After some stormy, rainy weather over the weekend Monday started out sunny and mild so we decided it was a good time to get out on a hike. Because of the rain I thought a paved trail would be better than dirt trails and decided to further explore the Fishing Line Trail. We previously hiked on the trail from the Gene Stratton-Porter historic site, but today we wanted to check out the section in Kendallville. We found that this part of the trail is just as lovely as what we have previously explored. This section, however, was much less busy so we nearly had it to ourselves.
We parked at the Fishing Line Trail parking on N 600 E and started walking toward the port-o-potty just past the parking spaces. The trail starts just past this and you have the option to go to the right or left. To the left is a sign warning to yield to farming. I must admit this is the first time I’ve seen this. We opted to walk to the right for no particular reason.
As we started on the trail we felt like we were walking in the woods, much like the other section of the Fishing Line Trail. To the left past the dense foliage and trees was cornfields. At times we could see them through the trees. We also came across a couple benches and Sunny decided it was a good spot for a photo op.
After walking almost .75M we crossed Sawyer Road. A short distance later we came to a tractor crossing and a beautiful view of the cornfield. About half a mile later the trail seemed to end, but the sign on the sidewalk indicated it continued half a mile down the road so we continued walking. This took us past some industrial buildings on the right and a wooded area on the left. The road was not busy and there were signs warning vehicles that bikes and pedestrians also used the road. There is no sidewalk or shoulder, but we felt safe walking on the road since there was almost no traffic.
After walking half a mile we came to the entrance of the trail. This section was quite lovely with woods on both sides. One section had a small creek with views of the cornfield. We even saw some markers indicating those who sponsored the completion of the trail. A short time later we came to a sign with a map and information about the sponsors. And then the trail ended at North Angling Road so we turned around, retraced our steps, and walked back to the car. Our total hike was just over 3M.
Sunny’s Perspective
I liked this trail especially since it was a pretty short drive to get there. The trail was wooded with a lot of good smells, although I did not see or hear any squirrels, chipmunks, or other critters. My least favorite section was walking along the street, but that didn’t last long and then we were back in the woods. All in all this was a great hike.
Our Rating
We rate the Fishing Line Trail in Kendallville 3 out of 4 paws up. It has a nice little parking area with a restroom and the trail is quite wooded making for a peaceful walk. The only thing we did not love was walking along the road for half a mile to continue our hike. For this reason we would not recommend this section of the trail for anyone using a wheelchair or strollers unless you did not continue on the road. Otherwise this is a great spot for a walk in the woods on an asphalt trail.
How Do I Get There?
The Fishing Line Trail in Kendallville is located on N 600 E just past imi Concrete. If you use 5939 Concrete Drive in Kendallville in your GPS, it will direct you to the concrete business. Once you pass the concrete business look for the trail sign pointing to the parking lot on the right side. Once you turn you will find a small gravel parking lot. The start of the trail is just past the port-o-potty.
For more information about the Fishing Line Trail.
To read our review of the Fishing Line Trail at Gene Stratton-Porter Historic Site.