South Bend, IN Birding Trails and Maps

396 Reviews

Looking for the best Birding trails around South Bend?

Find the top rated birding trails in South Bend, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type
51 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Eliason Nature Reserve Trail

3.3 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Erie Trail

11.1 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Fishing Line Trail (Noble)

7.7 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Great American Rail-Trail

3743.9 mi
State: DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Heritage Trail (IN)

1.8 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail

17.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Concrete

Iron Horse Heritage Trail

2.4 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Millrace Trail

2.75 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Mishawaka Riverwalk

2.6 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Brick, Concrete

Monterey Erie Trail

0.6 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Nickel Plate Trail

37.8 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Northside Trail

3 mi
State: IN
Concrete

Northwest Portage Bikeway

3 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Panhandle Pathway

22 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Portage Creek Bicentennial Trail

4 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Prairie Duneland Trail

10.3 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Pumpkinvine Nature Trail

18.6 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Ridge Run Trail

1.5 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Riverside Trail (IN)

3.4 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Shanklin-Mullet Trail

1 mi
State: IN
Crushed Stone
Accordion

Van Buren Trail Spur

2.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Coal Line Trail

1.5 mi
State: IN
Concrete

Dunes Kankakee Trail

1.8 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

East Bank Trail

1.7 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Concrete

LaSalle Trail

3.5 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

MapleHeart Trail

4.8 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Millennium Trail (MI)

1.3 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Shaver Road Bikeway

1.8 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Singing Sands Trail

3.6 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Vicksburg Trailway

1.8 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Winona Interurban Trail

3.14 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Calumet Trail

9.1 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Chessie Trail

1.45 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Concrete

Elkhart River Greenway Trail

1.9 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Granger Paths

5 mi
State: IN
Concrete

Plymouth Avenue Trail

1.6 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Concrete

Van Buren Trail State Park

14.3 mi
State: MI
Ballast

Central City Trail (IN)

