HomeIndianaGoshen › Benton Spillway ‒ River Preserve County Park

Benton Spillway ‒ River Preserve County Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 77 Google reviews · Running trail in Goshen, Indiana · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
2.5 mi
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Benton Spillway ‒ River Preserve County Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

2.5 miScenicDog-friendlyRestroomsWaterTrailhead parking

Nature preserve featuring trails for hiking and biking, plus fishing and picnic areas.

What runners say about Benton Spillway ‒ River Preserve County Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (77 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 3 mentions

“Trails were wide and well kept as well as well marked.”

🏞️ beautiful scenery 6 mentions

“Very beautiful, definitely one of the best nature preserves in our area.”

It's so beautiful we will be back. There is plenty of parking with restrooms at the parking lot. Some lots only had outhouses, but when you got to go, you got to go. Trails were wide and well kept as well as well marked.

★★★★★ — Mary , Jul 2023

Beautiful place to walk, hike or run! Wonderful scenery and easy to access trails. Thankful for such a great place!

★★★★★ — Michael , Apr 2021

Always a nice place to hike and enjoy peaceful surroundings with the family.

★★★★★ — Sam , Dec 2023

This park is a nice park to hike and enjoy nature. As you wind along the river you come across all sorts of wildlife. The wildlife and trees/flower/grass change with each season. In the summer all sorts of birds, frogs, turtles, racoons, and fish. During the winter deer and the occasional fox or wolf.

★★★★★ — Curtis , Apr 2023

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 77 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 6 mentions

“Very beautiful, definitely one of the best nature preserves in our area.”

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🚻 Restrooms 3 mentions

“No restroom at the picnic area where we were, but there are ones in other areas of the park.”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 3 mentions

“There is plenty of parking with restrooms at the parking lot.”

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🐕 Dog-friendly 3 mentions

“Great place to walk the dogs.”

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🚰 Water fountains

“They have a nice picnic area, portajohn, and water fountains as well”

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Plan your run at Benton Spillway ‒ River Preserve County Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • Distance2.5 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websiteelkhartcountyparks.org
  • Phone+1 574-535-6458
  • Social Instagram · Facebook

Hours

Monday 9 am–8 pm
Tuesday 9 am–8 pm
Wednesday 9 am–8 pm
Thursday 9 am–8 pm
Friday 9 am–8 pm
Saturday 9 am–8 pm
Sunday 9 am–8 pm

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Benton Spillway ‒ River Preserve County Park

68587 Co Rd 31, Goshen, IN 46526

Get directions

Running trails near Goshen

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Benton Dam ‒ River Preserve County Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 82 reviews

New Paris, IN

2.5 miScenic

Trails and green space in a nature preserve, plus a hydro-dam canal, kayaking and fishing spots.

under a mile away

Wayne Wogoman Welcome Center, Fidler Pond Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 23 reviews

Goshen, IN

MixedLitScenicDog-friendly

Park with swinging benches & a walking trail around a large pond, plus boat & fishing pole rentals.

5.3 miles away

Fidler Pond Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 389 reviews

Goshen, IN

1.5 miMixedLitScenic

Popular park that features a pond with a 1- to 1.5-mile path for walking, biking or running around it.

5.3 miles away

Shoup-Parsons Woods Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 176 reviews

Goshen, IN

MixedLitScenic

Scenic park along the Elkhart River offering hiking and biking trails as well as fishing.

5.4 miles away

Millrace Park

5 ★★★★★ 4 reviews

Goshen, IN

6.1 miles away

Abshire Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 318 reviews

Goshen, IN

PavedScenic

Public park featuring picnic areas, a restroom, and a trailhead for the Pumpkinvine Trail.

6.6 miles away

All running trails in Goshen, IN →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.