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Running trails in Ohio

1,564 trails across 321 cities in Ohio, with the most in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton — including 328 paved, 259 loops, 214 shaded, and 77 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 Ohio trails below.

1,564trails

321cities

259loops 328paved 214shaded

188with a stated distance

145open 24 hours

Cities in Ohio

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

Notable running trails in Ohio

The Ohio 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-Ohio ranking →

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Hocking Hills State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 17,731 reviews

Logan, OH

Natural surfaceScenic

Scenic park with hiking trails, archery, fishing, swimming & more amid waterfalls, cliffs & gorges.

Rocky River Reservation

4.8 ★★★★★ 7,766 reviews

North Olmsted, OH

2 miMixedScenicDog-friendly

Woodland park split by the Rocky River, offering hiking trails with bird & deer sightings.

Maumee Bay State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 6,170 reviews

Oregon, OH

MixedScenic

Park along Lake Erie with a lodge, cottages & golf course set amid scenic, wildlife-filled meadows.

Brandywine Falls

4.8 ★★★★★ 5,855 reviews

Northfield, OH

LoopMixedScenic

Scenic waterfall cascading 65 ft. into a lush gorge, with viewpoints from upper & lower boardwalks.

Highbanks Metro Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 5,373 reviews

Lewis Center, OH

4 miMixedLitScenic

Native American burial grounds, 100-ft.-high bluffs with river views & 11 miles of hiking trails.

Summit Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 5,151 reviews

Blue Ash, OH

ShadedScenicDog-friendly

Modern park offering playgrounds, a dog area and trails, plus restaurants and some waterside relaxation.

Winton Woods

4.6 ★★★★★ 5,279 reviews

Cincinnati, OH

LoopPavedScenic

County-owned park offering camping, hiking, golf, paddleboating on a lake, a working farm & more.

Sharon Woods

4.7 ★★★★★ 5,016 reviews

Sharonville, OH

PavedShadedScenicDog-friendly

Recreation area with paved trails, golf, boating, an indoor playground & a village museum.

Wildwood Preserve Metropark

4.8 ★★★★★ 4,830 reviews

Toledo, OH

LoopBoardwalkScenic

Wildlife habitat & recreational area, site of a historic manor house with tours & cultural events.

Hueston Woods State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 4,569 reviews

College Corner, OH

33 miLoopScenicDog-friendly

Recreation area with lodging, camping, hiking, fishing, canoeing & fossil-hunting opportunities.

Ash Cave

4.9 ★★★★★ 4,230 reviews

South Bloomingville, OH

LoopPavedScenic

Enormous natural cavern with a waterfall surrounded by woodlands with hiking trails.

Ohio River Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 4,228 reviews

Cincinnati, OH

Scenic

Scenic riverside venue with fountains, gardens, walkways, playgrounds, event lawns & restaurants.

Blacklick Woods Metro Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 4,204 reviews

Reynoldsburg, OH

MixedShadedScenicDog-friendly

Popular, 643-acre park featuring wooded trails, wildlife sightings, picnic areas & other activities.

RiverScape MetroPark

4.7 ★★★★★ 4,159 reviews

Dayton, OH

PavedLitScenicDog-friendly

Park along the Great Miami River, offering winter ice-skating, community events & floral plantings.

Portage Lakes State Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 4,319 reviews

Akron, OH

PavedScenicDog-friendly

A magnet for boaters, this park features 8 lakes as well as camping spots & picnic shelters.

Mill Creek Park - North End

4.8 ★★★★★ 3,658 reviews

Youngstown, OH

Scenic

A 2,657 acre riverside park, open since 1891, with waterfalls, a gorge & 15 miles of walking trails.

Sharon Woods

4.7 ★★★★★ 3,685 reviews

Westerville, OH

3.8 miLoopMixedLit

Lake, jogging trails, nature walks & playground featured in 761-acre preserve with forests & fields.

Inniswood Metro Gardens

4.8 ★★★★★ 3,541 reviews

Westerville, OH

BoardwalkShadedScenic

Nature preserve featuring formal gardens & lawns, a trail, with a center for workshops & a library.