1.7 mi
State: IN
Concrete

Wilden Avenue Trail

3.2 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Syracuse-Wawasee Trail

12.7 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Boardwalk, Concrete

Vale Park West Pathway

0.7 mi
State: IN
Concrete

Elkhart RiverWalk Trail

0.7 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Krebs Trailhead Park

1 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Concrete

Lake Max Trail

1.63 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Concrete

Lincoln Memorial Trail

1.8 mi
State: IN
Asphalt, Concrete

Lovers Lane Bikeway

2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Monroe Street Trail

1 mi
State: IN
Concrete

Ninth Street Trail

1.3 mi
State: IN
Concrete

US 33 Path

1 mi
State: IN
Concrete

Wayne Avenue Trail

1 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

West Bank Walkway

0.6 mi
State: IN
Concrete
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
Located in Eliason Nature Reserve, this multiuse trail provides a paved route through the scenic woods of the reserve. At its northern end, the trail links with the Shaver Road Bikeway, which provides...
MI 3.3 mi Asphalt
The Erie Trail (otherwise known as 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...
IN 11.1 mi Asphalt
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...
IN 7.7 mi Asphalt
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...
DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY 3743.9 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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...
IN 1.8 mi Asphalt
Overview The Indiana Michigan River Valley Trail connects the towns of Niles, MI, and Mishawaka, IN via. 17 miles of paved multi-use trails. The trail passes different sites like Notre Dame...
MI 17.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Iron Horse Heritage Trail in Portage, Indiana, runs for over 2 miles between Max Mochal Road (SR 149) at the east end and Hamstrom Rd. at the west end. The trail passes through a greenway corridor...
IN 2.4 mi Asphalt
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...
IN 2.75 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Mishawaka Riverwalk is a multiuse loop trail that winds along both banks of the St. Joseph River for 2.6 miles in the City of Mishawaka. Pedestrian bridges provide connections between the...
IN 2.6 mi Asphalt, Brick, Concrete
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...
IN 0.6 mi Asphalt
Overview The Nickel Plate Trail traverses rural Indiana for 37.8 miles between Rochester and the outskirts of Kokomo, with a short gap in the middle in Peru.  About the Route With a northern...
IN 37.8 mi Asphalt
The Indiana Michigan River Valley Trail connects the towns of Niles, MI and Mishawaka, IN via. 17 miles of paved multi-use trails, some of which have their own unique identity. The trail also passes...
IN 3 mi Concrete
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,...
MI 3 mi Asphalt
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...
IN 22 mi Asphalt
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...
MI 4 mi Asphalt
Overview Prairies and dunes are just two of the natural features trail users will experience on the Prairie Duneland Trail, located just a few miles south of the Lake Michigan shoreline and the...
IN 10.3 mi Asphalt
Overview The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail covers over 18 miles between the towns of Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. The trail itself is well maintained and includes mile markers. The route is...
IN 18.6 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
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,...
IN 1.5 mi Asphalt
The Indiana Michigan River Valley Trail connects the towns of Niles, MI and Mishawaka, IN via. 17 miles of paved multi-use trails, some of which have their own unique identity. The trail also passes...
IN 3.4 mi Asphalt
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,...
IN 1 mi Crushed Stone
Accordion
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...
MI 2.5 mi Asphalt
The Coal Line Trail runs along the abandoned Notre Dame & Western Railroad coal line, which used to deliver coal to the Notre Dame Power Plant. Developing in stages, the route primarily uses the old...
IN 1.5 mi Concrete
The Dunes Kankakee Trail is a 1.8-mile walking and bike path that carries trail users throughout Indiana Dunes National Park.  Starting at the trail's southern endpoint just outside the park at the...
IN 1.8 mi Asphalt
The Indiana Michigan River Valley Trail connects the towns of Niles, MI and Mishawaka, IN via. 17 miles of paved multi-use trails, some of which have their own unique identity. The trail also passes...
IN 1.7 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Indiana Michigan River Valley Trail connects the towns of Niles, MI and Mishawaka, IN via. 17 miles of paved multi-use trails, some of which have their own unique identity. The trail also passes...
IN 3.5 mi Asphalt
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...
IN 4.8 mi Asphalt
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,...
MI 1.3 mi Asphalt
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...
MI 1.8 mi Asphalt
The Singing Sands Trail stretches over 4 miles across Michigan City. The paved trail picks up from the eastern end of the Calumet Trail at US/12 at the border of Porter and LaPorte Counties. The trail...
IN 3.6 mi Asphalt
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...
MI 1.8 mi Asphalt
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...
IN 3.14 mi Asphalt
Overview 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. About the Route The...
IN 9.1 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
Although its current length is just over a mile, the small-but-mighty Chessie Trail will connect several parks in the northwestern Indiana city of La Porte. At its northern end, the paved pathway...
IN 1.45 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Following the Elkhart River through a 120-acre greenway, this multiuse trail provides a green oasis in the middle of the city. The greenway is home to deer, river otter, muskrat, beaver, coyote, fox,...
IN 1.9 mi Asphalt
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...
IN 5 mi Concrete
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,...
IN 1.6 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Overview Head for Van Buren Trail State Park and take a walk (or ride) on the wild side. Wildlife abounds on this rural 14.3-mile trail between Hartford and South Haven. While you might see deer,...
MI 14.3 mi Ballast
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....
IN 1.7 mi Concrete
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...
IN 3.2 mi Asphalt
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...
IN 12.7 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk, Concrete
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...
IN 0.7 mi Concrete
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...
IN 0.7 mi Asphalt
The Krebs Trailhead Park has a multiuse trail follows the former Winona Interurban Railroad. Located in southeast Warsaw, the paved rail-trail is a mile long as it runs through Krebs Trailhead Park...
IN 1 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Lake Max Trail follows a former rail corridor south through Culver and provides new community connections. Eight- to ten-feet-wide with a surface of concrete and asphalt, the multi-use trail is...
IN 1.63 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Lincoln Memorial Trail is a 1.8-mile multiuse path in the community of Westville, which is located just 15 minutes from Lake Michigan in Indiana's La Porte County.  The southwest trailhead on...
IN 1.8 mi Asphalt, Concrete
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...
MI 2 mi Asphalt
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...
IN 1 mi Concrete
This concrete bike and pedestrian trail adds 1.3 miles to Goshen's developing trail network, linking Goshen College to Goshen High School and downtown. The trail runs begins at E. Purl Avenue and...
IN 1.3 mi Concrete
This bicycle and pedestrian path parallels Lincoln Highway/ US Highway 33 overpass, connecting Goshen High School to the north end of downtown. At its southern end, the concrete sidepath connects to...
IN 1 mi Concrete
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...
IN 1 mi Asphalt
The Indiana Michigan River Valley Trail connects the towns of Niles, MI and Mishawaka, IN via. 17 miles of paved multi-use trails, some of which have their own unique identity. The trail also passes...
IN 0.6 mi Concrete

Recent Trail Reviews

Vicksburg Trailway

Enjoyable

November, 2024 by clonetrooper5373

It's a quick journey through farmland and some wetlands. There isn't much too see here but I found that I enjoyed my time here and would return here again in the future.

