This is a great park for beginning hikers or those short on time. The park, while beautiful is much…read moresmaller than State parks, with trails that are harder to get lost on. There is small playground, a "Sensory Garden" area that has a pond with running water & frogs (for sound), highly scented flowers (for smell) and even some safe to taste herbs (for taste). There is a covered picnic area that can be rented out for parties. It can also be used freely when no parties are booked. One could make a day of this place but it's not a requirement to see everything.

such a beautiful park, i love the trails available very pretty views and everyone that travels is…read morenice. good for walking and biking.

If you know me, then you also know that I'm an avid trail user in Indiana and one of my very…read morefavorite trails in our state is Elkhart County's Pumpkinvine Trail, a trail that is adjacent to this lovely park in Goshen, Indiana. Abshire Park is the second largest park in Goshen. The land was donated to the Parks and Recreation Department in 1986 and encompasses about 75.5 acres. Abshire Park was developed to accommodate primarily passive and interpretive programs along with passive recreational opportunities. It is accessible from the Pumpkinvine Trail. The north end of the park is a managed natural area and includes a prairie restoration, wet lands, and a traditional forest. Rock Run Creek borders the park to the southwest. Abshire Cabin is located at the park - a rentable enclosed pavilion. While most restroom facilities in Goshen are April-October, Abshire Cabin has available restrooms year-round. Abshire Cabin is noted as having an official capacity of 30 people. Rental is $200 (plus tax) with a $100 deposit. It is largely accessible and ideal for small socials or professional meetings, kitchen area, tables and chairs, access to tubing hill, cross country skiing and more. Not for profit rates available Monday - Thursday with copy of non-profit certificate. As noted, this is a fairly laid back park without a lot of hardcore amenities. While it's a well used park, the times I've been here I certainly wouldn't call it a busy park. I've nearly always used it as a rest place during my Pumpkinvine trail use. If you've never experienced the Maple City Greenway trails, I highly recommend them. If you go on the Pumpkinvine, there's a good chance you're also going to experience wildlife, amazing plant life, and probably some of the area's Amish community.

Great park with wonderful hilly green spaces. The cabin is quant and has a lofted area with a low…read moreceiling. I attended a wonderful birthday party for my granddaughter. Great time and the functional kitchen would easily serve up any meal to a crowd that could swell to 50! Seating is good for a crowd of 15-20 people. Nice! Good job Goshen Parks department. I will certainly rent this for a gathering.

Neat little park where your kids can play until their heart is content. Lots of features to climb…read moreon, swings, slides, lookouts.....you mame it, this park has it. Except restrooms with plumbing and electric. There are a couple portable toilets, and trash bins, but that's it. You can grill here if you choose, as there are a few charcoal grills located in various spots. There's also a good sized sand volleyball court and basketball court. All in all, this is a neat little find.

Love this playground for the kids! The playground equipment and area itself is so imaginative and…read morefun. My kids could play happily for hours if we'd let them. The park also has a pavilion, trails, a pond, a picnic area and sand volleyball.

The Millrace trail is a fantastic place for a family walk. The Kid's Castle at Shanklin Park is a…read moregreat stop along the way. Have played slow-pitch softball here and fields are well maintained. Boat launch at Shanklin is too. ***Word of caution, if you do plan on visiting nearly any part of Shanklin park, be ready to encounter many Canadian Geese and tons of what they leave behind.*** Goshen Parks are one of the main reasons my family chose to live here and we visit them or take advantage of their programs or services as often as we can.

Shanklin park is a great space. It has lighted baseball/softball diamonds, a canoe launch for the…read moreElkhart River, Kiwanis Pavilion, Shanklin Pool and Schrock Pavilion, a large rentable enclosed pavilion. Best of all is the community-built Tommy's Kids Castle, a large, fun, and well maintained kid's play area. It has areas for larger and smaller kids, baby swings, regular swings, tons of slides and things to climb. Best of all there is a bottleneck in/out which means you can give kids the freedom to explore without worry by sitting near the entrance.

Rode the Pumpkinvine Trail from Goshen to Shipshewana and back to Goshen. We stopped for lunch in…read moreMiddlebury and hit the bakery in Shipshewana for a snack. Several interesting food options in Middlebury and lots of Amish shops in Shipshewana. The trail is well maintained and smooth with a mix of crushed stone and paved sections. It's largely wooded, shady, and shielded from the wind. It's mostly flat. I was there on a Saturday and there was plenty of traffic on the trail, but no congestion. Lots of Amish and Mennonites on the trail on a nice late summer day.

