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Running trails in Kentucky
300 trails across 69 cities in Kentucky, with the most in Louisville, Lexington, and Owensboro — including 76 paved, 45 loops, 46 shaded, and 15 long enough for a 5-mile run. Every listing shows the things runners actually decide on: surface, loop distance, shade, lighting, restrooms, water and trailhead parking. Pick a city for the full local list, or filter the Kentucky trails below.
Cities in Kentucky
Every city and town in Kentucky with a running trail in the directory, most trails first.
- Louisville
- Lexington
- Owensboro
- Elizabethtown
- Frankfort
- Berea
- Bowling Green
- Covington
- Madisonville
- Nicholasville
- Campbellsville
- Florence
- Georgetown
- Henderson
- Hopkinsville
- Richmond
- Winchester
- Danville
- Independence
- La Grange
- Burlington
- Lawrenceburg
- Paducah
- Ashland
- Bardstown
- Erlanger
- Fort Thomas
- Franklin
- Glasgow
- Lancaster
- Murray
- Paris
- Shelbyville
- Shepherdsville
- St Matthews
- Alvaton
- Crestwood
- Edgewood
- Jeffersontown
- Mt Washington
- Radcliff
- Union
- Versailles
- Alexandria
- Anchorage
- Bedford
- Campton
- Clay City
- Clermont
- Cold Spring
- Crescent Springs
- Dayton
- Fairdale
- Fox Chase
- Golden Pond
- Goshen
- Grand Rivers
- Harrodsburg
- Jamestown
- Ludlow
- Lyndon
- Newport
- Parksville
- Prospect
- Shively
- Simpsonville
- Stanton
- Vine Grove
- West Point
Notable running trails in Kentucky
The Kentucky trails runners review most, ranked by rating weighted by review volume. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to narrow to the run you're actually planning. See the full best-of-Kentucky ranking →
Bernheim Forest and Arboretum
4.8 ★★★★★ 6,574 reviews
Natural woodland habitat featuring native trees & wildlife plus groomed trails, gardens & fields.
Iroquois Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 4,789 reviews
Wooded park offering an amphitheater, sports courts, trails, disc golf, a spray pad & scenic vistas.
Smothers Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,733 reviews
Park with a water-play area & a playground, plus 3 signature fountains with a show every 15 minutes.
Devou Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,184 reviews
Massive park with an amphitheater, a golf course, a lake & a museum, plus sports fields & trails.
Beckley Creek Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,035 reviews
Placid, sprawling park featuring various trails, picnic areas, a sprayground & other options.
E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,630 reviews
Activity-filled, 550-acre urban park with trails, birding, a pool, an archery range & more.
Central Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,213 reviews
Time-tested community space flanked by mature trees, with a dog park, ball fields & exercise paths.
Jeffersontown Veterans Memorial Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,749 reviews
Children's park featuring playgrounds, swings, slides and a birthday celebration area.
Jefferson Memorial Forest
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,631 reviews
Nature preserve comprised of 6,500 acres of forest for hiking, camping & fishing in a stocked lake.
Raven Run Nature Sanctuary
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,622 reviews
This 734-acre woodland preserve has 10 mi. of marked hiking trails, plus streams & wildlife.
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,608 reviews
170,000 acres between the Kentucky & Barkley lakes for camping, hiking & water activities.
McNeely Lake Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 1,738 reviews
Park with sports areas, trails, grills & a model-airplane field, plus a lake for fishing & boating.
McConnell Springs Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,546 reviews
Site of the first Lexington settlement hosting events, educational programs & natural springs.
Cove Spring Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,536 reviews
Large area of wetlands, streams & forest with hiking trails, picnic facilities & an archery range.
Shillito Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,481 reviews
Sports & recreation park on 176 acres with athletic fields & courts plus a swimming pool.
Bob Noble Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,448 reviews
135-acre park featuring a lake with fishing piers, a swimming pool, play areas & sports facilities.
Waverly Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,431 reviews
Large wooded park featuring winding trails, a playground, a lake and a pond for fishing.
Scenic Overlook at Devou Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,337 reviews
City-view bench-strewn park with hiking trails and disc golf set above the skyline.
Salato Wildlife Education Center
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,333 reviews
Seasonal venue hosting indoor & outdoor natural history exhibits & programs, plus fishing & hiking.
Brown Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,342 reviews
Dog-friendly grass-covered park featuring a creek and playground with picnic shelters.
Legion Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,342 reviews
22-acre green space with a playground, screened picnic shelters, a trail & basketball/tennis courts.
Cherokee Park - Big Rock
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,317 reviews
Clean park featuring a creek for swimming and a playground for children.
Saunders Springs Nature Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,234 reviews
Wooded nature preserve with 3 rustic cabins from the 1800s, hiking trails & picnic/BBQ pavilions.
George Rogers Clark Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,176 reviews
Benches and picnic areas in a landscaped garden featuring waterfall sights and river views.
Tower Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,168 reviews
Clean park featuring a baseball field and tennis and basketball courts.
Boone County Arboretum
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,020 reviews
121-acre botanical garden with classes & exhibits, trails & kids' area, plus 12 athletic fields.
Joe Creason Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 972 reviews
Large city-run green area with hiking & running trails, tennis courts, sports fields & picnic spots.
Veterans Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 946 reviews
Relaxed park area featuring a Gold Star veteran's monument, a tank, stream & picnic area.
Panther Creek Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 864 reviews
Spacious state park with miles of hiking & horseback riding trails, lake fishing & camping.
No trails match those filters.
Kentucky trails by surface
Surface is the biggest split in trail running — asphalt is fast and predictable, crushed limestone is softer but still smooth, dirt is easiest on the joints and the most fun, boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick when wet.
More ways to find a trail in Kentucky
- Best running trails in Kentucky — the state-wide ranking from runner reviews
- Loop trails — 45 in Kentucky come back to the trailhead without backtracking
- Long-run trails (5+ miles) — 15 in Kentucky are long enough for a proper long run
- Shaded trails — 46 in Kentucky keep tree cover over the path for summer miles
- Lit trails — 31 in Kentucky have lighting for pre-dawn and post-work runs
- Trails with restrooms — 151 in Kentucky, and 56 with water fountains
- Trailhead parking — 111 in Kentucky have parking at the trailhead
- Dog-friendly trails — 115 in Kentucky you can run with a dog
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible — 50 in Kentucky are smooth and wide enough
- Scenic trails — 168 in Kentucky runners single out for the views
- Browse by surface — paved, crushed limestone, natural dirt or boardwalk
- All trail features — loops, shade, lighting, restrooms, mile markers and more
- Running trails by state — the rest of the country
- Trail-running guides — surfaces and your knees, loop vs out-and-back, trail etiquette, running before dawn
Trail features in Kentucky
- Scenic Running Trails
- Trails with Restrooms
- Dog-Friendly Running Trails
- Trails with Trailhead Parking
- Quiet, Uncrowded Trails
- Trails with Water Fountains
- Stroller & Wheelchair-Accessible Trails
- Hilly Trails & Hill Workouts
- Shaded Running Trails
- Loop Trails (No Backtracking)
- Lit Trails for Early & Night Runs
- Flat & Fast Running Trails
- Trails with Mile Markers
- Long-Run Trails (5+ Miles)