January 11, 2026
Miller Woods/Marquette Beach
This was a cold one! Only seven of us came out on this blustery day to hike from the Douglas Center on Lake Street in Gary to Marquette Beach. Most of the way it was ok, but once we hit the beach area conditions changed dramatically. The winds were very strong and we struggled a bit with that. However, the waves were amazing and we were able to see some very unusual formations in the sand, frozen solid. It can also be noted we saw "icy flowers" in the channel leading to the beach. These little circles formed on the grass coming up out of the water. Very unusual and quite pretty!
This hike was about 4.5 miles through woods, along the beach, with a short stretch in the residential area on the return trip.
Needless to say, we survived the hike and enjoyed lunch afterward in the area.