Dunes Dash 5k
About this race
Experience the Indiana Dunes like never before at the Dunes Dash 5K, hosted by Save the Dunes at scenic West Beach in the Indiana Dunes National Park. This annual event invites participants to explore one of Northwest Indiana’s most iconic landscapes while supporting the ongoing protection and advocacy of the Indiana dunes, Lake Michigan, and the surrounding natural areas.
The 5K course winds through sandy, hilly trails with stairs and elevation changes, making it a rewarding challenge for runners and walkers alike. While the course is considered moderate to strenuous, it’s designed to be approachable for anyone ready to take on a fun, unique trail experience beyond a traditional road race.
A 1-mile Kids Fun Run is also offered, giving younger participants a chance to engage with the dunes in a fun and supportive setting.
Every registration helps Save the Dunes continue its work protecting natural areas, advocating for responsible land stewardship, and ensuring equitable access to the Indiana Dunes for our community and visitors.
Awards will be presented to:
Overall Male & Female, Masters (40+) Male & Female &
Top 3 Male & Female finishers in each age group: 13 & Under, 14-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
T-shirts may be added on for $25 with registrations received before May 1, 2026.
Please note that Indiana Dunes National Park passes are required for entry. Passes may be purchased at the gate, in advance through Save the Dunes during race registration or through the National Park website www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/fees.htm. If you require a no-cost park pass or additional accessibility information, please reach out to office@savedunes.org. *Note: National Park passes are not available to purchase online through runsignup.com without the purchase of a race registration.*
Packet Pick-Up Details:
Coming soon.
Pick your distance
Running
5K Run/Walk
Kids Run
Typical race-day weather
Based on 3 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Gary, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 5:18 AM and sets at 8:15 PM local time (CDT) in Gary on May 30, 2026 — 14h 57m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
Reviews
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2026 results — Dunes Dash 5k
5K Run/Walk · 137 finishers
| Place | Name | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tim Gross | 24:57 | 8:02 /mi |
| 2 | Maximus Reyna | 27:09 | 8:44 /mi |
| 3 | Daniel Fagen | 27:09 | 8:44 /mi |
| 4 | Michael Conkright | 28:30 | 9:10 /mi |
| 5 | Tharon Holt | 28:35 | 9:12 /mi |
Every finisher is on the results page, filterable by distance, gender and age group.
All results by year
Other races near Gary
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Turkey Trot - Portage Township Ymca
Duneland Half Marathon and 5K
Run for Your Life Race at Robinson Lake - 5K and Haunted Fun Run
Festivus 5K Run
🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Gary
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Gary 5K Races 2 races
- Gary Running Calendar 2026 3 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 4 Gary events
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