I traveled the Pumpkinvine Trail as part of my 25th Anniversary Tenderness Tour, a wheelchair tour…read moreof Northern Indiana raising awareness and funds on behalf of organizations working to break the cycle of child abuse/domestic violence. Among the several trails that I traveled over the course of my 13 days, the Pumpkinvine was perhaps my favorite as it weaved together an absolutely beautiful trail, cultural relevance, friendly people, and the great diversity of nature. Depending upon whom you speak with, the Pumpkinvine either starts in Elkhart's Ox Bow Park Goshen's Abshire Park. However, the Pumpkinvine website (http://pumpkinvine.org) documents the trail beginning in Elkhart and a sign at the end of the trail at County Road 850 (just about .6 miles from Shipshewana) documents your distance at 26.3 miles for completing the entire trail. If you've caught on that the trail is in the heart of Elkhart County and moves on into the edges of LaGrange County, then it shouldn't be a surprise that the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail is frequented by members of the area's Amish community who mostly use the trail utilizing bicycles as horses are forbidden on the trail. As I wheeled the entire trail from Elkhart to the end near Shipshewana, I repeatedly encountered members of the Amish community who were likely out enjoying one of the area's last decent days before the Fall chills arrive. The trail is certainly not exclusive to the Amish community and this happened to be one of the few trails where I encountered people from beginning to end even on a day that it drizzled or rained pretty much all day (including a very brief period of snow). The entire trail is paved asphalt with the exception of a 1.75 mile section that includes some country road travel that is comprised of packed limestone. This particular section, as well, is the only section that might prove to be a bit of a challenge for some folks with a mobility impairment. It's lightly traveled by vehicles, but it's a little more uneven and vehicles and buggies do travel on it. That said, my very minor concerns about it aren't enough for me to dock the Pumpkinvine a star (NOTE: IF a 1/2 star were an option, I might go 4.5). For those familiar with the trail's history, it's noteworthy that the beauty of the trail doesn't quite reveal how controversial it was when it was first being developed and how much certain landowners fought the planned usage and, to this day, hang out their "no trespassing signs" along the path to ensure no one stumbles off the trail onto their land. While I encountered no negativity along the route, there was no question that this impacted the ambience just a slight bit. The trail also has brochures that will tell you about various historical places along the trail including information regarding Chief Shipshewana and nearby Amish landmarks including a schoolhouse right off the trail. While the Amish on the whole can be a bit distant, you probably would be too if you were treated as a tourist attraction, I found them to be friendly and personable throughout my 26 mile ride and their presence adds a uniqueness to this trail you simply don't find anywhere else. Motorized vehicles, with the exception of motorized wheelchairs, aren't allowed on the trail. Bicycles, walkers, runners, and wheelers are encouraged. The trail holds events at various times throughout the year and I believe there's even a season for cross-country skiing being allowed. That's probably not in the Summer, eh? There are places to park along the trail especially as you reach the towns of Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. Being in a wheelchair, it is definitely worth noting that I ran over a TON of cherry pits. While this didn't do any damage to the chair, it may be possible during the Fall season that hitting a pit the wrong way could potentially slice a tire. It's a fairly light risk, but it's worth noting. Among the many beautiful trails I've traveled over the past couple weeks, it's pretty hard to top Elkhart/LaGrange County's beautiful and well kept Pumpkinvine Nature Trail.

Wonderful visit, warm sunny day. Greatly enjoyed chatting with the head miller. He was full of…read moreinformation about the mill itself and expanded our knowledge of multiple grains while discussing bread making tips n tricks. We strolled a shorter bath but forgot our bug spray so didn't adventure into the woods. The gardens around the mill were picturesque and the mill store had a great variety. I would recommend a visit and be sure to engage the miller for all your questions !!

Well done tours of a genuine mill. Fascinating story behind the original owner! Great place for a…read morepicnic or a stroll - the grounds are beautiful. Check online for hours - not open every day (for tours).

It is beautiful well kept park with plenty to do. Besides the many organized events, there are…read moretrails to walk, playgrounds, a tower, archery, disc golf and more. It costs $3 to enter the park with your car.

