Find the top rated bike trails in South Bend, 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 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...
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 Plymouth Avenue Trail is located on the west side of Goshen, in north Indiana. The trail is adjacent to Plymouth Avenue for a mile and a half. The paved trail is anchored by parks on both ends,...
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 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 Monroe Street Trail is a part of Goshen's Maple City Greenway system. The trail travels east-west adjacent to Monroe Street, providing connections to Goshen High School on the west end, as well as...
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...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
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 Vale Park West Pathway is a multiuse trail in the Chicago suburb of Valparaiso. At 0.7 mile long, the trail passes through a mix of woodland and prairie, as well as over a creek on a 220-foot...
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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 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 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...
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 Nickel Plate Trail traverses rural Indiana from Rochester south to the outskirts of Kokomo, with a short gap in the middle in Peru. The rail-trail runs along the former corridor of the Peru &...
The North Judson Erie Trail occupies the railbanked right-of-way of the former JK Line Railroad, running over eleven miles from downtown North Judson southeast to County Road 700 near Bass Lake....
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 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...
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,...
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 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...
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 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...
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...
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 Syracuse-Wawasee Trail isn't a single path, rather it's a system of hiking and biking pathways, spreading across the Town of Syracuse, Syracuse Lake and Lake Wawasee. The trail system is 12 miles...
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,...
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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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 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...
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...
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...
Noble County's Fishing Line Trail is an over seven-mile route that connects the small communities of Rome City and Kendallville, with most of the trail utilizing the historic railroad corridor that...
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....
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Closure Notice: Due to damage to the trail bridge over Leeper Avenue, a portion of the East Bank Trail will be closed between North Shore Drive and Michigan Street/IN-933 until the spring of 2022. Be...
Indiana’s Panhandle Pathway follows a former Pennsylvania Railroad corridor out of Winamac south to Kenneth. Along the way, the trail links the communities of Star City, Thornhope, and Royal Center...
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 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 Plymouth Avenue Trail is located on the west side of Goshen, in north Indiana. The trail is adjacent to Plymouth Avenue for a mile and a half. The paved trail is anchored by parks on both ends,...
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 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...
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 Nickel Plate Trail traverses rural Indiana from Rochester south to the outskirts of Kokomo, with a short gap in the middle in Peru. The rail-trail runs along the former corridor of the Peru &...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
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 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...
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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...
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 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 Vale Park West Pathway is a multiuse trail in the Chicago suburb of Valparaiso. At 0.7 mile long, the trail passes through a mix of woodland and prairie, as well as over a creek on a 220-foot...
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 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...
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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 North Judson Erie Trail occupies the railbanked right-of-way of the former JK Line Railroad, running over eleven miles from downtown North Judson southeast to County Road 700 near Bass Lake....
The Monroe Street Trail is a part of Goshen's Maple City Greenway system. The trail travels east-west adjacent to Monroe Street, providing connections to Goshen High School on the west end, as well as...
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 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 Syracuse-Wawasee Trail isn't a single path, rather it's a system of hiking and biking pathways, spreading across the Town of Syracuse, Syracuse Lake and Lake Wawasee. The trail system is 12 miles...
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...
Now you can ride on asphalt all the way from Gene Stratton Porter to Kendallville.
We completed this trail in October just as the leaves were starting to turn and plan to make this an annual ride. The 34 mile trail is well maintained, smooth and full of woodland and rural scenery.....God's Fingerprints everywhere. Our ride included linking to the Van Buren State Trail after traversing through the bike lanes in South Haven and a stop at Rock & Road Cycle for a quick repair. These guys are so accommodating and they truly enjoy their career.
A shout out to Kal-Haven Outpost for providing a perfect camp site right next to the trail.
Porter County should really consider paving this trail as it would be a great asset to attracting bikers to the lake shore
I hope that this trail will improved soon. It would be a great safe connector from the state park to Michigan city, but currently, it is not a great option
My wife and I rode from VanBuren State Park on the VanBuren Spur trail to Locato. It was about 29 miles round trip. The trail was paved to South Haven. We were on town streets for about 1.5 miles then on the other side of So. Haven the trail became the Kal-Haven. The trail was on very hard packed clay. It was mostly shaded and flat. bring what you need. There wasn't any services from So. haven to Locato.
South Haven reminded me of a quaint New England town. There was a lot of activity and a lot of services.
My wife and I rode this trail from Krider Garden in Middlebury to Shipsewana and back (about 15 miles). The last 1/2 mile was on a road to town. We rode in the lane typically used by the Amish buggies. The trail was paved, mostly shady, flat and well maintained. It was very scenic. The trail goes thru an area predominantly farmed by the Amish. The farms, barns and houses are well kept. It appears the community is flourishing. We ate in Shipsewana. The town has a lot of services.
Walking thru Krider garden was also a treat.
From Rochester down to Peru is relatively level . Lots of whining on here about dangerous road crossings but it isn't like they surprise you. Just slow down or stop especially if the vegetation is tall. No problem. The section from Peru to Kokomo is definitely much more shaded and isolated. Not much water supply on this trail so make sure to fill up in Peru. I had no issues with bugs in August.
Trail is rough gravel with a lot of depressions. Water fountain at Beverley Shores station if needed on a hot day. Definitely strenuous. Local informed me that recently towns’ along the trail have agreed to pave this trail which will be a game changer. Trail’s eastern end now joins the Singing Sands trail through Michigan City, which is paved. MTB trail for sure.
Miles 0-5 are very smooth and the rest of the trail is in average to good shape, with a lot of cracks. I was impressed by how intertwined this bike trail is with the local community, with many places to enter and exit the trail. There was a lot of shade on the trail and I saw a couple of Porta potty‘s along the way. At the end of the trail there is a connection to the lake shore Trail. This was a great trail which is only minutes from the expressway.
So as a birthday gift to myself, I drove up to the north end starting point of the trail.
One noticeable difference from the part of the trail down by Kokomo is that the there are mile markers at the northern part.
Now as noted in another review, the afternoon that I ran the trail, the flies were terrible..
The portion in Kokomo is much more shaded.
As noted in my previous review, the northern part is paved, flat and level.
It would be a bit of a drive from Kokomo, I was staying in Wabash, but if in the area, and want to get in a couple miles, either spot will do.
Enjoy.
We are trying out our ebikes. A little concerned with signage stating no motorized units, except for wheelchairs. As we understand it now after some research, ebikes are OK as long as speed is below 20mph. No problem with us keeping it under! There is s small section that is not paved. A very small section. The signage directs you on to the county rd, but I was not comfortable to do that s yet, as we are still getting acquainted with our ebikes. The unpaved portion is just fine. Maybe a wee bit gravely, but I felt under control. If you go, take the slight detour to Gene Stratton Porter Historic Site. So pretty!
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