Millennium Trail (MI)

Not Much Here

November, 2024 by clonetrooper5373

It's a quick 3 mile trip start to finish.

It's nice and flat but it doesn't really last long and with nothing to see here I wouldn't have a strong recommendation for this trail.

Eliason Nature Reserve Trail

Hilly & Twisty

November, 2024 by clonetrooper5373

This nature preserve is a very hilly and twisty trail.

The pavement is nice and smooth throughout your time here though the constant bending arounds corners will require you to keep your hands on the brakes.

Accordion

Northwest Portage Bikeway

Hilly

November, 2024 by clonetrooper5373

This is a pretty hilly trail that stretches for nearly 5 miles but is an enjoyable trip none the less.

Power line towers dot the landscape as soon as you hit Hampton and remain throughout the journey.

The trail boasts a garden nursery near Cypress Street, so be on the lookout for whatever plants are being taken care of.

Pumpkinvine Nature Trail

Rode trail from Shipshewana to Goshen, what a beautiful scenic trail. Make sure you stop at Mooies for icecream.

November, 2024 by tchioc88_tl

Rode trail from Shipshewana to Goshen, what a beautiful scenic trail. Make sure you stop at Mooies for icecream.

Shaver Road Bikeway

Decent

October, 2024 by clonetrooper5373

The trail is kinda bumpy throughout and switches from nature to urban almost immediately, with nothing really to see. Still, I felt I enjoyed my time on this trail, but if you're not local, I wouldn't bother.

Great American Rail-Trail

such a beautiful trail!

October, 2024 by sherryschie

We started in Akron and rode about 18 miles north. Loved it!!!

Elkhart River Greenway Trail

No bathrooms but plenty of parking! We'll kept trail. Nice short ride.

October, 2024 by jmjones1009

No bathrooms but plenty of parking! We'll kept trail. Nice short ride.

Granger Paths

Nice Path

September, 2024 by mailto:reserve-furlong-0e

The Granger Path is nice for running or walking. It's wide and relatively flat with only 40ft elevation change. The path follows and crosses several busy roads - so be watchful. Also watch for the multitude of golf carts and scooters driven by adolescents (mainly on weekends and after school hours). Additionally, none of the bicycle riders (or golf cart drivers) notify you as they approach from behind so best to run without tunes.

Panhandle Pathway

Good But Not Great

September, 2024 by rma101560

I rode the Panhandle Pathway from the Kenneth trailhead to Winimac and back. Overall, it is a good trail for those who are wanting to get away from the crowds and do some riding. There is nothing specific to to tell about the trail except that the Tippecanoe River bridge is very well done. The trail is flat and easy to ride. The Winimac trailhead area is nice because there are public restrooms directly adjacent to the trail. Conversely, the Panhandle is experiencing the inevitable problem that comes with time. There are several areas that have tree roots heaving and then cracking the trail surface.

Fishing Line Trail (Noble)

My wife and I took our Onewheel GTs on this trail, and it was very peaceful. Took us about 30 minutes to get from Kendallville to Rome City. If you bring a Onewheel, be sure to be mindful of cyclists and joggers.

September, 2024 by tylermumma12

My wife and I took our Onewheel GTs on this trail, and it was very peaceful. Took us about 30 minutes to get from Kendallville to Rome City. If you bring a Onewheel, be sure to be mindful of cyclists and joggers.

Pumpkinvine Nature Trail

Check out the newly paved Goshen section!

September, 2024 by msherer1622

For several decades the first 1.5 miles of the pumpkinvine nature trail heading out of Goshen was indeed crushed limestone. It was decent, but dusty, or iffy when wet. Well, this September the city finally decided to pave it and it’s awesome—wide, smooth asphalt, with limestone shoulders. In the last year, they also finished the section connecting CR 33 to CR 35 so the trail really feels like it’s finally done and among the nicer trails in the state. Be sure to check out Mooey’s, the Amish ice cream shop at mile marker 6. They’re open thru September 28.

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