Great trail

We rode the Panhandle Pathway on Saturday Oct 3, 2020, from Winamac to Royal Center and back, so this review applies only to that segment. Easy parking in downtown Winamac, at the northern trailhead. We had a gray, unusually cool day with steady low wind from the south. Very few other riders/walkers. Overall a very pleasant experience, kudos to the Friends of the Panhandle Pathway for their work.

It's a nicely maintained trail, mostly smooth pavement through flat countryside. North-to-south mileage is painted on the trail every tenth of a mile, so that's easy to keep track of. Water/snacks available off-trail at Winamac and Royal Center.

One important thing to know is that there's relatively little tree cover or canopy between Winamac and Royal Center, to protect against wind or sun. Factor this in if you have a windy or aggressively hot/sunny day.

We visited this trail on a cloudless Sunday in September. It was mainly flat and entirely paved if you head north from the parking area off of Starkey Av. The description provided by TrailLink is spot on. South from the parking lot on Starkey it is crush stone for about a 1/2 mile before it ends.

This would be a great trail during the fall and we may return. It was lightly used that day and the pavement was in very good condition with just one or two spots where cracks/bumps are starting to form. It terminates at a small park to the north (or you can park there and head south). My 9-year old rode the whole way with no issues. Really a fun, easy, relaxing trail to walk, run, or bike.

Great riding trail. The paved portion is actually about 6.2 miles end-to-end.

99% of trails are gravel, some of it very loose. NOT good for road bikes or trikes. Recommended off road bikes only!Very nice for bird watching, saw several different types.Good place to walk your dogs.Very little shade for walking or running.

This trail is quiet, smooth & mostly shaded. There’s a few spots to venture off the trail to clock a few extra miles. It smells like autumn with leaves beginning to fall. Several benches and a bridge also provide a nice place to stop and enjoy the scenery. There’s even a book box, a fairy garden and a beautiful mural to enjoy as well. Looking forward to it growing longer!

Rode this trail 2020 August...trail is well maintained and in good shape. Bathroom at start of trail only in Winamac, however, you do go through a couple of other small towns with bars and restaurants which would have bathrooms, as well the trail is heavily wooded for the most part. Trail has a couple of nice bridges over rivers with seating/resting ares. Half the 22mi tail parallels Hwy 35, being approx 25 yards off same...so you have a lot of traffic noise. The trail ends basically in the middle of nowhere, with a picnic table, bike rake, and no bathroom or anything else. However, nice trail will ride again.

This was a great ride. I rode from Kokomo to Peru and back. There was a lot shade, very peaceful and it was not crowded at all. I look forward to riding it again.

I enjoyed my ride on the Panhandle Pathway, but to be honest, there is really nothing unique or special about the trail that would make me want to go back and ride it again. It is straight as an arrow and offers little shade, so you may want to ride on a cooler day or one that has some cloud cover. There are some nice views of farms, but no towns to stop in along the trail. Even Winamac doesn't have a whole lot to offer for places to eat, etc. I guess the main use of such a trail would be exercise or training; there were not many other bikers on the path. The one thing I did enjoy as I rode in early August is the huge variety of butterflies fluttering around the flowers that line the path. That went on for many miles.