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A great preserve with excellent trails along pristine Coffee Creek.


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Map Key

3.2

Miles

5.2

KM

Loop

684' 208 m

High

653' 199 m

Low

69' 21 m

Up

66' 20 m

Down

1%

Avg Grade (0°)

4%

Max Grade (2°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Family Friendly Coffee Creek is great place for kids to explore the natural world. Kids love exploring the creek at the Creek Overlook shelter.

Open daily from dawn to dusk. Pets are allowed on a leash (6' or shorter). Please stay on the trails to protect yourself and the wildlife.

Overview

This hike is a tour of the best areas of Coffee Creek on flat and well-maintained trails.

Need to Know

No access fee. Free parking is located on Sidewalk Road along the north end of the preserve. The northwest part of the preserve offers accessible trails consisting of boardwalks and brick pavers. This is a great trail system for cross country skiing. Bikes are allowed. There are modern restrooms and a drinking fountains at the pavilion.

Description

This hike utilizes the 3.1 mile (5km) route that most 5k races at Coffee Creek use each year. The recommended starting location is at the pavilion near the parking lot. The route encompasses all the best areas of Coffee Creek.

The Coffee Creek Watershed Conservancy is a private, non-profit preserve that is open 365 days a year and is free to the public. The preserve has 157 acres and was created to protect Coffee Creek, a regionally significant stream that still supports spawning salmon and steel-head trout from Lake Michigan. Coffee Creek is biologically diverse with over 500 plant species in prairies, wetlands and woodlands. The preserve is close to the Lake Michigan Flyway bird migration route and offers excellent birding opportunities. For more information, visit the preserve's website at coffeecreekwc.org.

History & Background

Much of Coffee Creek was farmed in the early and mid 1900s. The preserve continues to go through extensive restoration that began in the late 1990's when the preserve was created.

Contacts

Shared By:

Rafi Wilkinson

Trail Ratings

  3.9 from 10 votes

#3502

Overall
  3.9 from 10 votes
5 Star
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4 Star
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3 Star
10%
2 Star
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1 Star
0%
Recommended Route Rankings

#21

in Indiana

#3,502

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1,187 Since Feb 5, 2016
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Photos

Bridge 4. Coffee Creek is frozen over.
Feb 5, 2016 near Chesterton, IN
Bridge 7, early November, 2015.
Oct 29, 2016 near Chesterton, IN
Just off the trail southwest of Bridge 2. An unexpected autumn encounter with a doe too busy eating to flee.
Oct 29, 2016 near Chesterton, IN
Wetland in the winter near Creek Overlook.
Feb 5, 2016 near Chesterton, IN
Weir Bridge.
Feb 6, 2016 near Chesterton, IN

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Weather


Current Trail Conditions

All Clear 84 days ago
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