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Running trails in Arcata, CA
Arcata has 13 trails in the directory — 2 paved and 1 on crushed gravel or dirt, 5 loops that return to the trailhead, 3 with a stated distance, and 1 open 24 hours. 8 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 2,976 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Arcata Community Forest
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,073 reviews
Peaceful regional park known for its expansive trail network, soaring redwoods & bucolic landscape.
Redwood Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 986 reviews
Park set amongst giant redwood trees with picnic tables, a lounge for events & small stage.
Mad River Beach County Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 355 reviews
Sandy beach with grassy dunes offering opportunities for swimming, beachcombing, boating & fishing.
Arcata Bird Sanctuary
4.8 ★★★★★ 160 reviews
Wildlife refuge popular for bird-watching, with trails, picnic facilities, and a public restroom.
Hammond Coastal Trail
4.5 ★★★★★ 112 reviews
Public park featuring a paved trail with ocean views, plus river access and wildlife.
Humboldt Coastal Nature Center
4.8 ★★★★★ 105 reviews
Nature reserve for walks and hikes on sand dunes and along the beach.
Trail System
4.9 ★★★★★ 75 reviews
Park featuring trails, forests, and other attractions that's suitable for kids.
Sunny Brae Forest Trailhead 1
4.9 ★★★★★ 46 reviews
Hiking, bike, horse and walking, trails up hills and through forest for all levels of fitness and expertise.
Dunes Trail
4.9 ★★★★★ 13 reviews
Stewart Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 6 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Arcata
- Match the surface to your legs. Arcata gives you a choice: 2 paved, 1 natural surface, and 1 mixed. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More paved trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 5 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in Arcata is West End Road Arcata Ridge Trailhead at 4.5 mi.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 1 trail in Arcata is open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 8 of the 13 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 6 have trailhead parking, 5 have restrooms, and 2 have a water fountain in Arcata. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 2 that runners describe as quiet, 8 dog-friendly, and 6 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Arcata trails by type
Running trails near Arcata
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.