Home › Guides › Running trails in Austin
Running Trails in Austin: A Local Guide
Austin, Texas has 44 trails in this directory — 7 paved, 8 natural-surface dirt and 4 boardwalk. Of those, 10 are loops you can run without backtracking, 16 run under tree canopy and 2 publish a measured distance (the longest is 6 mi). 5 are open 24 hours, which is what you want if you run before work.
The running here leans natural-surface — dirt paths and singletrack through parks and woods — so expect softer footing, a slower pace than the road, and mud for a few days after heavy rain.
What the running is like in Austin
- Paved (7). Asphalt and concrete greenways and multi-use paths — fast, predictable, runnable year-round, and the surface that stays usable through winter and after rain. Expect to share them with cyclists.
- Natural surface (8). Dirt paths, doubletrack and singletrack. Softest underfoot and the most fun to run, but expect roots, rocks and mud for days after rain.
- Boardwalk (4). Elevated decking over wetland or dunes. Flat and scenic, and slick when wet.
- Loops (10). Start and finish at your car with no backtracking and no shuttle — the shape most runners want.
- Long-run trails (2). Enough continuous distance for a real long run without repeating the same mile six times.
- Shaded (16). Tree canopy, which in July is the difference between a pleasant run and a heat trap.
- Lit for night runs (2). Floodlit paths for dark mornings and after-work runs.
- Flat and fast (7). Even grade, no surprises — the profile for steady miles and pace work.
- Hilly (15). Real climbing if you want vert. Power-hiking the steep sections is normal, not failure.
- Scenic (37). Waterfront, river and park routes where the miles go by faster.
6 trails to start with
Ranked by what local runners say — rating weighted by review count. Open any of them for surface, loop distance, hours and what the reviews mention.
McKinney Falls State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 8,091 reviews
Popular site for camping, hiking, biking & fishing, & for "Old Baldy," a 500+-year-old cypress tree.
Covert Park at Mount Bonnell
4.7 ★★★★★ 7,189 reviews
At 785-feet tall, or 106 steps, this hilltop park is the highest point in the city.
Barton Creek Greenbelt
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,508 reviews
This popular urban natural area offers opportunities for biking, hiking, swimming & rock climbing.
Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,190 reviews
This large public park known for its system of hiking & biking trails also has a playground & pool.
Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,930 reviews
Quiet 21-acre grounds with walking trails & a wildlife habitat with free-roaming peacocks.
River Place Nature Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,701 reviews
Picturesque, riverfront park offering a popular forested hiking trail, waterfalls & wildlife views.
How to pick one
Start with the run you're actually doing, not the prettiest photo. For a long run, look for a continuous corridor with a known distance — a rail-trail or greenway with mile markers beats a park with a tangle of short spurs, and remember that "miles of trails" is a system total, not a route you can run. For an easy day, natural surface is kinder to the legs. For a tempo, you want predictable footing, so paved or crushed stone.
Then check the practical stuff: trailhead parking (26 here) , restrooms (14) , water fountains (10) . Running with a dog? 34trails are flagged dog-friendly. 10arestroller and wheelchair accessible. 6havemile markers.
And check the hours before you drive out. Plenty of parks close at dusk and gate the lot, so a trail that works at 6pm in June is locked at 6pm in November. Trail conditions move too — natural-surface paths stay muddy for days after rain, low-lying greenways flood, and sections close for construction — so the most recent reviews on a listing are worth thirty seconds of your time.
More running in Austin
Browse every trail on the Austin trails page, or widen the search to running trails across Texas. You can also browse by surface, by feature, or check the best-rated trails.
New to trails? Read how to start trail running and what to bring on a trail run. Sharing a busy greenway with cyclists? Trail running etiquette. Running before sunrise or after work? Running trails at night.