The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail is a rail trail between Goshen and Shipshewana, Indiana. It is about 17.6 miles long. It has a 15 mph speed limit on it. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed on it. Class 3 are not allowed. I have ridden it about 3 times. I didn’t care much for the section between Goshen and Middlebury. I found it rather boring as many rail trails are. It was pretty straight and no shade. I much preferred the section between Middlebury and Shipshewana.
There is a nice bicycle shop in Middlebury quite close to the trail. They also sell and service tadpole trikes. It is called Pumpkinvine Cyclery. They sell Catrike, Trident and Azub recumbent tadpole trikes. In the image below taken from the trail you can see the bike shop just straight across the highway.
Pumpkinvine Cyclery is right across Indiana Highway 13 from the trail. There is a sidewalk all along the highway on the west side so one could exit the trail at York Drive onto the sidewalk and ride to the shop without having to cross the highway in front of the store … which would be a little safer. On the map below the side walk is shown in black.
The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail also connects to the MapleHeart Trail which runs alongside of a highway going from Goshen to Elkhart, Indiana … a 5 mile distance.
There is a great FACEBOOK page for the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail.
A one minute video featuring nature’s sounds along the trail … https://www.facebook.com/reel/139020442486072
BTW, I have failed to mention that this trail is in Amish country so expect to see Amish people out and about. Be careful around their buggies, wagons and horse pulled farm equipment. Horses spook easily. The sound of flapping flags can spook them. It is best to slow way down or even stop and allow them to pass you. There are often Amish people bicycling on the trail. Shipshewana is definitely a rather unique town with various Amish stores, restaurants and a flea market. The trail used to stop a short distance outside of Shipshewana, but I understand that since the last time I was there riding the trail they have extended it on into town.
1.75 miles of the trail north of Goshen is packed crushed limestone. The rest is all paved with asphalt. 1/2 mile of the trail utilizes a county road as part of the trail. That is east of Middlebury if my memory serves me right. It is low traffic so there should not be any concern. The local motorists are quite accustomed to sharing the road with trail users.
I just found this website Bike Trails in Northern Indiana which has these trails plus some others in northern Indiana.
Hey, ENJOY THE RIDE and …
KEEP ON TRIKIN’
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