Located in Northwest Indiana is one of the most unusual national parks in existence.  Known collectively as Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, rather than being one single swath of preserved land, it is actually 15,000 acres of non-contiguous land controlled by the National Parks Service.  There are historic homes, cemeteries, one of the world’s tallest wandering sand dunes (the 123-foot-tall Mt. Baldy), and Pinhook Bog, a quaking bog off limits to visitors for one big reason:  it can eat people.  Check out the Weather Channel video on Pinhook Bog here, and check out the park’s official website here, with image galleries aplenty.

Among the 20 protected species that live in Pinhook Bog are three species of carnivorous plants.  I have to admit I’m morbidly fascinated with carnivorous plants.  When I was a kid, I had a Venus flytrap that didn’t adapt too well to Kentucky’s harsh summers when I brought it back from South Carolina.  Still, it was cool to have one, even if it did die.

I kind of have a black thumb.

Tags: Pinhook Bog, Indiana, swamp, unusual nature, parks, national parks, man-eating swamp, unusual animals, carnivorous plants, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

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