Running trails in Memphis, TN
Memphis has 20 trails in the directory — 5 paved and 2 on crushed gravel or dirt, 7 loops that return to the trailhead, 7 with a stated distance, 8 shaded, and 2 open 24 hours. 15 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 18,093 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.
Shelby Farms Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 12,300 reviews
4,500 acres with biking & horse trails, many bodies of water for fishing & boating plus playgrounds.
Greenbelt Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,793 reviews
Peaceful riverside greenspace popular for walking, biking, picnics & sunset views.
Mississippi River Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 997 reviews
Relaxed riverfront park with serene sunset views, play areas, fire pits & picnic tables.
T.O. Fuller State Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 968 reviews
This sprawling park offers over 6 miles of trails, a pool, picnic areas & bird-watching spots.
Martyrs Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 586 reviews
Waterfront, landscaped area named for those who helped others during the 1878 yellow fever epidemic.
Nesbit Park - Stanky Creek Trails
4.5 ★★★★★ 449 reviews
Shaded terrain with hiking and biking trails, plus a BMX park.
Wolf River Greenway - Shady Grove Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 230 reviews
Scenic hiking, running and biking area featuring paths and trails, some paved and some not.
Wolf River Refuge Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 173 reviews
Hiking area with well-marked trails, plus opportunities for biking and swimming.
Old Forest State Natural Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 167 reviews
Paved and gravel paths and trails for hiking, jogging, biking and walking at an urban park adjacent to a zoo.
V&E Greenline
4.5 ★★★★★ 79 reviews
Scenic trail for outdoor recreation and walking, located in Midtown.
Rivercrest Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 56 reviews
Quiet grassy space featuring swings and slides, plus a paved walking trail amid the trees.
Wolf river greenway
5 ★★★★★ 4 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Memphis
- Match the surface to your legs. Memphis gives you a choice: 7 mixed, 5 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 mixed trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 7 trails here are loops, 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 Memphis is Wolf River Greenway - Shady Grove Trailhead at 3.6 mi.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 2 trails in Memphis are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 15 of the 20 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 2 are lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 9 have trailhead parking, 5 have restrooms, and 1 has a water fountain in Memphis. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 8 shaded, 2 with mile markers, 8 that runners describe as quiet, 4 dog-friendly, and 3 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 Memphis trails by type
Running trails near Memphis
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.