobody wants an event to be canceled. In the rare circumstance the organizer cancels the event at their discretion, registered participants will receive a full refund.To date, this organization has canceled minimal events; primarily in response to the Covid19 pandemic.

Weather and Rain: We do not cancel an event for rain, storm, or any other weather. We ride rain or shine. Chicago weather is typically passing, if the weather requires, we will pause the ride and wait in a sheltered space then continue biking. Some of the best views of the lake and greenery on the trails are after a rainstorm.

This is included in your registration form. Showing up with a welcoming and inclusive spirit is crucial and expected of everyon that rides with us.

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Spoke & Bird Cafe (South Loop), 205 East 18th Street, Chicago, United States