Running trails in Decatur, GA
Decatur has 8 trails in the directory — 1 paved, 1 boardwalk, 3 loops that return to the trailhead, 1 with a stated distance, and 2 shaded. 7 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 2,775 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.
Mason Mill Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,187 reviews
Relaxed park featuring tennis courts, a playground and walking trails.
Lullwater Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 518 reviews
Scenic walking & running trail loops nestled within Emory University’s North Decatur campus.
Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 488 reviews
Suburban 28-acre preserve with forest, wetland & pond habitats for frogs, beavers & rich birdlife.
South Peachtree Creek Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 284 reviews
Popular paved trail with scenic variety and elevation changes, plus bridges and a dog park.
Decatur Legacy Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 105 reviews
Green space featuring trails, picnic areas, a playground, a community garden, and a pond.
Ira B. Melton Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 103 reviews
Rustic, wooded park offering mountain biking & walking trails with a variety of terrain.
Glenn Creek Nature Preserve
4.4 ★★★★☆ 74 reviews
Compact natural area with simple walking trails & native plants in unfussy surroundings.
Trailhead East Decatur Greenway Path
4.8 ★★★★★ 16 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Decatur
- Match the surface to your legs. Decatur gives you a choice: 3 mixed, 1 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 mixed 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. The longest stated distance in Decatur is Mason Mill Park at 1.5 mi.
- 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. 7 of the 8 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. 6 have trailhead parking and 2 have restrooms in Decatur. 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, 1 with mile markers, 6 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 Decatur trails by type
Running trails near Decatur
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.