Best running trails in Nebraska
Ranked by the runners who actually run there — Google rating weighted by review volume, across 40,933 reviews of Nebraska trails. A trail needs at least 25 reviews to qualify (39 in Nebraska do) and each name appears once. Nobody pays for a place. Updated 2026.
The 20 below run across 11 cities, 8 of them paved, 3 loops, 6 shaded, and 2 with a stated distance. 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.
Platte River State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,271 reviews
Protected forestland offering outdoor activities plus seasonal accommodations in cabins and tepees.
Holmes Lake Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,242 reviews
Lakeside park comprising open space & walking paths, plus a public golf course & an observatory.
Chalco Hills Recreation Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,132 reviews
An ecological education center, a lake for fishing & boating, plus trails for hikers & joggers.
Standing Bear Lake
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,526 reviews
Huge park with walking trails & a large lake for boating & fishing, plus ice-skating in wintertime.
Zorinsky Lake Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 802 reviews
Lake park featuring fishing, a playground, athletic fields, a picnic area, shelters & more.
Mahoney Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 790 reviews
77-acre green space featuring a golf course, sports courts & fields, a playground & hiking trails.
Ta-Ha-Zouka Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 803 reviews
Park offering facilities for softball, sand volleyball, horseshoes & disc golf, plus a playground.
City of Norfolk
4.7 ★★★★★ 715 reviews
Fishing & non-motorized boating are allowed on the lake in this massive park, dedicated in 1971.
Heartwell Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 478 reviews
Park with a playground, picnic tables, fishing, and a walking trail, plus a public restroom.
Ralston Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 487 reviews
Public park with a children's playground, picnic tables, and athletic facilities such as a baseball field.
Crystal Cove Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 394 reviews
This 60-acre park features a lake, biking & hiking trails, an 18-hole disc-golf course & more.
Riverside Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 384 reviews
Large park featuring walking trails, a playground, a campground and a small zoo.
Haworth Park
4.1 ★★★★☆ 416 reviews
1929 city park with flower beds, mature ornamental trees & extensive lawned space.
Flanagan Lake Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 313 reviews
Manmade lake featuring boat launches and a paved hiking/biking trail of 5.5 miles.
Lib’s Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 272 reviews
Local park featuring playgrounds, a splash pad and a 9-hole disc golf course.
Wilderness Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 267 reviews
Vast nature-filled park, featuring scenic trails for hiking, bicycling and horse riding.
Schwer Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 271 reviews
Well-maintained park featuring a splash pad, a playground and walking trails, plus a playground, fountain, lake, pond, swings and picnic tables.
Brickyard Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 270 reviews
Spacious park with sledding hills and a playground for kids, plus walking trails and picnic tables.
Walnut Creek Leash Free Dog Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 265 reviews
Locally popular fenced-in park featuring a pond and a lake where dogs can swim, plus trails for walking your pup.
Where these trails are
The cities in this ranking, if you'd rather start from where you live.
- Running trails in Louisville, NE
- Running trails in Lincoln, NE
- Running trails in Omaha, NE
- Running trails in Norfolk, NE
- Running trails in Hastings, NE
- Running trails in Ralston, NE
- Running trails in South Sioux City, NE
- Running trails in Scottsbluff, NE
- Running trails in Bellevue, NE
- Running trails in La Vista, NE
- Running trails in Papillion, NE