S Haven to Van Buren SP is paved and easy. The 14 mile spur to Hartford is not. Double track, sandy, probably muddy if it has rained. A nice adventure. Even on a nice May Saturday only saw 3 people. Fun if you are up to it. If you are expecting the Kal Haven trail you won’t like it.

I parked at the Nickel Plate marked trail head in Kokomo first rode south to downtown and then north to just south of Peru. The route to downtown Kokomo was well marked and an easy ride. Heading back north you will see many farms and small towns to pass through. My favorite was Bunker Hill. There are some stop signs. No rolling stops! The cross traffic are mostly trucks and travel at high speeds. A wonderful day in the country. Mike

Easy flat trail that is very well maintained. Lots of stops to cross busy streets but many people stop their cars to let us cross. The trail mostly goes behind houses and neighborhoods.

So close to a 5 star and it is a 5 star considering the location. We camped at Tippecanoe State Park to explore Panhandle Pathway, Nickel Plate, and North Judson trails. We parked downtown Winamac by the train depot. Street parking, even for our camper van, was not a problem on a Saturday afternoon. The trail was very well maintained. Any roots were marked. We rode 15 miles down and came back after stopping at Star City trailhead for a snack break where there was some parking, picnic table, and clean porta potty. We rode against the wind to start and you feel the wind on this trail!! It was a great cardio ride. The people around this area are so lucky to have these well maintained trails by them. (Ride the North Judson Trail, too, if you are in the area!) It is tough to give these regional trails 4 stars when they are 5 star for the area. I am judging the trails based on several Pennsylvania trails we have ridden with bridges and tunnels. You gotta love that one of the rules of this trail is you have to say hi to everyone you meet!

I really want to give this 5 stars because it is a gem of trail for the community and surrounding area. We had a camper van so parked off of 10/39 and S. 250 W just outside of North Judson. Trail was paved, but there were some dips to be mindful of in one section closer to North Judson (mentioned by someone else) otherwise it was well maintained. Heard lots of different species of wildlife and enjoyed our ride. Would we make this trail a destination? No. Would we change our route 20-30 minutes to be able to ride this again? Yes.

wonderful trip across America

Prairie Duneland was the first rail trail we rode, so for us it's a sentimental favorite. It's also close to home, so we ride it often.

As others have noted, most of the trail is well shaded and screened by trees, making it a cooler ride on hot days. The tree screening also helps make windy days more manageable.

But, with trees come roots, which often are the source of bumps and cracks on paved trails. Other than a short stretch near the Cleveland Avenue trailhead in Hobart, this trail mostly has escaped that problem. (Technically, that stretch is actually on the Oak Savannah trail, see below.)

Another good thing about Prairie Duneland is that it connects to several other trails. Just west of 149, the Iron Horse Heritage Trail branches off to the north - at about 2 miles it's a relatively short but nice trail.

Prairie Duneland also connects seamlessly at its west end to the Oak Savannah trail - in fact, if you start in Chesterton and head west, the last mile and a half or so before Cleveland Ave is actually the Oak Savannah. If you're so inclined (and willing to put up with a stretch of some twists and turns with non-existent signage through downtown Hobart), you can ride the entire Oak Savannah, link to the Erie Lackawanna Trail in Griffith, and end up in Crown Point.

These trails are all almost entirely flat and well paved. The one warning is that a rail crossing at roughly mid-point on Oak Savannah can sometimes be blocked by stopped trains.

This was a fun trail. Beautiful landscapes .The trail had asphalt and gravel. We love riding through the Amish countryside and eating at the Amish restaurants.

There is now trailhead parking at the South Haven end of the trail. There is a parking lot on Aylworth Ave. between Kalamazoo St. and Monroe Blvd. The trail is also paved between that trailhead parking and Van Buren State Park.