Find the top rated dog walking trails in Niles, whether you're looking for an easy short dog walking trail or a long dog walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a dog walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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It is a great trail to ride for solitude and just looking at nature. I found cranberry bogs along my first ride. However, you have to be prepared for some tough riding in certain places. SE of Covert and before Hartford the trail can become very wet (as you approach the Paw Paw River drainage.) Wet in the spring up to 3-4 inches in some areas (these are few.) In the dry heat of the summer, the trail is dry. DNR occasionally comes through and mows down the grass. I ride this area frequently from the Memorial Day through Labor Day and find it a great trail for folks looking for a challenge beyond asphalt or crushed stone. At some stretches, there are weeds up to your waist. Yep, there are weeds. BUGS TOO! So, if you want a nice leisurely ride, this is not your trail. If you want to see SW Michigan's nature and all it has to offer....Then, load up your bike and pack. Enjoy your day!
The trails aren’t marked, there is trash everywhere. It feels like walking through someone’s back yard. Parking is crap! The trails are crap! The trash is ridiculous.
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.
Trail has great view of the St. Joseph river the whole way with old stone walls lining part of the path. Only problem is it’s prone to flooding so you might have to make a slight detour on your route.
Not a true bike path. It's just a shared lane with a local utility. It's listed as a County park, no one has even mowed the weeds all year. Trail is closed for utility work.
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 old trees and flowing stream provides the perfect backdrop for an afternoon walk or a quiet morning meditation.
Lovely trail! I understand the locals are working hard (without government funding) to extend the trail, add signage and amenities, and smooth rough spots. You will encounter very little traffic on the way, but you will likely see interesting wildlife and prairie plants. Most times you will pass friendly walkers and riders, but it is not so crowded as to be annoying. I highly recommend this trail.
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.
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.
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