Chellberg Farm Indiana Dunes National Park: 6 Reasons You’ll Love It!

Did you know, our nation’s newest National Park has a historic farmstead you can explore year round? Chellberg Farm at the Indiana Dunes National Park is one of our favorite places to visit, no matter what the season.

We’re excited to share with you, six reasons we think you’re going to love a visit to Historic Chellberg Farm too. Let’s go!

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#1: Peek into the Past at Chellberg Farm

Originally built in 1885, this adorable farmhouse gives visitors a glimpse of what life was like for a typical Swedish/Northwest Indiana farmstead around the Turn of the Century.

The red brick house was built to replace the one that had burned down in December of 1884. Incredibly, it took the Chellberg family (and some helpers) only 4-5 months to build this adorable brick home… during a Northwest Indiana winter too!

Throughout the year, you can tour the gorgeous grounds, which include the brick farmhouse, barn and chicken coop. There are plenty of wide-open pastures and grassy areas to enjoy, not to mention trails for hiking.

Want to step inside the house?! Before you visit, be sure to check the Indiana Dunes National Park’s calendar for ranger led tours of the inside of the Chellberg farmhouse. You don’t want to miss the cozy kitchen.

#2: You Can See Animals at the Farmstead

Chellberg Farm is home to several farm animals including chickens, turkeys, pigs and cows. These animal educators help visitors picture what farm life would’ve been like for the Chellberg family.

The gray barn is probably my favorite structure on the property! Not only do I love the color (sorry red barns), the “old wood smell” gets me every time. Throughout the day, the cows can go in-and-out of the barn to graze on the fenced pastures.

Behind the gray barn, you’ll find the coop and the busy little chickens that call it home. When we’ve visited, there was plenty of clucking, foraging and strutting going on at the coop. Honestly, who can resist chickens?!

Our kids love the chance to see the farm animals at Chellberg Farm. It makes the entire farmstead feel more authentic… like we’ve stepped back in time.

#3: Maple Sugar Time

Did you know the Indiana Dunes National Park is the only National Park that makes maple syrup?! It’s true! To celebrate, every March, the Chellberg Farm hosts Maple Sugar Time. We’ve attended a couple of times and highly recommend this family-friendly festival.

During Maple Sugar Time, Chellberg Farm is full of plenty of delicious smells, demonstrations and hands-on learning opportunities. A look at the past shows the different ways maple sap has been boiled down by Native Americans, early settlers and even the Chellberg family themselves in the sugar shack. Trust me, you do not want to miss the sugar shack… bubbling, warm and cozy. We even got to try to drill a tap ourselves!

The Chellberg Farmhouse is usually open and you can pop inside to see what might be cooking in the warm kitchen. Plus, you may find a sample of maple syrup to try. Don’t forget to grab a maple syrup recipe (or two) to make at home later.

Want to enjoy maple syrup treats, but don’t feel like baking/cooking yourself? No worries, there are lots of yummy maple syrup items to purchase at the farm.

#4: Hiking at Chellberg Farm

Chellberg Farm offers some beautiful trails to explore. There is a 1.1-mile Inner Loop Trail and a 3.4-mile Outer Loop Trail with the option to hike to the Bailly Cemetery (an extra .6-miles roundtrip).

Along the trails you can enjoy:

• Exploring the grounds of the Chellberg Farm and historic Bailly Homestead
• Taking a stroll through a duneland prairie
• Birdwatching
• Boardwalks and bridges along portions of the trails

Chellberg Farm is actually one of the best places to see autumn colors at the Indiana Dunes National Park. The property is surrounded by towering maple trees which are brilliant in the fall. When we visited to see the autumn colors, the trail seemed to be glowing, there was so much yellow!

The trails at Chellberg Farm are beautiful no matter what the season. We highly recommend enjoying an outing at the farm exploring on foot. Don’t forget to bring your trail map!

#5: Indiana Dunes Apple Fest

Every September, Chellberg Farm hosts the Indiana Dunes Apple Festival. This apple themed, family-friendly event is a great way to welcome in fall and offers lots to do and see.

Visitors can have bushels of fun together enjoying:

• Hayrides
• Live music
• Learning to cook/bake with apples
• Crafts and games for the kids
• Apple chucking

Autumn is a wonderful time to visit Chellberg Farm and the Indiana Dunes National Park. The weather is usually still mild, and the summer travel season is winding down.

#6: Comfort Center and Picnic Shelters On-Site

Located right off the parking lot is a Volunteer Office with attached public restrooms and a drinking fountain. There’s even a water bottle refill station, love this earth-friendly detail!

On-site you’ll also find covered picnic shelters, a perfect spot for a family picnic, enjoying the shade, or sitting to soak in the Indiana Dunes sights and sounds.

Plus, the picnic shelters can be reserved if you’d like the entire space for your group or are planning to celebrate an event at the Indiana Dunes National Park.

Know Before You Go

There is so much to see and do at the Indiana Dunes National Park and in the Indiana Dunes region. We suggest checking out the information we’ve listed below, which has helped us to plan our many trips to the area.

• Connect with Indiana Dunes National Park on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Visit the Indiana Dunes National Park Website: Indiana Dunes National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
• Visit the Indiana Dunes Tourism Website: http://www.indianadunes.com/
• Connect with Indiana Dunes Tourism on Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.
• To Request a Printed Copy of the Indiana Dunes Activities Guide Visit: http://www.indianadunes.com/destination-guides/printed-guides/
• To Download a Copy of the Indiana Dunes Activities Guide Visit: http://www.indianadunes.com/destination-guides/electronic-guides/

Check Out Our Other Adventures in Indiana:

• Everything You Need to Know About Camping at Indiana Dunes State Park
• An Inside Look at the Indiana Dunes National Park Visitor Center
• Indiana Dunes State Park Nature Center ~ Things You Should Know