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Running trails in Azusa, CA
Azusa has 12 trails in the directory — 1 paved and 1 on crushed gravel or dirt, 1 loop that returns to the trailhead, 3 with a stated distance, 2 shaded, and 2 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 1,667 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.
Azusa Wilderness Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,005 reviews
Covering 60+ acres of canyon terrain, this wilderness areas has trails for hiking & biking.
Azusa Trail Rest Area
4.5 ★★★★★ 305 reviews
Scenic trail system offering hiking and biking options, plus a river for swimming and fishing.
San Gabriel River Trail
4.9 ★★★★★ 82 reviews
Hiking and biking area with kid-friendly routes.
10 Arroyo South
4.7 ★★★★★ 80 reviews
City park with walking trails and scenic views that's good for kids.
Santa Fe Dam, Bike Entry
4.6 ★★★★★ 63 reviews
Sprawling park with playgrounds, picnic tables, a beach, a lake and several bike trails.
The Azusa Rockery & Geology Park
3.7 ★★★★☆ 16 reviews
Highway 39 Trail - South End
4.4 ★★★★☆ 5 reviews
Pioneer-Rancho Walk Path
4 ★★★★☆ 2 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Azusa
- Match the surface to your legs. Azusa gives you a choice: 1 paved and 1 natural surface. 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? 1 trail here is a loop, 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 Azusa is San Gabriel valley river bike trail at 39 mi. 2 trails are long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 2 trails in Azusa are 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 12 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 1 is lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 5 have trailhead parking, 3 have restrooms, and 3 have a water fountain in Azusa. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 2 shaded, 2 that runners describe as quiet, 4 dog-friendly, and 1 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 Azusa trails by type
Running trails near Azusa
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.