Waterfront

The St. Joseph River originates in Michigan, dips into Indiana, then curves North again to empty into Lake Michigan near Benton Harbor. In Indiana, the largest cities along it’s banks are Elkhart, Mishawaka, and South Bend. Each of these cites has managed its river frontage in a different way.

In Elkhart the banks are gradual, and there are many homes with yards backing to the water, effectively privatizing large swaths of the river. South Bend has roads running along the river so most of its riverside homes face the water across a road and don’t block it from the public. Mishwaka has a combination of private river homes and public riverfront parks.

Of the approaches, I prefer South Bend’s because it creates scenic drives along the river, especially on Northside Blvd and Riverside Dr. It also makes the East Bank Trail possible.

The East Bank Trail along the St. Joseph River is one of my favorite things about South Bend. I think of it as a to-scale and cozier version of Chicago’s lakeside path. On most any Spring, Summer or Fall day, you will find fishermen, runners, bikers, dog-walkers and stroller-pushers coursing its length. Travel the full three miles and you’ll pass a farmer’s market, an ice skating rink, downtown south bend, 13 bridges, three parks and a fitness station. You might also see Notre Dame’s rowing team practicing on the water.

Click play for a quick video tour of the trail. I’m still working on the best way to share videos on this site, so please forgive the choppy, low-res imagery. The trail is the ribbon of pavement to the right of the river, then the dark stip in the center of the screen where it splits from the river.  For more freedom and detail, fly to South Bend in Google Earth.

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East Bank Trail
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When I returned to South Bend I was worried about living in a city so far from the ocean. After all, Indiana is in the landlocked Midwest and doesn’t even have a famous river like the Colorado or Mississippi. I’ve been here for seven months now, and I’m happy to report my fears were groundless. Here are five fun watery destinations within one tank of gas from South Bend:

• At 52 miles from South Bend - Winona Lake in Warsaw, Indiana. This smaller lake is ringed by cottages, art galleries and restaurants. Eat in a lakeside restaurant where you might catch the landing of a seaplane, or get a meal and bottle of wine to go from the French deli and eat it outside in a large park.
• At 38 miles from South Bend - Silver Beach in St. Joseph Michigan. This is a great family beach on Lake Michigan with volleyball, a playground, restrooms, concessions and lifeguards. St Joe is a walkable town with art galleries, shops and restaurants.
• At 36 miles from South Bend - Tower Hill at the Warren Dunes State Park in Michigan. This state park has mountains of sand to climb, vast expanses of freshwater to swim, forests to hike through, and hangliders to watch. Grab a burger at Redemaks on your way back to South bend and you have the classic South Bend beach trip.
• At 33 miles from South Bend - Magician Lake near Dowagiac, Michigan. This is a great lake for fishing. Michigan’s DNR stocks this lake with walleye, but people also catch bluegill, pike, perch and bass.
• At 0 miles from South Bend - The East Race in downtown South Bend. This artificial whitewater course is open to the public. You can rent a raft, bring your own kayak or just watch from one of the pedestrian bridges. Near downtown restaurants and entertainment.

Follow this link to view a slideshow of the  Michiana photos that have appeared on the BendAreaBlog since its launch on April 11th.

In 1805 the legislature split the Indiana Territory into two pieces along a line from the southernmost point of Lake Michigan to Lake Eerie. This created the Michigan Territory. In 1816, just before Indiana became a state, the boundary was moved ten miles north to provide Indiana with its 45 miles of Lake Michigan frontage. If you look closely, you can spot this historical marker near Johnson Road and US 31 in South Bend.

According to the DNR, Indiana’s lakeshore breaks down into about 22 miles of industrial use and 23 miles of beaches. You can thank the foresight of early politicians for the Indiana Dunes.