Outdoor Recreation
Krider “World’s Fair” Garden Park
When it’s time for a peaceful stroll, a rest while traversing the Pumpkinvine Trail, or just want some quiet time, enjoy Krider’s World’s Fair Garden Park in Middlebury. The Krider legacy goes back a long way. Schoolteacher and plant lover Vernon Krider open a nursery in 1896 and published his first catalog in 1906. His nursery constructed and exhibited Krider’s Diversified Garden at the Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago in 1933. A selection of the plants were returned to Middlebury and the garden was reconstructed in 1935. Later, Krider was the first to produce and sell thornless roses. When the nursery closed in 1990, the garden declined, only to be rescued and restored by the community in 1995. Today, you can savor fountains and waterfalls, curving flagstone paths, iconic structures, shaded benches, an arbor with a swing, and viney gazebos, surrounded by vincas, zinnias, and lush ground cover. The plants featured today are transplants from the 1933 garden. And, they’re all upstaged by the famous giant concrete mushrooms for which the garden is famous.
302 West Bristol Avenue, Middlebury, IN Open 24 Hours
Pumpkinvine Nature Trail
When the Pumpkin Vine Railroad was abandoned, local residents were prepared with plans to preserve the connected railroad corridors, and the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail was born. The 17-mile well-maintained trail now winds through beautiful Northern Indiana countryside. Both asphalt and packed limestone surfaces are suitable for narrow-tired bicycles, walkers, runners, roller blades, and bikers. The Krider Garden in Middlebury serves as a gateway to the trail and also provides parking and restrooms. There is another trailhead and parking in North Park, located at the end of Depot Street in Shipshewana. If you’re interested in a longer biking trip, the Pumpkinvine Trail is a part of 25 miles of trails that connect Shipshewana, Middlebury, and Goshen.
Available Bike Rentals
Shipshewana Bike Rental
Pickup at the Farmstead Inn, 370 South Van Buren Street, Shipshewana 260-215-3656
Otto’s Bike Repair and Water Ship
3650 North State Route 5, Shipshewana 260-768-7223
M-TH 8Am-5PM, F 8AM-4PM Sat 8AM-2PM
Pumpkin Cyclery
413 North Main Street, Middlebury 574-825-2252
Tu-F 10AM-6PM, Sat 9AM-4PM
Shipshewana Lake
Just ¾ of a mile off the Pumpkinvine Trail, Shipshewana Lake is the perfect place to spend a tranquil afternoon. Enjoy the crystal clear water and quiet serenity as you meander the walking paths in Shipshewana Lake Park and the perimeter of the lake at your leisure. Bring your lunch to heat up on one of the grills. Word is, if you are in Shipshewana in the winter, the Lake transforms into winter wonderland!
3180 N 915 W, Shipshewana 8AM-Sunset Oct-April, 8AM-9PM May 1-Labor Day
Available Canoe Rental
T&L Country Canoes
5775 W 750N Shipshewana 260-562-2411
