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Running trails in New York

1,465 trails across 448 cities in New York, with the most in Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse — including 204 natural surface, 172 loops, 94 shaded, and 40 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 New York trails below.

1,465trails
448cities
172loops 145paved 94shaded
88with a stated distance
334open 24 hours

Cities in New York

Every city and town in New York with a running trail in the directory, most trails first.

Notable running trails in New York

The New York 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-New York ranking →

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Central Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 300,064 reviews

New York, NY

ShadedScenic

Sprawling park with pedestrian paths & ballfields, plus a zoo, carousel, boat rentals & a reservoir.

Niagara Falls State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 78,121 reviews

Niagara Falls, NY

ScenicDog-friendly

Famous waterfalls steal the show at this park that also features an aquarium, restaurant & more.

The High Line

4.7 ★★★★★ 67,544 reviews

New York, NY

PavedScenic

Popular park 30 feet above street level on an old rail line, with river & city views.

Brooklyn Bridge Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 43,091 reviews

Brooklyn, NY

LitScenicDog-friendly

This urban oasis features shaded picnic tables, hibachi-style BBQ grills & river views.

Prospect Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 28,472 reviews

Brooklyn, NY

LoopScenicDog-friendly

Sprawling city park featuring the Audubon Center in the historic Boathouse, plus Prospect Park Zoo.

Watkins Glen State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 23,064 reviews

Watkins Glen, NY

Scenic

Bear Mountain State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 16,037 reviews

Tomkins Cove, NY

ScenicDog-friendly

Lush, mountainous park featuring picnic sites, fishing areas, a swimming pool, trails & more.

Astoria Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 12,952 reviews

Astoria, NY

ShadedScenicDog-friendly

Riverside Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 10,920 reviews

New York, NY

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Storied multilevel park with elms & rocky outcrops, plus a long boulevard & multiple playgrounds.

Sunken Meadow State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 9,251 reviews

Kings Park, NY

MixedScenic

Family-friendly park featuring 3 miles of beach, a golf course, hiking trails & boardwalk.

Van Cortlandt Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 9,130 reviews

Bronx, NY

ShadedScenicDog-friendly

Park with a museum, playgrounds, sports facilities, dog runs, BBQ areas, trails & more.

Eisenhower Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 8,225 reviews

East Meadow, NY

LitScenicDog-friendly

County park covering 930-acres, a venue for golf, tennis & swimming, concerts & movies in summer.

Green Lakes State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 7,596 reviews

Fayetteville, NY

Scenic

2 glacial lakes cast a green glow at this serene park with wooded trails & an 18-hole golf course.

Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 7,331 reviews

Highland, NY

LoopPavedScenicDog-friendly

Originally built in 1889, this bridge provides a scenic pedestrian walkway over the Hudson River.

Forest Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 7,402 reviews

Woodhaven, NY

ShadedScenicDog-friendly

Large forested park featuring hiking trails & bridle paths, plus a bandshell, golf & other sports.

Hudson River Park Trust

4.7 ★★★★★ 6,701 reviews

New York, NY

ScenicDog-friendly

550-acre green space on the shores of the Hudson with multiple activities & bike paths.

Ontario Beach Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 6,725 reviews

Rochester, NY

BoardwalkScenicDog-friendly

Popular beachside park known for its century-old carousel, swimming, boating & rentable shelters.

Saratoga Spa State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 6,120 reviews

Saratoga Springs, NY

Scenic

Landmark historic space with various art & culture exhibits as well as a pool complex & golf course.

Buttermilk Falls State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 6,036 reviews

Ithaca, NY

1 miScenic

811-acres of wooded parkland featuring hiking paths, a lake, waterfall & campgrounds.

Minnewaska State Park Preserve

4.8 ★★★★★ 5,539 reviews

Kerhonkson, NY

LoopCrushed gravelScenicDog-friendly

Waterfalls, 3 sky lakes & 25 mi. of footpaths for hiking & biking, plus rock climbing.

Croton Gorge Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 5,368 reviews

Croton-On-Hudson, NY

Scenic

Set at the base of Croton Dam, this 97-acre site offers fishing, hiking & other seasonal recreation.

Whirlpool State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 5,303 reviews

Niagara Falls, NY

4.3 miLoopPavedScenic

Scenic park overlooks Niagara Whirlpool, with gorge hikes, fishing, picnicking & kids' play areas.

Highland Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 4,532 reviews

Rochester, NY

ScenicDog-friendly

Spring-blooming flowers & trees line a 150-acre park with a castle, sunken garden & amphitheater.

Belmont Lake State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 4,712 reviews

West Babylon, NY

ScenicDog-friendly

Lakeside picnics in a bucolic setting with multi-use trails, fishing & paddle boating on 463 acres.

Juniper Valley Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 4,515 reviews

Middle Village, NY

LitScenicDog-friendly

Robert H. Treman State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 4,281 reviews

Ithaca, NY

2 miNatural surfaceScenic

Gorge with scenic waterfalls & a stream-fed swimming hole ringed by hiking trails & camping areas.

Onondaga Lake Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 4,347 reviews

Liverpool, NY

LitScenicDog-friendly

This waterside park has boating, archery, fishing, ball fields, hiking & a salt museum.

Kissena Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 4,417 reviews

Fresh Meadows, NY

ScenicDog-friendly

Neighborhood park with trails, a lake, dozens of exotic tree species, sports facilities & fishing.

Kensico Dam Plaza

4.7 ★★★★★ 4,320 reviews

Valhalla, NY

ScenicDog-friendly

Historic dam has a 9-11 memorial, scenic picnic areas & events from concerts to antique shows.

Baisley Pond Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 4,401 reviews

Jamaica, NY

LitScenicDog-friendly

New York 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 New York

Trail features in New York