Running trails in Ames, IA
Ames has 14 trails in the directory — 4 paved, 2 with a stated distance, 3 shaded, and 2 open 24 hours. Every one post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 4,374 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.
Ada Hayden Heritage Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,349 reviews
Park with a fishing lake, hiking & biking trails, picnic shelter & wetlands for bird-watching.
Brookside Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 755 reviews
Recreational green space featuring volleyball & tennis courts, ball fields & a wading pool.
Inis Grove Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 717 reviews
Large recreation area with basketball & tennis courts, picnic pavilions, playgrounds & trails.
Moore Memorial Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 310 reviews
Large city park with big shelters with electrical outlets for private events, grills & a bike path.
North River Valley Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 300 reviews
Public park offering rental picnic pavilions, BBQ grills, horseshoes pits & sand volleyball courts.
Daley Park & Greenbelt
4.6 ★★★★★ 145 reviews
Modest green space featuring a basketball court, a children's playground & covered picnic shelter.
Emma McCarthy Lee Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 128 reviews
Park featuring tennis courts and soccer fields, as well as a volleyball area.
Izaak Walton League Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 80 reviews
Stuart Smith Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 61 reviews
Park with a bike trail and picnic tables offering walking paths that are suitable for children.
Tedesco Environmental Learning Corridor
4.8 ★★★★★ 49 reviews
Ecological park at Iowa State University Research Park with trails, ponds, and picnicking.
Munn Woods Trail Access - Hickory
4.6 ★★★★★ 14 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Ames
- Match the surface to your legs. Most of what's here is paved (4 of 14). 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? A loop finishes back at the car with no backtracking; on an out-and-back you simply turn round at half your distance. The longest stated distance in Ames is McFarland Park at 5.5 mi. 1 trail is long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 2 trails in Ames are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 14 of the 14 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 6 have a water fountain in Ames. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 3 shaded, 7 that runners describe as quiet, 6 dog-friendly, and 4 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 Ames trails by type
Running trails near Ames
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.