Whether you live in or near Mishawaka, Indiana or you are visiting from out of town, you might be surprised to learn we have great hiking opportunities near The Mish.
In this hiking guide, I will break down the hiking areas based on the drive time distances from Downtown Mishawaka. The majority of the links will lead to an AllTrails listing.
Before I launch into the entire list, I'll first mention two urban trails you must be aware of along with our nearest National Park, which is my top choice for hiking near Mishawaka.
Urban Trails
The St. Joseph River
Near Downtown Mishawaka, if you are looking to explore the St. Joseph River in an urban setting you can't miss the Mishawaka Riverwalk Loop.
You have many options for parking, but most people park at Central Park or at Beutter Park near the outdoor Ball Band Biergarten.
You can easily spend 1-2 hours exploring, there are also several playgrounds for kids & restaurants nearby. Of course, you can visit our shop InRugCo, which is across the street from Central Park.
An easy 10 minute drive from the Mishawaka Riverwalk is Howard Park & the East Race near Downtown South Bend. You can park at Howard Park to access the paved pathway along the St. Joseph River.
Much like the Mishawaka Riverwalk, in South Bend near Howard Park is the area known as the East Bank Village. Visit South Bend has written an excellent guide to exploring Howard Park.
There are several restaurants & shopping options all walkable from the park. In the summertime, don't miss whitewater rafting near Howard Park at the East Race Waterway.
Indiana Dunes National Park
One hour drive from Mishawaka
Located at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, my top choice for hiking trails near Mishawaka is easily Indiana Dunes National Park.
Did you know the biological diversity within Indiana Dunes National Park is 4th among all of our national parks? Near the immense Lake Michigan you have woodlands, sand dunes, bogs, prairies & beach all supporting a variety of flora & fauna.
Admittedly, to love Indiana Dunes National Park is to understand the unique juxtaposition between this nature preserve & the history of industrial manufacturing. Like many topics, this is a complicated history. A great starting point is the documentary Shifting Sands.
There are many great trails to choose from, you could easily spend 1-2 days exploring the park. I would first stop at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center.
Cowles Bogs Trail is one of my favorite trails. 
Potato Creek State Park
30 minute drive from Mishawaka
Potato Creek State Park is the only state park that is accessible from Mishawaka in under 30 minutes. Locals refer to this park as PC, which is home to 327-acre Worster Lake, old fields, mature woodlands, restored prairies, and diverse wetlands.
You can easily spend a full day exploring the trails that PC has to offer. The Nature Center is a must-visit to learn more about the park. I typically park at Porter Rea Cemetery then take Trail 4 near Worster Lake and then connect with Trail 2.
Other 30 Minute & Under
After Potato Creek, you best bet for hiking trails under 30 minutes are county parks & nature preserves. Most of Michiana was flattened due to glaciers, but just because most of our hiking is relatively flat doesn't mean it isn't interesting.
How many different trees & plants can you identify? How do the trails change with our seasons here? Many of these trails offer outstanding opportunities for birding if you are paying attention. Learn more with the South Bend-Elkhart Audubon Society.
Here are some notable county parks with good hiking. Typically, these offer between 30 minutes to 1.5 hours worth of hiking.
- St. Patrick's County Park
- Madeline Bertrand County Park
- Bendix Woods County Park
- Cobus Creek County Park
- Boot Lake Nature Preserve
- Ox Bow County Park
- Lydick Bog Nature Preserve
30 Minutes to 1.5 Hour Drive
If you are willing to drive a bit, we have a nice variety of hiking trails worth visiting. State parks offer more solitude & mileage compared to county parks.
Here are some of my favorites.
- Indiana Dunes National Park (mentioned above)
- Indiana Dunes State Park
- Warren Dunes State Park
- Dr. TK Lawless International Dark Sky Park
- Meyer Broadway County Park
- Pokagon State Park
- Fort Custer Recreation Area
-
Soldiers Memorial Park
2 Hours & Beyond Drive - Backpacking
The nearest trail to Mishawaka for backpacking or backcountry camping would be the Salamonie Lake Bloodroot Trail located near Argos, IN.
Learn more at - https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/files/Bloodroot_trail_map.pdf
(If you are invested in learning more about backpacking, please send us an email at hello@indianarugco.com. I have given backpacking clinics through the Elkhart County Parks Department and I am happy to share tips & tricks I've learned from backpacking all over the US.)
For those willing to drive several hours, other destinations for hiking include Brown County State Park in southern Indiana, Turkey Run State Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore near Empire Michigan, & the Manistee National Forest.
If you have any questions regarding trails in those areas, feel free to reach out to us at hello@indianarugco.com 
Written by Clark Richardes