Parks & Trails

Great trails and beautiful parks are the gems you will find in Middlebury. From elaborate and carefully manicured gardens to playgrounds and natural settings, our parks have it all. And our growing trail system connects us with neighboring towns and cities.

Krider World’s Fair Garden. This garden consists of several individual gardens including the Quilt Garden, the Memorial Garden, and the Rose Garden. There are ponds, a waterfall, two pavilions, pathways, and a glider for relaxing amidst the scenery. The park is a tribute to the Krider Nursery which was the town’s largest business for nearly a century, gaining fame with its patented thornless roses. In 1933 the company provided an elaborate garden for the Chicago’s Century of Progress exhibition, and several of the features of that garden were brought back to Middlebury, including the Dutch windmill and the Giant Toadstools.

Riverbend Park & Olde Mill Park. These parks, located on the banks of the Little Elkhart River, provide a natural setting, a playground, and a system of trails and boardwalks through the riparian landscape. From the Olde Mill trail you can admire the oldest building in Middlebury. In Riverbend there is a fishing platform (catch and release), a picnic pavilion, and the newest feature, Trail Tales, a series of stations, each containing pages of a book. As you walk the trail, you read the book. The stories are changed on a regular basis. Each August Riverfest takes place, a one-day celebration of all things related to the river and our environment. Riverbend is also the site of the Summer Fun program for children.

Riverbend Park Photo credit: Gloria Salavarria The Pumpkinvine Nature Trail and Ridge Run Trails. The Pumpkinvine Trail is a 17mile multi-purpose rail-trail that connects Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. The Ridge Run Trail and the Wayne Street Trail connect to the Pumpkinvine, forming a 5K loop, as well as providing access to local businesses, parks, and schools. Bikers, hikers, and runners get a workout, children stay active in the great outdoors, and employees commute to their factories and businesses. Birdwatchers search for wildlife and families take leisurely trips to local parks and ice cream shops.

*Names and locations of all the parks and trails may be found on the Town Map on pages 28-29.

Ridge Run Trail Photo credit: Gloria Salavarria

Krider Garden Photo credit: Gloria Salavarria 26 middleburyINchamber.com