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Running trails in Fresno, CA
Fresno has 22 trails in the directory — 2 paved, 1 loop that returns to the trailhead, 4 shaded, and 7 open 24 hours. 19 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 8,085 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.
Oso de Oro Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,760 reviews
Area with 3 different elevations offering picnic spots, play areas & a wheelchair basketball court.
Woodward Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,576 reviews
Park with paths through lakeside & Japanese gardens, plus barbecue pits, a dog park & a playground.
Fresno County Blossom Trail
4.5 ★★★★★ 503 reviews
In February & March, this scenic drive is known for displays of blooming fruit trees & wildflowers.
Spano Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 420 reviews
Bluff-side park offering trails to walk through, plus river views and fishing.
Stallion Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 256 reviews
Dog-friendly outdoor space with a baseball diamond, b-ball courts and a playground.
Copper River Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 129 reviews
Park featuring a playground and picnic tables, as well as a basketball court.
Manchester Park
3.6 ★★★★☆ 122 reviews
Park featuring swings and slides, as well as a playground for children.
University Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 94 reviews
Clean green space, often with shady areas, for walks and kids' play.
Fancher Creek Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 29 reviews
Van Buren Trailhead
4.1 ★★★★☆ 13 reviews
River Access Trail
4.3 ★★★★☆ 3 reviews
East Mckenzie Trail
4 ★★★★☆ 3 reviews
Clovis Walking Trail Beginning
5 ★★★★★ 2 reviews
Riverview Trail
5 ★★★★★ 2 reviews
Fresno Clovis trail
5 ★★★★★ 1 reviews
Thrive Walk Trail - Kaiser Medical Center
5 ★★★★★ 1 reviews
Lewis Eaton Trail
5 ★★★★★ 1 reviews
Sandstone Cliff Trailhead
5 ★★★★★ 1 reviews
Columbia Canal Trail
5 ★★★★★ 1 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Fresno
- Match the surface to your legs. Most of what's here is paved (2 of 22). 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.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 7 trails in Fresno are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 19 of the 22 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. 3 have trailhead parking, 8 have restrooms, and 3 have a water fountain in Fresno. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 4 shaded, 3 that runners describe as quiet, 6 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 Fresno trails by type
Running trails near Fresno
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.