Explore the best rated trails in Michigan City, IN. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Prairie Duneland Trail and Mishawaka Riverwalk . With more than 61 trails covering 4190 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Panhandle Pathway is flat, secluded, has a few trailheads for easy access and there are two towns where you can easily grab something to eat (Royal Center and Winimac). The scenery might be a bit monotonous but in this case I found it serene rather than a detriment. Mileage is printed in tenth of a mile increments on the nearly perfect asphalt surface.
I rode the entire 21.5 mile length starting in Winimac heading towards Kenneth. It was an overcast weekday so I only saw one other cyclist on my entire out and back. There are many small road crossings but most of them had no traffic so I don't count that as a negative. I stopped for lunch in Royal Center which was a quick turn off from the trail.
If you are looking for a trial with varied scenery or challenging hills the Panhandle Pathway does not offer it. If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing ride through bucolic farmland the Panhandle Pathway delivers.
Enjoyed the newly paved loop on this trail. Lots of shade along the path. Bonus, when you are done riding a great micro brew location quenches your thirst.
Not very smooth for inline skating, but great for walking, jogging and biking!
We started at freedom park rode across the canal then were stuck in road construction nightmare. After walking across the intersection dodging cars and trucks we were able to continue beautiful the remainder of the ride. Just beware you may want to start at a different point.
We ride this trail when we are near the lake riding on a longer trail. We go to this spot specifically for photo op's of the skyline. It's a must go place for really cool pictures!
We love this trail. We live in the western suburbs of Chicago so this is a trail that we do often. If you live in the area or will be traveling through, it is best to find a parking spot for your car and then get going on your bike. You can do off street parking in Chicago near the lake which is pay by hour or you can park in the numerous parking garages in the area. We get our parking spots for a major discount through spot hero. When we do this trail we like to start at the Maggie Daley park so we get a spot in one of the parking garages right there.
We start at the Maggie Daley lot near the ice skating circle and head north. There are countless beaches, restaurants, food trucks, etc. on this trail. We like to stop at the Lincoln Park Zoo because it is a beautiful free zoo. We walk our bikes through the zoo with no problem or issues.
This trail is a VERY FAST trail for good bike riders. There are TONS of people that are walking, biking, roller blading, and running on this divided trail. There are lanes that are clearly marked for bike riders but that doesn't mean that people follow the signs and the rules. If you decide to do this trail on a weekend plan for there to be a ton of people. I would not suggest that children younger than pre-teen ride individually on this trail. I would worry about children riding into the path of very fast riders and I worry about other people getting irritated with children that may fall or stop unexpectedly on this trail.
The sites that you will see on this trail are simply amazing! You can do this trail over and over again and stop at different places each time. We ride all the way to the end on the north side of town. We also go south to about the 31st beach. This takes you behind Soldier Field and the Shedd Aquarium which is a neat vantage point. We could ride this trail every weekend if we could!
This bike path was once was a great safe car-free detour for road cyclists traveling north from Chicago, bypassing busy Ridge/Sheridan Rd.
With the addition of 15 mph speed limit signs and people yelling "slow down" and shaking their fists constantly to anyone in lycra, it's become clear cyclists are no longer welcome on the "trail".
It's so unfortunate that people behind a bike path would work actively to discourage cyclists from using it.
If you're a seasoned cyclist looking to get training in I suggest avoiding unless it's late fall, winter, or early spring.
We went there on 8/12/23 Great ride love the round the lake part didnt go to far down the way to joliet but we will be back to do more of it! Need to find all the parking spots.
Great, pretty short but not unsubstantial trail- only con is a few areas where you have to cross some multiple lane street/roads. Great forested areas.
Moved here from Texas 6 years ago and I’m so lucky to have this huge network of trails to explore. The landscape is gorgeous!
I started at Clark Park and was able to take trails/greenways all the way to the trailhead without any issues! There are some bumpy parts on the southern end, but it is well worth it to bypass all the busy roads. As of August 2023 some parts are under construction, but there are detours.
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