Find the top rated walking trails in Coldwater, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Litchfield Nature Trail meanders through scenic property owned by the City of Litchfield, in some places adjacent to the St. Joseph (St. Joe) River. At one point, the trail passes through...
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...
Tradition says that Michigan has 11,000 lakes. The eastern section of the Lakelands Trail State Park passes through a chain of them as it rolls from the town of Hamburg and Lakeland to Munith some 26...
The Fishing Line Trail will someday span 12 miles between the cities of Kendallville and Rome City, Indiana. Noble Trails, the group behind this project, is in the process of acquiring the parcels...
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 Kiwanis Trail occupies an old railroad bed between Adrian and the southern edge of Tecumseh. The trail is currently the only open component of a much longer proposed regional greenway trail. In...
The DeKalb County Trail was constructed in 1976 and is called Indiana's first rail-trail. It runs between Morning Star Rd. at the Greenhurst Country Club in Auburn and Cedar Street along Wayne Street...
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,...
For more than 4 miles, Angola's trail winds through the heart of the city, which sits in the northeast corner of Indiana, just 10 miles from the bordering states of Michigan and Ohio. The paved...
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 Battle Creek Linear Park trail encompasses nearly 26 miles of connected trails in Battle Creek. Residents use the loop trails to put some snap, crackle, and pop in their exercise routines, while...
Shaver Road Bikeway begins on the south side of E. Centre Avenue in the southern Michigan city of Portage. On the north side of the roadway, a connection to the 4-mile Portage Creek Bicentennial 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...
The Wabash Cannonball Trail in northwest Ohio is actually two trails in one: its North Fork runs east–west for 46 miles and its South Fork makes up the balance of this nearly 63-mile trail. The forks...
The St. Joseph River Greenway begins on the southern outskirts of the small town of St. Joe, not far from the Indiana–Ohio border. The short paved trail (just over 1 mile long) runs through a scenic...
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...
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....
The Falling Waters Trail is a 10.4-mile asphalt rail-trail that links the town of Concord with the city of Jackson. The trail follows the old rail bed of the former Michigan Central Railroad, and...
The arrow-straight Jackson Intercity Trail follows the old rail bed of the former Michigan Central Railroad for 3.4 miles through the southwest section of Jackson. The trail provides a nice...
The Baw Beese Trail, named in honor of a former chief of the local Potawatomi population, connects the Michigan communities of Hillsdale and Jonesville. The paved trail is a model of efficient land...
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 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...
The pleasant little Albion River Trail runs along the south bank of the Kalamazoo River through the town of Albion. The trail runs between McClure Riverfront Park on the west end and Victory Park on...
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,...
Tradition says that Michigan has 11,000 lakes. The eastern section of the Lakelands Trail State Park passes through a chain of them as it rolls from the town of Hamburg and Lakeland to Munith some 26...
If you’re looking for a rustic escape form the din of everyday life, consider the Calhoun County Trailway. The Trailway weaves through three of the county’s four parks. The 5.3-mile trail kicks off in...
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 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...
The Litchfield Nature Trail meanders through scenic property owned by the City of Litchfield, in some places adjacent to the St. Joseph (St. Joe) River. At one point, the trail passes through...
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...
The St. Joseph River Greenway begins on the southern outskirts of the small town of St. Joe, not far from the Indiana–Ohio border. The short paved trail (just over 1 mile long) runs through a scenic...
The arrow-straight Jackson Intercity Trail follows the old rail bed of the former Michigan Central Railroad for 3.4 miles through the southwest section of Jackson. The trail provides a nice...
The Rieke Park Trail runs behind the large community park in Auburn, Indiana, on an abandoned New York Central Railroad corridor. The paved trail is shaded for most of its route, although it emerges...
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...
When 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 Falling Waters Trail is a 10.4-mile asphalt rail-trail that links the town of Concord with the city of Jackson. The trail follows the old rail bed of the former Michigan Central Railroad, and...
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 DeKalb County Trail was constructed in 1976 and is called Indiana's first rail-trail. It runs between Morning Star Rd. at the Greenhurst Country Club in Auburn and Cedar Street along Wayne Street...
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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,...
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 arrow-straight Jackson Intercity Trail follows the old rail bed of the former Michigan Central Railroad for 3.4 miles through the southwest section of Jackson. The trail provides a nice...
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 Battle Creek Linear Park trail encompasses nearly 26 miles of connected trails in Battle Creek. Residents use the loop trails to put some snap, crackle, and pop in their exercise routines, while...
Tradition says that Michigan has 11,000 lakes. The eastern section of the Lakelands Trail State Park passes through a chain of them as it rolls from the town of Hamburg and Lakeland to Munith some 26...
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...
The St. Joseph River Greenway begins on the southern outskirts of the small town of St. Joe, not far from the Indiana–Ohio border. The short paved trail (just over 1 mile long) runs through a scenic...
The Wabash Cannonball Trail in northwest Ohio is actually two trails in one: its North Fork runs east–west for 46 miles and its South Fork makes up the balance of this nearly 63-mile trail. The forks...
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....
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,...
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...
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 Kiwanis Trail occupies an old railroad bed between Adrian and the southern edge of Tecumseh. The trail is currently the only open component of a much longer proposed regional greenway trail. In...
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 Baw Beese Trail, named in honor of a former chief of the local Potawatomi population, connects the Michigan communities of Hillsdale and Jonesville. The paved trail is a model of efficient land...
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...
For more than 4 miles, Angola's trail winds through the heart of the city, which sits in the northeast corner of Indiana, just 10 miles from the bordering states of Michigan and Ohio. The paved...
The Main Trail runs for just 0.5 mile along an east–west corridor through the Whitehouse Nature Center. The trail links a series of loop trails through the nature center and begins at the visitor...
