Find the top rated trails in Niles, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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South Bend’s Northside Trail closely follows the east bank of the St. Joseph River from Howard Park to the western edge of Mishawaka. Along the way, you’ll have access to Viewing Park and Veterans...
When complete, the LaSalle Trail will travel an arrow-straight 3.5 miles between Roseland Town Park in Roseland and the Indiana–Michigan state line. Michigan is currently working on building a trail...
The Shanklin-Mullet Trail, named for the two parks through which it runs, follows the Elkhart River through dense woodlands on the western side of Goshen. Mullet Park is a peaceful 15-acre open space,...
The MapleHeart Trail travels nearly 5 miles from the city of Elkhart south to the outskirts of Goshen. The trail parallels County Road 45 and a Norfolk Southern Railroad corridor through residential...
The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail covers just over 17 miles between the towns of Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. The railroad line between Goshen and Middlebury served as a popular passenger and mail...
Central City Trail runs right through the heart of the northern Indiana city of Goshen, connecting to the 17-mile Pumpkinvine Nature Trail on its northern end and Goshen College on its southern end....
Lovers Lane Bikeway provides a paved, north-south route through the southern Michigan city of Portage. The paved pathway parallels the east side of Lovers Lane for 2 miles with a wide grassy median...
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The Riverside Trail winds along the west bank of the St. Joseph River for just over 3 miles in northern Indiana's South Bend. Several benches along the way allow you to take in the beautiful river...
As its name implies, the Northwest Portage Bikeway traverses the northwestern neighborhoods of Portage, a city in the Kalamazoo metro area. The 3-mile paved trail begins just south of Crossroads Mall,...
The Calumet Trail traverses the south side of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, a unique ecosystem of forest, marsh, dunes and beach along Lake Michigan. This dirt and crushed limestone path...
The Portage Bikeway trail system is a 17.5-mile network of multi-use trails throughout the city of Portage, south of Kalamazoo. The 4-mile segment through Portage Creek Bicentennial Park is cleared of...
Romence Road Bikeway is a utilitarian east-west route across Portage, a city just south of Kalamazoo. The west end of the paved pathway begins at Westnedge Avenue, adjacent to a shopping center...
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Though the Millennium Trail runs just over a mile, it connects several attractions in the southern Michigan city of Portage. Its east end connects to the scenic Portage Creek Bicentennial Trail,...
On the east end of Portage, this paved pathway begins near the intersection of S. Sprinkle Road and Zylman Avenue. On the south side of Zylman Avenue, you can easily reach Ramona Park, which offers a...
Ridge Run Trail, in the northern Indiana town of Middlebury, offers helpful connections in the community. On its southern end, the paved pathway connects with the beloved Pumpkinvine Nature Trail,...
Prairies and dunes are just two of the natural features you’ll experience on the Prairie Duneland Trail, located just a few miles south of the Lake Michigan shoreline and the Indiana Dunes National...
The Monterey Erie Trail occupies the same railbanked corridor as the longer North Judson Erie Trail to its west, and the two rail-trails are planned to be linked in the future. Monterey and North...
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The northern portion of the East Bank Trail was one of the first rail-trails in Indiana, opening in 1988. The asphalt-surfaced trail stretches for about 0.5 mile through tree-lined South Bend...
The Millrace Trail meanders through wooded parkland on the west side of downtown Goshen, a walkable town itself with historical buildings and nice shops. The scenic trail follows the hydraulic canal...
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The Heritage Trail is nearly a 2-mile path located in Kasciusko county. It is part of a larger multi-use trail called the Lake City Greenway. The trail is just off of Winona Lake and also incorporates...
The Wilden Avenue Trail stretches for roughly 3 miles from the northern Goshen city limits to the community's downtown. In the north, the trail is a direct continuation of the MapleHeart Trail (and is...
Prairies and dunes are just two of the natural features you’ll experience on the Prairie Duneland Trail, located just a few miles south of the Lake Michigan shoreline and the Indiana Dunes National...
The Dunes Kankakee Trail is a 3-mile walking and bike path that begins in the Indiana Dunes State Park and travels south to Chesterton. It connects the Calumet Trail, which is also in the state park,...
Head for Van Buren Trail State Park and take a walk (or ride) on the wild side. Wildlife abounds on this rural 14 miles between Hartford and South Haven. While you might see deer, rabbit, fox and...
The Shanklin-Mullet Trail, named for the two parks through which it runs, follows the Elkhart River through dense woodlands on the western side of Goshen. Mullet Park is a peaceful 15-acre open space,...
When complete, the LaSalle Trail will travel an arrow-straight 3.5 miles between Roseland Town Park in Roseland and the Indiana–Michigan state line. Michigan is currently working on building a trail...
The northern portion of the East Bank Trail was one of the first rail-trails in Indiana, opening in 1988. The asphalt-surfaced trail stretches for about 0.5 mile through tree-lined South Bend...
