Running trails in Riverside, MO

How to pick a trail in Riverside

• Match the surface to your legs. Most of what's here is mixed (1 of 2). 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? 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 Riverside is Missouri Riverfront Trail Trailhead at 1 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.
• Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 2 have trailhead parking in Riverside. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
• The small things that decide it. 1 dog-friendly. 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 Riverside trails by type

• Mixed trails (1 in Riverside)
• Flat & fast (1 in Riverside)
• Scenic trails (2 in Riverside)
• Trailhead parking (2 in Riverside)
• Dog-friendly (1 in Riverside)

Running trails near Riverside

Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.

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