Home › North Dakota
Running trails in North Dakota
70 trails across 9 cities in North Dakota, with the most in Fargo, Bismarck, and Jamestown — including 13 paved, 5 loops, 6 shaded, and 1 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 North Dakota trails below.
Cities in North Dakota
Every city and town in North Dakota with a running trail in the directory, most trails first.
Notable running trails in North Dakota
The North Dakota 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-North Dakota ranking →
Lindenwood Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,904 reviews
Multi-use park featuring a spacious, landscaped campground & a playground for kids of all abilities.
Roosevelt Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 956 reviews
City park with a small zoo, swimming pool & picnic shelters, plus riverside walking trails.
Lincoln Drive Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 669 reviews
Spacious park with a wide range of amenities, including bike trails, a disc-golf course & fishing.
Sertoma Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 613 reviews
Large riverside park with playgrounds, walking trails, sand volleyball, horseshoes & public art.
Spring Lake Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 601 reviews
Public park with children's facilities, a dog park, maze & direct access to the lake.
Sertoma Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 513 reviews
22-acre park with Japanese gardens & a meditation area, plus picnic shelters, a playground & trails.
Trollwood Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 464 reviews
28-acre site with 2 playgrounds, sizable picnic & event facilities & a disc-golf course.
Kiwanis Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 451 reviews
Park with swings, slides, play structures, a climbing rock and a horseshoe area.
Cottonwood Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 302 reviews
200+ acres of open space with a trail, sports complex, BMX track, playground & fishing hole.
Elmwood Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 297 reviews
Park with ball fields and a playground, equipped for picnics.
Orchard Glen Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 228 reviews
Relaxed ecological park featuring a trail through the woods, along with apple and other fruit trees.
Pioneer Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 226 reviews
Public park offering beach volleyball courts, walking & biking trails & a reservable picnic shelter.
McElroy Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 214 reviews
Park with a playground, picnic tables, and facilities for baseball, basketball, and horseshoes, plus a skate area.
Maplewood Park & Activity Center
4.8 ★★★★★ 183 reviews
Park with a playground, picnic area, adult obstacle course, and facilities for children with disabilities.
Trefoil Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 188 reviews
Peaceful park with a bike path that follows the river, popular for hiking and grilling.
Riverside Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 180 reviews
Park offering recreational facilities such as an ice rink, pool, playground, and trails.
Veterans Memorial Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 174 reviews
Peaceful park featuring a bandshell, disc golf, playground and veteran memorials.
Bison Plant Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 162 reviews
Dirt-surface, wooded park featuring many miles of trails, suited for hiking and biking.
Missouri River Natural Area and Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 157 reviews
Riverside space with walking and biking trails through trees and grasslands, plus views.
Dog Town Dog Park & Sitting Bull Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 159 reviews
Spacious, double-gated animal park with a dog agility course and large hill.
Klaus Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 146 reviews
Shaded, 18-hole disc golf course with picnic tables and a kids' playground.
Optimist Family Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 134 reviews
This recreational park provides a basketball & volleyball court, horseshoes & picnic shelters.
North Central Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 122 reviews
Public park featuring a playground, tennis courts and a shelter for picnics.
Woodland Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 107 reviews
Hiking area with trails for walking, running, and biking, plus a restroom.
Wildflower Grove Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 104 reviews
This naturalistic public park features a spectacular wildflower bloom in season.
Rocky Butte Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 106 reviews
Tranquil green space offering scenic views, paved walking paths, disc golf & a playground.
Eagles Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 109 reviews
This community park provides a walking trail, baseball field, tennis courts & playground equipment.
Dike East Walking Trail
4.4 ★★★★☆ 99 reviews
Fenced-in dog park for big and small breeds featuring trees, shade and picnic tables.
Nickeus Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 102 reviews
Large park with playground equipment and a walk bridge, bordered by a river.
No trails match those filters.
North Dakota 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 North Dakota
- Best running trails in North Dakota — the state-wide ranking from runner reviews
- Loop trails — 5 in North Dakota come back to the trailhead without backtracking
- Long-run trails (5+ miles) — 1 in North Dakota are long enough for a proper long run
- Shaded trails — 6 in North Dakota keep tree cover over the path for summer miles
- Lit trails — 2 in North Dakota have lighting for pre-dawn and post-work runs
- Trails with restrooms — 33 in North Dakota, and 6 with water fountains
- Trailhead parking — 21 in North Dakota have parking at the trailhead
- Dog-friendly trails — 16 in North Dakota you can run with a dog
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible — 4 in North Dakota are smooth and wide enough
- Scenic trails — 25 in North Dakota runners single out for the views
- Browse by surface — paved, crushed limestone, natural dirt or boardwalk
- All trail features — loops, shade, lighting, restrooms, mile markers and more
- Running trails by state — the rest of the country
- Trail-running guides — surfaces and your knees, loop vs out-and-back, trail etiquette, running before dawn
Trail features in North Dakota
- Trails with Restrooms
- Scenic Running Trails
- Trails with Trailhead Parking
- Dog-Friendly Running Trails
- Quiet, Uncrowded Trails
- Shaded Running Trails
- Hilly Trails & Hill Workouts
- Trails with Water Fountains
- Loop Trails (No Backtracking)
- Stroller & Wheelchair-Accessible Trails
- Lit Trails for Early & Night Runs