Mohican-Memorial State Forest

4.8 ★★★★★ 3,536 reviews

Perrysville, OH

ScenicDog-friendly

A nature retreat with forests, a river gorge, canoeing & fishing plus cabins, campgrounds & a lodge.

Blendon Woods Metro Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 3,536 reviews

Columbus, OH

MixedLitScenicDog-friendly

This 653-acre park offers a waterfowl refuge & a nature center plus disc golf & ice-skating.

Cox Arboretum MetroPark

4.8 ★★★★★ 3,453 reviews

Dayton, OH

2.5 miPavedScenicDog-friendly

Scenic retreat with gardens & a butterfly habitat, plus walking trails & classes for all ages.

Euclid Creek Reservation

4.6 ★★★★★ 3,585 reviews

Cleveland, OH

PavedScenic

City-managed parks on & near Lake Erie, featuring a beach, fishing, trails & seasonal sports.

Hoover Reservoir Dam, Park & Dock

4.6 ★★★★★ 3,571 reviews

Westerville, OH

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Large natural space with a lake offering boating, fishing & bird-watching including bald eagles.

Geneva State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 3,541 reviews

Geneva, OH

PavedScenic

Toledo Botanical Garden

4.8 ★★★★★ 3,393 reviews

Toledo, OH

Scenic

The area's only botanical hub features 60+ sprawling acres filled with gardens, plants & sculptures.

Miami Whitewater Forest

4.8 ★★★★★ 3,242 reviews

Harrison, OH

8 miNatural surfaceShadedScenic

4,345-acre oasis providing wooded hiking trails, a golf course, campsite & a lake for water sports.

Buck Creek State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 3,381 reviews

Springfield, OH

PavedScenic

Rolling hills with hiking & bridle trails, a lake for fishing & boating, plus campsites & cottages.

Salt Fork State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 3,305 reviews

Lore City, OH

2 miLoopMixedLit

Large state park spanning 17,229 acres on a lake with marinas, boat ramps, hiking trails & a beach.

Scioto Audubon Metro Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 3,145 reviews

Columbus, OH

MixedScenicDog-friendly

Bird habitats plus hiking, fishing, volleyball, dog parks & a climbing wall on 120 riverside acres.

Side Cut Metropark

4.8 ★★★★★ 3,019 reviews

Maumee, OH

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Riverfront park with picnic areas, historic locks & flat rocks that enable spring walleye fishing.

Ohio 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.

328Paved 213Mixed 148Natural surface 52Boardwalk 33Crushed gravel

More ways to find a trail in Ohio

Best running trails in Ohio — the state-wide ranking from runner reviews
Loop trails — 259 in Ohio come back to the trailhead without backtracking
Long-run trails (5+ miles) — 77 in Ohio are long enough for a proper long run
Shaded trails — 214 in Ohio keep tree cover over the path for summer miles
Lit trails — 89 in Ohio have lighting for pre-dawn and post-work runs
Trails with restrooms — 836 in Ohio, and 317 with water fountains
Trailhead parking — 785 in Ohio have parking at the trailhead
Dog-friendly trails — 460 in Ohio you can run with a dog
Stroller & wheelchair-accessible — 357 in Ohio are smooth and wide enough
Scenic trails — 846 in Ohio 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 Ohio

Scenic Running Trails (846 in Ohio)
Trails with Restrooms (836 in Ohio)
Trails with Trailhead Parking (785 in Ohio)
Dog-Friendly Running Trails (460 in Ohio)
Quiet, Uncrowded Trails (443 in Ohio)
Stroller & Wheelchair-Accessible Trails (357 in Ohio)
Trails with Water Fountains (317 in Ohio)
Loop Trails (No Backtracking) (259 in Ohio)
Shaded Running Trails (214 in Ohio)
Hilly Trails & Hill Workouts (199 in Ohio)
Flat & Fast Running Trails (127 in Ohio)
Lit Trails for Early & Night Runs (89 in Ohio)
Long-Run Trails (5+ Miles) (77 in Ohio)
Trails with Mile Markers (68 in Ohio)