Running trails in Wallkill, NY
Wallkill has 3 trails in the directory — 1 loop that returns to the trailhead, 1 with a stated distance, and 1 open 24 hours. Every one post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 341 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.
Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge
4.7 ★★★★★ 252 reviews
Wildlife refuge featuring trails and an observation platform for spotting owls and other birds.
Awosting Reserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 79 reviews
Park offering hiking trails and opportunities to view lake scenery, including fall foliage.
Walden-Wallkill Rail Trail start
5 ★★★★★ 10 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Wallkill
- 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. The longest stated distance in Wallkill is Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge at 3.6 mi.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 1 trail in Wallkill is open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 3 of the 3 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 3 have trailhead parking and 1 has restrooms in Wallkill. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 1 that runners describe as quiet and 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 Wallkill trails by type
Running trails near Wallkill
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.