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Bendix Woods County Park

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Overview

Bendix Woods County Park was once owned by the famed Studebaker Automobile Corporation. 840 acres were purchased in 1926 and became the first automobile proving grounds in America. Various road conditions were simulated to test their cars. Although it was a testing facility, Studebaker maintained the grounds as a natural area. In 1938, they planted 8,000 pine trees that spell the their name "STUDEBAKER" when viewed from the air. You can still see it today on the map above running north-south. The trees were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

The proving grounds were sold to the Bendix corporation in 1963, which in turn donated 195 acres to St. Joseph County to establish the county park. The rest of the acreage is still being used as automotive proving grounds today. Bendix used the grounds until 1996, selling it to Bosch who then sold the land to Navistar in 2015.

For more information about Bendix Woods, visit the park's website.

Gems in Bendix Woods County Park - 1

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gem Favorite Starting the Lookout Trail on a wintery day.

Studebaker Tree Sign

(1) New Car…, IN

Recommended Routes in Bendix Woods County Park - 1

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Favorite Mature maple and beech forest at Bendix Woods.
Easy Easy

Raccoon Run Trail

1.4 mi 2.2 km 89' Up 27.18 m Up 62' Down 18.8 m Down

New Car…, IN
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Bendix Woods County Park Running

  • 8 Miles 13 Kilometers of Trail
  • 1 Recommended Route
  • 1 Gem Gems
  • 7 Easy Trails Easy Trails
  • 1 Intermediate Trail Intermediate Trails
  • 0 Difficult Trails Difficult Trails
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Trails in Bendix Woods County Park - 7

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5.8 mi 9.3 km #1Bendix Woods County Park Bike Trail
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN
0.5 mi 0.7 km #2Lookout Trail
Intermediate Intermediate
New Carlisle, IN
Intermediate Intermediate
New Carlisle, IN
0.4 mi 0.7 km #3Big Tree Trail
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN
0.4 mi 0.6 km #4Lower Big Tree Trail
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN
0.4 mi 0.7 km #5Hardwoods Loop Trail
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN
0.2 mi 0.4 km #6Whispering Woods Loop
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN
Easy Easy
New Carlisle, IN

Photos of Bendix Woods County Park - 9

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Starting the Lookout Trail on a wintery day.
Feb 28, 2016 near New Car…, IN
Maple syrup time at the sugar shack.
Feb 28, 2016 near New Car…, IN
Abandoned alpine slide in the woods.
Feb 28, 2016 near New Car…, IN
Hiking up the moraine on the Big Tree Trail.
Feb 28, 2016 near New Car…, IN
A spring coming out of the hillside.
Feb 28, 2016 near New Car…, IN
A late winter hike through the beech maple forest.
Feb 28, 2016 near New Car…, IN
Mature maple and beech forest at Bendix Woods.
Apr 13, 2016 near New Car…, IN
Mature maple and beech forest at Bendix Woods.
Apr 13, 2016 near New Car…, IN
Mature maple and beech forest at Bendix Woods.
Apr 13, 2016 near New Car…, IN

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