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Running trails in Cardiff, CA
Cardiff has 2 trails in the directory — 1 paved, 2 loops that return to the trailhead, and 1 shaded. 1 of them posts opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 2,892 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.
Annie's Canyon Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,156 reviews
Rugged wilderness hiking paths in an ecological reserve with sweeping ocean & lagoon views.
San Elijo Lagoon and Ecological Reserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 736 reviews
Nature reserve with 7 miles of trails plus a visitor center with exhibits overlooking the lagoon.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Cardiff
- Match the surface to your legs. Most of what's here is paved (1 of 2). 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? 2 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.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. Plenty of trails sit inside parks that gate at dusk and don't unlock until well after sunrise, so a trail that's perfect at lunchtime can be locked at 6am. 1 of the 2 listing carries 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. 2 have trailhead parking and 2 have restrooms in Cardiff. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 1 shaded, 1 that runners describe as quiet, 2 dog-friendly, and 2 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 Cardiff trails by type
Running trails near Cardiff
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.