More than a half-dozen old railroad towns between Kalamazoo and South Haven offer rest and replenishment to travelers using the Kal-Haven Trail. The 34-mile crushed-limestone rail-trail links these...
The Calumet Trail traverses the south side of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, a unique ecosystem of forest, marsh, dunes and beach along Lake Michigan. This dirt and crushed limestone path...
The Riverside Trail winds along the west bank of the St. Joseph River for just over 3 miles in northern Indiana's South Bend. Several benches along the way allow you to take in the beautiful river...
The Iron Horse Heritage Trail in Portage, Indiana, runs for 5 miles between Max Mochal Road (SR 149) at the east end and County Line Road near US 20 at the west end. The trail passes through a...
The Monterey Erie Trail occupies the same railbanked corridor as the longer North Judson Erie Trail to its west, and the two rail-trails are planned to be linked in the future. Monterey and North...
Romence Road Bikeway is a utilitarian east-west route across Portage, a city just south of Kalamazoo. The west end of the paved pathway begins at Westnedge Avenue, adjacent to a shopping center...
As its name implies, the Northwest Portage Bikeway traverses the northwestern neighborhoods of Portage, a city in the Kalamazoo metro area. The 3-mile paved trail begins just south of Crossroads Mall,...
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Just shy of a mile, Elkhart's Riverwalk offers a pleasant, paved connector through town. It begins downtown, across from City Center Park, and heads north paralleling Waterfall Drive and later Main...
The Wayne Avenue Trail serves as a pleasant east-west connector through the quiet, tree-filled neighborhoods of Middlebury in northern Indiana. On its west end, it provides residents with access to...
The Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail currently runs for more than 2 miles through Niles, Michigan, on the eastern bank of the St. Joseph River. The trail occupies a former New York Central Railroad...
The Van Buren Trail Spur, which opened in November 2015, offers a paved, off-road route from the southern outskirts of South Haven to Van Buren State Park. The rail-trail begins at 16th Avenue, where...
The Vicksburg Trailway runs for nearly 2 miles on a former railroad corridor in a small village south of Kalamazoo. The paved trail is surrounded by dense woodlands for all but the southernmost...
Though the Millennium Trail runs just over a mile, it connects several attractions in the southern Michigan city of Portage. Its east end connects to the scenic Portage Creek Bicentennial Trail,...
The Wayne Avenue Trail serves as a pleasant east-west connector through the quiet, tree-filled neighborhoods of Middlebury in northern Indiana. On its west end, it provides residents with access to...
The Riverside Trail winds along the west bank of the St. Joseph River for just over 3 miles in northern Indiana's South Bend. Several benches along the way allow you to take in the beautiful river...
Head for Van Buren Trail State Park and take a walk (or ride) on the wild side. Wildlife abounds on this rural 14 miles between Hartford and South Haven. While you might see deer, rabbit, fox and...
Prairies and dunes are just two of the natural features you’ll experience on the Prairie Duneland Trail, located just a few miles south of the Lake Michigan shoreline and the Indiana Dunes National...
The Calumet Trail traverses the south side of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, a unique ecosystem of forest, marsh, dunes and beach along Lake Michigan. This dirt and crushed limestone path...
The Monterey Erie Trail occupies the same railbanked corridor as the longer North Judson Erie Trail to its west, and the two rail-trails are planned to be linked in the future. Monterey and North...
The Millrace Trail meanders through wooded parkland on the west side of downtown Goshen, a walkable town itself with historical buildings and nice shops. The scenic trail follows the hydraulic canal...
The MapleHeart Trail travels nearly 5 miles from the city of Elkhart south to the outskirts of Goshen. The trail parallels County Road 45 and a Norfolk Southern Railroad corridor through residential...
hen complete, the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail will run for 35 miles throughout Kalamazoo County. Currently, the trail consists of two continuous segments connected by bike lanes: one segment extends...
The Shanklin-Mullet Trail, named for the two parks through which it runs, follows the Elkhart River through dense woodlands on the western side of Goshen. Mullet Park is a peaceful 15-acre open space,...
The Heritage Trail is nearly a 2-mile path located in Kasciusko county. It is part of a larger multi-use trail called the Lake City Greenway. The trail is just off of Winona Lake and also incorporates...
The Van Buren Trail Spur, which opened in November 2015, offers a paved, off-road route from the southern outskirts of South Haven to Van Buren State Park. The rail-trail begins at 16th Avenue, where...
The Vicksburg Trailway runs for nearly 2 miles on a former railroad corridor in a small village south of Kalamazoo. The paved trail is surrounded by dense woodlands for all but the southernmost...
The scenic Winona Interurban Trail lies in the southeastern corner of Goshen near the Indiana–Michigan border. The paved pathway is part of the larger Maple City Greenway network that links...
The Wilden Avenue Trail stretches for roughly 3 miles from the northern Goshen city limits to the community's downtown. In the north, the trail is a direct continuation of the MapleHeart Trail (and is...
