Running trails in Detroit, MI
Detroit has 26 trails in the directory — 6 paved and 1 on crushed gravel or dirt, 1 boardwalk, 4 loops that return to the trailhead, 3 with a stated distance, and 2 open 24 hours. 19 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 25,553 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.
Belle Isle Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 10,136 reviews
982-acre island featuring trails, an aquarium, museum, conservatory, disc golf course & playground.
Detroit Riverwalk
4.8 ★★★★★ 6,364 reviews
Waterside and kid-friendly promenade featuring a playground, swings and a carousel, as well as scenic views of Detroit and Canada.
William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,272 reviews
Waterfront park with a lighthouse & river walk, plus trails, picnic areas & shoreline fishing.
Palmer Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 2,313 reviews
Public park with hiking & biking trails, tennis courts, a historical fountain & 18-hole golf course.
Dequindre Cut
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,412 reviews
Largely below street level, this 2-mile greenway offers urban art plus pedestrian & biking lanes.
Gabriel Richard Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,058 reviews
Park featuring a riverfront walk and picnic tables, plus a public restroom.
Erma Henderson Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 467 reviews
Clean lakeside park offering boat docks, a playground, a basketball court and picnic areas.
Eliza Howell Park
4 ★★★★☆ 375 reviews
Spacious city park offering nature trails, wildlife views & open lawns amid overgrown native plants.
Kemeny Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 295 reviews
Recreation area featuring picnic tables, a playground, athletic facilities, and a gym.
Riverfront-Lakewood East Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 236 reviews
Outdoor space with a playground, picnic areas, fishing, and canoeing, plus a restroom.
Dequindre Cut Greenway (South End)
4.7 ★★★★★ 146 reviews
2-mile public greenway along a former railroad, with paved walking & cycling paths & urban artwork.
Piwok Park
3.8 ★★★★☆ 129 reviews
Spacious, vibrant park, featuring basketball courts, playgrounds and picnic tables.
Calimera Park
4 ★★★★☆ 102 reviews
Calm gathering spot for families feating swings, a playground and a walking track.
Brennan Recreation Area
4.5 ★★★★★ 43 reviews
Joy and Alpine Trailhead: Joe Louis Greenway
4.6 ★★★★★ 29 reviews
Southwest Greenway Bagley Trailhead
5 ★★★★★ 19 reviews
Ralph Wilson Gateway & Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 19 reviews
Dequindre Cut Greenway (North End)
5 ★★★★★ 7 reviews
Hiking Trails Trailhead
4.3 ★★★★☆ 6 reviews
Prairie Pathway Trailhead (South)
4.7 ★★★★★ 3 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Detroit
- Match the surface to your legs. Detroit gives you a choice: 6 paved, 1 crushed gravel, 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? 4 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 Detroit is Joe Louis Greenway: Warren Gateway at 33 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 Detroit are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 19 of the 26 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. 18 have trailhead parking, 6 have restrooms, and 1 has a water fountain in Detroit. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 10 that runners describe as quiet, 3 dog-friendly, and 3 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 Detroit trails by type
Running trails near Detroit
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.