Find the top rated bike trails in Niles, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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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 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 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...
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 Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail currently runs for more than 5 miles through Niles, Michigan, on the eastern bank of the St. Joseph River. The trail occupies a former New York Central Railroad...
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...
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,...
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 Dunes Kankakee Trail is a 5.5-mile walking and bike path that It exists in 2 discrete segments: one that is 2.4 miles paralleling County Road 25 East, and the other segment east of that that is...
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. The paved pathway...
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,...
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,...
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 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...
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...
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...
The community of Granger is tucked into the north end of Indiana, bordering Michigan. The community itself, through the Friends of Granger Paths recognized the need for safe, separate areas for...
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...
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...
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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 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...
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...
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 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...
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 community of Granger is tucked into the north end of Indiana, bordering Michigan. The community itself, through the Friends of Granger Paths recognized the need for safe, separate areas for...
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...
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...
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...
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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 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 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 North Judson Erie Trail occupies the railbanked right-of-way of the former JK Line Railroad, running 9 miles from downtown North Judson southeast to US 35 near Bass Lake. Eventually, the trail...
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 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...
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,...
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...
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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 Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail currently runs for more than 5 miles through Niles, Michigan, on the eastern bank of the St. Joseph River. The trail occupies a former New York Central Railroad...
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 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...
The North Judson Erie Trail occupies the railbanked right-of-way of the former JK Line Railroad, running 9 miles from downtown North Judson southeast to US 35 near Bass Lake. Eventually, the trail...
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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...
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 Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail currently runs for more than 5 miles through Niles, Michigan, on the eastern bank of the St. Joseph River. The trail occupies a former New York Central Railroad...
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 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 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...
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...
Although less than 1 mile long, the West Bank Walkway offers lovely views of the St. Joseph River in downtown South Bend. Midway, a converted railroad trestle over the waterway connects trail-goers to...
The Dunes Kankakee Trail is a 5.5-mile walking and bike path that It exists in 2 discrete segments: one that is 2.4 miles paralleling County Road 25 East, and the other segment east of that that 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...
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,...
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...
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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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 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 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...
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 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. The paved pathway...
I rode the KRV from D Avenue to Galesburg and back on a recumbent bike. The most interesting parts of the trail are at the two ends. The trail undulates through wooded areas in both cases, but the D Avenue end is very hilly. The trail is asphalt throughout and mostly smooth. There are several highway crossings that require care. The part of the trail near downtown Kalamazoo has one underpass that is best traversed on foot due to sandy dirt on the trail. This section likely is unpassable after a heavy rain.
As the trail heads east there is a section that runs through a park along the river. But then the trail emerges onto a course along route 96 and heads into Comstock. The short ride through Comstock calls for care with turning traffic going into businesses. East of Comstock is a nice brief ride through a park before again returning to route 96. The final section of the trail is a very nice ride through a park into Galesburg.
This would be a great trail if it were asphalt. As it is it is a nice ride with considerable shade. I rode the trail on my recumbent from the trailhead at Kalamazoo to the small community of Kendall. Since it is a rails-to-trails course, there are no major hills on the trail. However there is generally a slight grade favoring eastbound riders.
The crushed gravel surface is mostly smooth riding with only a couple of spots where the gravel is loose and one must be extra careful. The wooded ride was enjoyable and worth repeating. I hope to try the trail from the other end at South Haven soon.
Short trail but leads you straight to the beach!
The ride is very enjoyable. It is more scenery at the Nile town area along the river. There are quite a few benches along the trial just in case you want to sit down for short break.
I’m more of a road rider, but picked up a gravel bike recently and this trail really put me and the bike through our paces. Up to 10 inch deep puddles of stagnant water along with mud sections, the full trail is not for the faint of heart.
Even after a night of rain, the trail was hardly wet. This is truly one of most well maintained trails. We started in South Haven just off the Blue Star highway and ended in Kalamazoo. The trail is perfectly shaded with some nice breaks of farmland and wildflowers. Trail is mostly flat with some gradual inclines in places. We stopped in Bloomingdale for some air in the tires and a few other points alone the trail. We really loved the area near Mentha. The whole trail was very well marked and as two women, we felt safe. We loved stopping to read all of the historical markers. Really a great trail!
We rode this trail July 2020...for the most part nice trail with some rough spots due to typical deterioration...two small wood plank bridges to cross with rest seating...no restroom facilities, but plenty of wooded areas...the start/end points, very limited parking, as the best place to park is just off of hwy 10 and 250 W, plenty of parking; as they continue to improve this area...we will ride again.
Absolutely loved biking this trail, great signage allow the way. Every cross road was marked, letting us know exactly what our location was.
This trail is the continuation of the Pumpkinvine Trail into and through northern part of Goshen. It is paved, mostly concrete, fairly narrow, like a side walk, and west of the Oakridge Cemetery it becomes a side walk. It connects with the Mapleheart Trail leading towards Elkhart.
This 17 mile linear rail trail is quite scenic, partly shaded, slightly hilly, and mostly paved with asphalt. Near Goshen there is a section of hard packed limestone easily negotiable with road bike. Several new sections have been completed in recent years, but there remains a short segment (about 1 mile) between Goshen and Middlebury on country roads without any shoulder.
You pass many Amish farms complete with horse-drawn buggies and carts. You encounter many Amish folk bicycling the trail and farmers mowing their fields with a team of horses. Within the town of Goshen at the southwest terminus the trails signs and mile markers end abruptly and you have to pick your way along the river and through Oakridge cemetery to connect to the Mapleheart Trail which takes you to Elkhart.
We were looking for a medium-distance trail to stop and ride in order to break up a long drive home from a vacation in Michigan, and picked this one because it was not far off of our route. In the searching, I noticed that there was a bike shop located right on the trail, the Pumpkinvine Cyclery in Middlebury. We decided to start there, figuring the proprietor would perhaps have good intel on the best place to eat. This turned out to be a good decision. The shop was a fine little biking establishment, and the proprietor indeed set us straight on a great place to eat. He also had no problem with us parking the car in his lot for the duration of our ride. So off we went on the 11 miles to Goshen. What a gorgeous ride! Even though rain clouds threatened, we thoroughly enjoyed the twisting and turning route through the farmland. As of July 2020, I can report that the trail surface is excellent. We were riding on a day when the temps were at or above 90 farenheit, and were pleased to find that probably over 50% of the trail is shaded by tree canopy. It was a Friday afternoon, and we pretty much had the trail all to ourselves. I suppose the prospect of rain kept everyone inside.
At Goshen, we detoured off the trail to find the Goshen brewery, as the bike shop had suggested. Excellent choice! The food was delicious and the beer was top notch. As always, the ride back seemed shorter than the ride out. We were packing up to leave when we noticed one of the car's tires had gone flat. Just our luck, all the tire shops in town had just closed for the night, so we opted to get a room rather than drive hours on a donut. Thus, we were afforded the opportunity to ride more of the trail the next day.
The tire having been plugged early the next morning, we rode the shorter 6 mile stretch from Middlebury to Shipshewana, which is much more of a normal straight-as-an-arrow rail trail, but features very scenic farms all around. This being a beautiful Saturday morning/afternoon, the trail was much more crowded than the day before, but everyone was courteous and showed perfect trail etiquette. In Shipshewana, there are a couple of excellent Amish restaurants. We chose the Blue Gate, and once again enjoyed a stellar meal.
All in all, this trail is highly recommended for the casual rider who is looking for a leisurely ride through the countryside.
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