Running trails in Nassau, NY
Nassau has 3 trails in the directory — 1 loop that returns to the trailhead and 1 open 24 hours. 1 of them posts opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 18 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.
Empire State Trail North Chatham Trailhead (Albany-Hudson Electric Trail)
4.3 ★★★★☆ 7 reviews
Empire Trail
4.3 ★★★★☆ 3 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Nassau
- Match the surface to your legs. 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.
- Loop or out-and-back? 1 trail here is a loop, 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.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 1 trail in Nassau is open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 1 of the 3 listing carries posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Nassau trails by type
Running trails near Nassau
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.