Do You Ride/Enjoy the Fort Wayne Trail System? (Muncie: 2013, home)

[Always Needmore]

I grew up here, moved around the country for 20 years, then came back in 2003. And I have to say that the trail system was a pleasant surprise. Might be one of the best things about Ft Wayne, IMO.

My favorite segments:

1. Towpath trail between Taylor Street and Eagle Marsh
2. St Mary's Pathway between Bluffton Rd and Hanna St (via Foster Park)
3. The Maumee Pathway between Anthony and Landin Rd
4. St Joe Pathway from Johnny Appleseed Park to Shoaff Park

https://fwtrails.org/wp-content/uplo...or-website.pdf


I've ridden most of the system....enjoy it all, but those 4 are my favorites.

[WestsideMac]

It is a huge plus/impressive for Ft Wayne!

Honestly Ft Wayne trail system is much better than Indy's by a long shot. Indy is starting to do work towards that, but the connectivity of the trails (helps being along rivers and having 3 rivers meet) helps a lot. They've done a good job of connecting and expanding trails. They also have been way ahead of most communities and cities around the US/Midwest in that they've either had them in place since the early 2000s or sooner.

I feel like while Indy had the Monon and some other trailways, for the most part they didn't really start investing in this until around 2010. I think if Carmel hadn't been doing much of that too connect with the Monon it might still be looking for funding and people to spearhead it here in Indy area.

My favorite when I had long runs/bike rides to get in was in this order:
1) Maumee from Moser Park (Landin Road) to downtown...Anthony is a good spot to delineate though as it changes drastically once you get "into" town.
2) Towpath from the Marsh to Swinney Park (though there are areas where you can lose the trail on side streets)
3) Pufferbelly Trail I haven't run since around 2013 so I know it's expanded significantly. It might even rank above Towpath in my book now, but haven't run it lately to rank it higher. I like that Salomon Family Park side loop too.
4) Completely agree with St Mary's Pathway -- Foster Park and South is awesome, you get North of Foster Park up to Swinney and it can be hard to follow as well at times. Alot more boardwalk in that area too which can be slick.

Again others I've run/ridden, but many are new enough that I haven't been there in awhile to check them out especially if they've expanded significantly.

But yes overall it is one of the systems that others should be trying to follow/emulate I would say. Very impressive, especially the connectivity. I think I had read somewhere in Fort Wayne's Parks Mission/Goals for Trail system that with 6 Mile Creek Trail and others that they want to essentially create a circle of the paths around Ft Wayne. You'll have your paths from the outskirts in to the city but then also ones that connect those outskirts. Cool if that's the plan, though not sure if it still is.

[Always Needmore]

Sixmile Creek would be a nice addition.I hope they follow through.

The stuff they've done out at Moser Park is very impressive, but when you've ridden out there, and you live on the South side of Ft Wayne, it can feel like an awful long ride home lay ahead.

Several years ago the trails people did an online survey asking for ideas as far as what trail users would like to see. In context with that "long ride home" feeling that I mentioned above, my suggestion was for them to connect Mcmillen park to Foster park....hoping to start a southern loop between Foster and Moser.

I was shocked to see them painting bike lanes and hanging signs the entire length of Rudisill blvd the following summer....so perhaps that is my legacy?

Six mile creek would be even better.

As far as other indiana trails, I've ridden the Cardinal Greenway in Muncie as far out as Losantville, and thought it was nice. I've been meaning to go back now that they have it extended all the way to Richmond