Just shy of a mile, Elkhart's Riverwalk offers a pleasant, paved connector through town. It begins downtown, across from City Center Park, and heads north paralleling Waterfall Drive and later Main...
Ridge Run Trail, in the northern Indiana town of Middlebury, offers helpful connections in the community. On its southern end, the paved pathway connects with the beloved Pumpkinvine Nature Trail,...
Lovers Lane Bikeway provides a paved, north-south route through the southern Michigan city of Portage. The paved pathway parallels the east side of Lovers Lane for 2 miles with a wide grassy median...
Romence Road Bikeway is a utilitarian east-west route across Portage, a city just south of Kalamazoo. The west end of the paved pathway begins at Westnedge Avenue, adjacent to a shopping center...
The Portage Bikeway trail system is a 17.5-mile network of multi-use trails throughout the city of Portage, south of Kalamazoo. The 4-mile segment through Portage Creek Bicentennial Park is cleared of...
Now that the portage bike way, north of Milham, has been redesigned, it's an even better ride north to Kilgore. Riding by the old cider mill dam site, brings back many memories. I was hoping that Portage would do something there. Clean it up, or rebuild parts of the old dam. My dad and I would fish the mill pond back in the mid 50's for Trout and Chain Pickerel. Beautiful ride through that area.
My wife and I are in our late 60's and we have been riding rails to trails all over the country. This trail is as good as we have ever ridden. It was an easy ride and very little elevation change. A perfect blend of shaded canopy and open farm lands. The scenery is fantastic. The Amish farms on the trail have so many horses and the occasional Amish horse and buggy just adds to the ambiance. We are coming back in the fall for sure.
Very nice 10 mile trail with direct connection to 2.5 mile spur to Iron Horse Heritage Trail. Travels through woods with a few road crossings and suburban scenes. About 6 miles of the trail was newly paved and very high quality. The rest was somewhat bumpy as others have noted but nothing that was too distracting or dangerous. I spent two weekend mornings here (30 miles and 40 miles) traveling from Michigan City by car (~25 mins) to easily accessible parking lot in Chesterton.
Now if the Calumet Trail was maintained and not completely ignored, maybe we would consider chipping in help maintain it. But obviously no one has cared to already do their job to maintain the constant standing water and unfinished work on that trail. It could be so beautiful!!! Between the poorly and unkempt trail and garbage, something has to be done. It is so not enjoyable to ride bikes on. The husband and I would rather pack up and go to Michigan!!! Sad with what's to offer here.
Thanks.
My husband and rode this trail for the first time and loved it. It amazes me that people call a trail such as this boring. It is beautiful nature----loved the first part out of the Kalamazoo trailhead---pristine and full of lush trees. We rode 10 miles and turned around and saw rolling landscapes and agriculture. Gentle incline but be prepared that it is a gravel trail. After the first mile it became hardened and easier. Also---keep your heads up for the crossroads. Next time we will start in South Haven. Beautiful and we are very appreciative that we are provided with trails such as this to keep us off the road.
Follows along the St Joe river, next to a man-made kayak run, through residential neighborhood, ending by Notre Dame. It's possible to never go on a city street while on this trail (it's a rail-to-trail line). It's a little confusing around the south part (near the "East Race" kayak run") because there are ways to go underneath all the traffic by crossing pedestrian bridges that go over the river, but if you have a map or planned it out, you can pick the right bridges and never have to go on a street.
It's an interesting mix of urban and natural, a hidden gem in the area (especially the northern part that is an old rail line).
In response to the negative review: I wouldn't call it an "urban" trail at all, since most of it is through residential areas and off streets along an old rail line (paved). Downtown SB doesn't have a rising crime problem (other areas of the city do have crime), and this trail doesn't even go through downtown South Bend but is on the opposite side of the river from it...
Ok, so my first go at this trail left me very underwhelmed, mostly because it seems to end in a campground only 4-5 miles out of town. Very short.
But if you're a newbie on the bike or a runner, then this trail is a great place to start. Not extremely hilly, paved nicely from South Haven all the way to the campground, plus you can park and start with views of Lake Michigan!
It was a nice trail once I found it. Takes you thru a few subdivisions which us ok but once back on the trail there is a hairpin turn that could send you over a cliff if your going fast. Connects to Prairie Duneland trail. Overall a scenic ride.
I can literally walk to this trail from my house (which I do quite often). It's beautifully kept and I see deer nearly every time I walk/run here. I feel safe walking this trail and it's the perfect length! And it has a great balance of sunny/shady, and lots of curves to keep it interesting. I love it so much!!
It was bumpy as a previous reviewer stated. I traveled 3 miles on the trail and had to stop and go back to the start because I met up with the maintenance trucks laying down brand new asphalt on the trail. Man, I wish I could have been here another few days to try out the new asphalt! I can't wait to go back next year and give it another try.
Essentially, worse than an unpaved road as we biked thru standing water with tadpoles swimming about.
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