Bailly Homestead to Chellberg Farm

The trail connecting Bailly Homestead to Chellberg Farm weaves together natural beauty and layered cultural history in a gentle loop through the woodland heart of Indiana Dunes National Park. The Bailly Homestead preserves the site of a fur trading post established in 1822 by Joseph Bailly, a French-Canadian trader who recognized the strategic location near the southern shore of Lake Michigan along established Native American and European trade routes. The remaining stone and log structures convey the rugged self-sufficiency required of early settlers in this region. A short walk through the forest connects to Chellberg Farm, a well-preserved 19th-century Swedish immigrant farmstead that operated into the 1970s. The historic barn, farmhouse, and maple sugar camp at Chellberg bring to life the agricultural traditions brought by Scandinavian settlers to the Indiana shoreline. The woodland trail between these two sites passes through a beautiful second-growth hardwood forest with a diverse understory, crossing small streams on wooden bridges and passing through areas managed to restore native plant communities. Maple syrup demonstrations take place at the farm in late winter, drawing visitors to witness a traditional craft in an authentic setting. The combination of fur trading history, immigrant farming heritage, and mature woodland makes this loop one of the most historically enriching hikes in the park. The flat terrain is accessible to nearly all visitors.