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Running trails in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Fort Lauderdale has 20 trails in the directory — 3 paved, 1 boardwalk, 3 loops that return to the trailhead, and 5 shaded. 15 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 17,983 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.
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 6,874 reviews
Featuring a freshwater lagoon, this diverse wildlife habitat offers hiking, fishing & more.
Snyder Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,938 reviews
Dogs swim & play in this recreation area with picnic & sporting areas for two-legged animals too.
Esplanade Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,926 reviews
Waterfront gardens & pavilion, part of the Riverwalk Park route, hosting regular outdoor events.
Secret Woods Nature Center
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,617 reviews
Urban wilderness area including butterfly garden, reptile habitat & nature trails on 57 acres.
Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,538 reviews
Charming park on the banks of the New River with a wide array of galleries, museums & eateries.
Colee Hammock Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 880 reviews
Small park & green space on the water popular for picnics, river fishing & scenic views.
George English Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 532 reviews
Bayfront recreation area with boat ramps, tennis & basketball courts, walking trails & picnic area.
Airport Greenbelt Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 243 reviews
Clean airport-adjacent park featuring 2 paths, plus a view of planes taking off.
Roosevelt Gardens Park
4.1 ★★★★☆ 273 reviews
Family-friendly, clean playground in a well-maintained park featuring picnic benches and barbecues.
Annie Beck Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 179 reviews
Small, peaceful park featuring mature trees, a canal view and a gazebo.
Palm Aire Village Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 186 reviews
Relaxed park featuring a playground and tennis courts in addition to a barbecue area.
Middle River Terrace Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 179 reviews
Relaxed site featuring a playground, a barbecue pavilion and a soccer field, plus a historic home.
Smoker Family Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 151 reviews
Modest park along the Tarpon River featuring tree-shaded walking paths & benches.
Bill Keith Preserve Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 150 reviews
Small green space with a wooden walkway, picnic tables, a canoe/kayak launch & scenic, water views.
Edgewood Passive Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 99 reviews
Tranquil open space featuring a paved trail, a pond and views of planes landing and taking off.
Sailboat Bend Preserve
4.5 ★★★★★ 42 reviews
Passive recreational area on 1.27 acres featuring a trail, interpretative signs & native plants.
Dania Cove Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 31 reviews
Progress Hammock Memorial Greenway
5 ★★★★★ 3 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Fort Lauderdale
- Match the surface to your legs. Fort Lauderdale gives you a choice: 3 paved and 1 boardwalk. 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? 3 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. 15 of the 20 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 4 are lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 12 have trailhead parking, 8 have restrooms, and 2 have a water fountain in Fort Lauderdale. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 5 shaded, 14 that runners describe as quiet, 10 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 Fort Lauderdale trails by type
Running trails near Fort Lauderdale
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.