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Running trails in Niagara Falls, NY
Niagara Falls has 12 trails in the directory — 2 paved and 2 on crushed gravel or dirt, 1 loop that returns to the trailhead, 1 with a stated distance, 1 shaded, and 7 open 24 hours. 10 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 87,358 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.
Niagara Falls State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 78,121 reviews
Famous waterfalls steal the show at this park that also features an aquarium, restaurant & more.
Whirlpool State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 5,303 reviews
Scenic park overlooks Niagara Whirlpool, with gorge hikes, fishing, picnicking & kids' play areas.
Devil's Hole State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,337 reviews
Named for the rapids it overlooks, this park offers fishing, picnicking & hikes in the river gorge.
Reservoir State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 545 reviews
Park with a variety of sports facilities, a reservoir for fishing & wintertime skiing & sledding.
Lasalle Waterfront Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 490 reviews
Park with a bike path, picnic areas, fishing, and barbecue grills, as well as a public restroom.
De Veaux Woods State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 311 reviews
Set on the Canadian border, this riverfront park offers sports fields, nature trails & a playground.
Trailhead Niagara Gorge Hiking Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 150 reviews
Nature preserve featuring a hiking trail with views of Niagara Falls along the Niagara Gorge.
Gorge Stairs Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 65 reviews
Hiking area offering scenic views of the Whirlpool Bridges and the gorge.
Rapids High Hiking Trail (Cliff Base)
4.9 ★★★★★ 10 reviews
Griffon Park area - Niagara Falls Greenway Trail
3 ★★★☆☆ 1 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Niagara Falls
- Match the surface to your legs. Niagara Falls gives you a choice: 2 paved and 2 natural surface. 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? 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. The longest stated distance in Niagara Falls is Whirlpool State Park at 4.3 mi.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 7 trails in Niagara Falls are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 10 of the 12 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 6 have trailhead parking and 4 have restrooms in Niagara Falls. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 1 shaded, 4 that runners describe as quiet, 3 dog-friendly, and 2 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 Niagara Falls trails by type
Running trails near Niagara Falls
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.