Very nice park, entrance fee varies depending on season and residency…read more Very well appointed with bathrooms, pavilions and trails. There is a canoe launch on the Elkhart river. This is a big park and quite a few areas look exactly like the one you came from...so a map isn't a terrible idea if you're going to be hiking. This is a great place to spend the day w family. I have never tried the disc golf here. They are in the process of building an observation tower similar to the one at Bonneyville Mills

We came here the other night to check out the Christmas lights before they closed down for the…read moreseason and it was absolutely wonderful! Our whole family went and we had so much fun walking around checking out the lights and getting pics together. I'd love to see them keep adding on every year, and also love that profits go towards charity as well. We will for sure be coming back in the summer to see the gardens.

This was a great morning stroll thru the gardens. You can…read morewalk a large walkway loop. Shade and sun, ponds and streams and flowers we've never seen. Wild geese walking around and flying overhead. Many memorials of supporters in ground tiles, benches and rock markers with bronze plaques. This is a former water well property with 2 each 2 milllion gallon tanks still on the property. In the kids area as a tribute to the water history are three sample valves set in place. A Butterfly Valve with a handwheel Actuator, a quarter turn ball valve and a Non Rising Stem Gate valve. All donated and installed on copper pipe by Nibco Valve. A superior learning display. Butterfly's, bees and a Cardinal. Quite Nice...

Great kayaking, I had a lot of fun. When we went the water was a bit low, but wasn't a problem…read more Hardly any current so it was a nice easy kayak trip.

After years of playing this as my home course, I have come to the realization that this course is…read moreamong some of the best I have played. It's well maintained, good variety of play and very nice park staff.

Tucked in off a street in Bristol, IN, is a place for serenity and a short walk through beautiful…read moregardens. The stone path leads to one of the 26 area heritage trail quilt gardens. Along the pathway, you will be shaded. These gardens include a huge ornamental lifelike mushroom with short sidekicks. Another photo worthy decoration is a wood carved cardinal next to a blue life sized Dutch windmill. The little park contains flowing water, a koi pond, scented roses, and multiple flora, as it winds up and down stairs on a stone pathway. Many artistic metal structures adorn the pathway. Definitely a place to visit!!!! I wish I lived closer.

For those who are fairly new in my world, you likely don't know about my long history as an…read moreactivist in the area of violence prevention with a strong emphasis on child abuse and sexual violence prevention. Since 1989, I've traveled over 6,000 miles in my wheelchair and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a wide variety of organizations. I spend a lot of my wheeling time in Indiana - my home state and lifelong home. Among my favorite places to go in Indiana is Elkhart County, a Northeastern Indiana jewel filled with magnificent trails, a strong Amish community, a number of historic peace churches, and a vibe that just really clicks with me. My favorite trail in Indiana is the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail that winds its way through four Elkhart County communities and runs a bit over a marathon in terms of length. You get to visit a variety of cool small towns and will likely see some Amish folks on their bicycles. Quite honestly, it's awesome. If you stop in Middlebury, and I always do as I have multiple friends there, you can take a break along the trail here at the Krider World's Fair Gardens. For once, this is not small town braggadocio. Krider World's Fair Garden started out its life as a 1934 World's Fair exhibit and has been meticulously maintained ever since. I won't say it's "the" pride of Middlebury, but it's certainly one of the things of which the community is most proud. This is a botanical garden that weaves together gentle walking paths, a quilt garden exhibit, iconic structures, and facilities that include waterfalls, picnic tables, viewing benches, a gazebo, and a swing arbor. The park itself is really only about 2.4 acres. It's not a huge place, but it's a beautiful place. It can be rented for special events, weddings, and photography needs. If you're on the Pumpkinvine, then you'll run into this area as a perfect place to stop and rest and enjoy a beautiful part of Middlebury. The biggest city in Elkhart County is, in fact, Elkhart itself. But, a visit to Elkhart County isn't complete without visiting places like Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. Yes, I'll admit that it can get a bit touristy but it's a friendly community and a place I absolutely love to visit. This part of the state has about 2 dozen quilt gardens. A "quilt garden" means that they lay the quilts out in a pattern that changes each season. You can also see "Garden With a Cause" here, a garden devoted to charities and local organizations improving the lives of the people of Middlebury. They have a replica of the "Sunrise Bench," a bench that was included in the World's Fair Exhibit and there's a Statue of Hebe and a Water Wheel House among other attractions. If you're in Elkhart County, a stop at Krider World's Fair Garden just really needs to happen. I have some photos, but I'm still trying to find them from past tours. When I do, I'll post my own photos but you can definitely capture the garden's vibe in the available photos here.