The Rieke Park Trail runs behind the large community park in Auburn, Indiana, on an abandoned New York Central Railroad corridor. The paved trail is shaded for most of its route, although it emerges...
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 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...
This is a great trail to check out.
Lots of riding along the river and downtown. The downtown section has stop and go between streets, but also has some good history with monuments and such (to be expected in a downtown, at least your not riding on the street).
The areas outside of downtown have fewer/no cross streets and wildlife.
Trail does have some tree root growth in areas, but normal compared to other ones that I have ridden.
I didn't have any issues getting around, but somewhat familiar with the area so it might be good to have a map or better your phone, since there are ancillary trails that you can ride around.Good trail with beautiful scenery.
Great scenery. Paths not clearly marked. The 10.5 mile loop requires crossing 15 roads - some are BUSY!! After Limit St, the path is not very well maintained. Watch for debris, cracks, holes, and broken glass. Easy to ride. Not alot of hills. The section along the river cannot be beat.
As part of an awareness event I was doing in Elkhart County, I completed the entire Pumpkinvine Nature Trail in my wheelchair in one day. As has been noted, this is a remarkably beautiful trail that nicely captures Elkhart County including Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana.
The local Amish community, which has a high population here, frequently uses the trail on their bikes. While I've heard from some locals that they're stand-offish, I found them to be absolutely delightful.
The trail is mostly rural, though Elkhart and Goshen are decently populated areas and the trail itself is so popular that you will likely run into some people along the way.
As a wheelchair user, I made it from beginning to end without too much problem. There's about a 1.75 mile section north of Goshen that goes from asphalt to packed limestone and involves some country road travel. It's definitely passable in a wheelchair, but a little more challenging.
You could easily make a weekend of the trail - start in Elkhart and end up in Shipshewana where there's some great country shopping and a couple nice Amish-style hotels.
If I were to recommend an Indiana trail, Pumpkinvine would be near the top of the list. However, be aware that Elkhart County is impacted by lake effects during the winter. This trail is probably best to enjoy during spring/summer and early fall.
Well taken care of with multiple resting stops. Beautiful riverside views for all ages
I rode this trail in June of 2017, and had a great time. I rode from South Haven to Kalamazoo, biked into town for food, and then hit the trail again to return to South Haven. It's a ride I would do again.
Trail conditions - the surface was quite nice. Not too many potholes. Under the right weather conditions, I'd feel great riding this on a road bike with 28mm tires. However, I ran across plenty of twigs and small limbs on the road. I might be hesitant to ride with a caliper brake road bike because of them. When I rode the trail, I used a cross bike with 38mm aggressive tires and cantilever brakes. I didn't feel that the tire friction was too much - in fact, I was happy with my pace for the day and felt like I didn't have to fight too hard for it. The limbs and muddy spots weren't an issue. I thought my setup was a great fit for the trail, although in the right conditions you could probably get away with anything from a road bike to a mountain bike.
Scenery - it's not breathtaking by any means, but there is a variety, and I found it pleasant. There was open farmland, thick brush, swamp, and forests to ride through. The climb in the forest up to the Kalamazoo trailhead was particularly nice.
Amenities - there was plenty of water along the route. And while the trail didn't directly pass through many towns, about every 5 miles there was some sort of town that was close, so I never felt concerned for my water or food situation.
Topography - It seems pretty flat when you ride it one way, but the elevation difference between Kalamazoo and South Haven is sure noticeable when you turn around and ride back the other way. If you're planning to do the full out and back, keep this in mind.
Finally, miscellaneous tips:
- Bloomingdale was a cool town to ride through, and sits at the halfway point of the trail. If you're looking for a shorter ride, this would be a good turnaround point from either end.
- Biking to fast food from the Kalamazoo trailhead is a bit of a ride, and features plenty of traffic. It is perfectly doable though.
- Wading out in the beach at South Haven was a great way to cool off post-ride, and I'd recommend it....if you don't mind getting very sandy.
The Wabash Cannonball Trail in Fulton, Henry, and Williams Counties in Ohio is owned and maintained by our all volunteer group, the Northwest Ohio Rails to Trails Association, NORTA. We have regular work days on the trail, and try to keep up with maintenance on the sections we own.
In the summer of 2017, we were able to acquire "ground up pavement" for the trail surface in Williams county. A larger tire bike will have no problems on that section. If you like to "mountain" bike, the rest of the trail is rideable.
Sometime in 2018, the eastern most section of the trail in Fulton County will be paved to our offices at St. Rt. 109. We're working to find the safest way to get around the active train track in that area.
The Trail also has a section of certified North County Scenic Trail. Check it out. If you are hiking the NCT and need a place to camp or just need a Trail Angel, contact us.
We look forward to meeting you! And bring your loppers and rakes to help keep the trail cleared.
P.S. Yes, it's flat and straight. That's how the Wabash Cannonball Train was able to reach the speeds it did!
Last biked the trail in 2013 and not much has changed, still gorgeous but now four years older the hills seemed just a bit steeper and longer but the curves, and hills were a nice change from most railtrails. Would not recommend the D Ave start for little kids. Walk it or bike it you will not be disappointed. The parking area at D Ave has been enlarged.
This is an excellent little trail to get back in shape on. It is the perfect length out and back 16 miles round trip. It's flat with nice parks to take breaks or cook a meal before you ride back to the north endpoint. Only a couple busy road intersections to deal with. All around excellent trail for a short ride.
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.
We live just 1/2 mile south of the South Fork. I run the trail most every day. It's always in great shape. In winter the trail is cleared off before the roads are. Well maintained and popular trail. Just have to be careful crossing the roads. The trail crosses many busy roads so watch for traffic, especially crossing State Route 295 (both forks cross this road). Enjoy!
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