Best running trails in Indiana
Ranked by the runners who actually run there — Google rating weighted by review volume, across 233,180 reviews of Indiana trails. A trail needs at least 25 reviews to qualify (194 in Indiana do) and each name appears once. Nobody pays for a place. Updated 2026.
The 20 below run across 17 cities, 5 of them paved, 4 loops, and 4 shaded. This is a popularity ranking, not a difficulty score — for what a trail is actually like underfoot, open its page for surface, loop distance, shade, lighting, restrooms and parking.
Holliday Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 4,133 reviews
City park on 94 acres with trails, an arboretum, playground & nature center with all-ages programs.
Wicker Park Office Picnic Rentals
4.3 ★★★★☆ 3,244 reviews
Central Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,419 reviews
Varying-sized pavilions dot this park featuring a playground, splash pads and tennis courts.
Shades State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,132 reviews
Sandstone cliffs around Sugar Creek set the backdrop for hiking, canoeing, fishing & camping.
Hummel Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,076 reviews
Large park with amenities such as play equipment, trails, a disc golf course & athletic fields.
Deming Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,052 reviews
Sprawling, 177-acre park featuring a variety of recreational amenities, from swimming to disc golf.
Burdette Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,929 reviews
Huge, 170-acre park & recreation area featuring mini-golf, waterslides, playgrounds & more.
Promenade Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,702 reviews
Relaxed park for families with river views and a riverside promenade. Includes picnic spots, a playground and a splash pad, plus canoes and kayaks for rent for use on the St. Marys River.
Highland Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,673 reviews
Green space featuring a playground, sports areas, a pond & "Old Ben," a huge, taxidermied steer.
Whitewater Memorial State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,565 reviews
Park features a 200-acre lake, plus fishing, swimming, horseback riding, nature programs & camping.
Franke Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,468 reviews
This 329-acre park features a playground, pavilions, fishing, a children's zoo & an outdoor theater.
Ox Bow Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,460 reviews
Natural park with camping shelters, an observation deck, sports courts, disc golf & nature trails.
Southwestway Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,291 reviews
Large wooded park with designated trails for mountain biking, hiking & horseback riding.
Shoaff Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,255 reviews
Vast green space featuring a golf course with cart rentals, disc golf courses and playgrounds.
Blue Heron Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,237 reviews
Large public park with a lake for fishing, a disc golf course & walking trails plus play equipment.
Sam Peden Community Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,256 reviews
104.5-acre park around a lake with tennis, basketball & volleyball courts, 4 playgrounds & a trail.
St. Patrick's County Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,198 reviews
Riverfront park with wooded trails & a large barn plus a boat ramp, play equipment & picnic sites.
Mill Race Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,181 reviews
Developed 32-acre city park features paved people trails, a covered bridge & an observation tower.
Where these trails are
The cities in this ranking, if you'd rather start from where you live.
- Running trails in Indianapolis, IN
- Running trails in Highland, IN
- Running trails in Mishawaka, IN
- Running trails in Waveland, IN
- Running trails in Plainfield, IN
- Running trails in Terre Haute, IN
- Running trails in Evansville, IN
- Running trails in Fort Wayne, IN
- Running trails in Kokomo, IN
- Running trails in Liberty, IN
- Running trails in Goshen, IN
- Running trails in Richmond, IN
- Running trails in Avon, IN
- Running trails in New Albany, IN
- Running trails in South Bend, IN
- Running trails in Mooresville, IN
- Running trails in Columbus, IN