Running trails in Lubbock, TX
Lubbock has 21 trails in the directory — 1 paved and 2 on crushed gravel or dirt, 2 loops that return to the trailhead, 5 shaded, and 6 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 6,679 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.
Maxey Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,099 reviews
Expansive playground features cushy flooring & shaded areas, plus a nearby lake & sports facilities.
Mae Simmons Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 862 reviews
Open, grassy park with a tranquil vibe offering a playground, disc-golf course & a lake for fishing.
Clapp Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 722 reviews
This green space with a lake also features a 93-acre arboretum with a trail, classes & events.
Buddy Holly Lake Recreation Area
4.5 ★★★★★ 506 reviews
Park featuring a pond and trails for walking and running, plus a disc golf course.
Wagner Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 416 reviews
Neighborhood park with a kids' playground, BBQ and picnic areas, tennis and basketball courts, and a jogging path.
Hodges Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 406 reviews
Park offering a fishing pond, baseball field, and kid-friendly hikes, plus prairie dogs.
Frank Higinbotham Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 406 reviews
Kid-friendly green space featuring a playground, a basketball court and a lake.
McCullough Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 349 reviews
Park featuring a playground, a pavilion, fishing, restrooms, a volleyball court & more.
Bill & Ann Miller Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 290 reviews
Public park with a playground and picnic areas, plus walking trails and a fishing spot.
Jan Jennings Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 276 reviews
Park for recreation, with a play area and a pond where ducks are fed.
Tech Terrace Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 249 reviews
Popular with dog owners, this open park features benches, walking trails & shade trees.
Jack & Mary Nell Strong Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 202 reviews
Park with a playground, picnic tables, and basketball court, plus open space for jogging.
Leftwich Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 198 reviews
Outdoor area with picnic tables and a playground, plus a lake and ducks.
Alex and Verna Cooke Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 104 reviews
Spacious park featuring walking trails, barbecue grills and a playground with slides.
Dunbar Historical Lake Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 98 reviews
Peaceful park and trail system around a lake, showcasing ducks and beavers.
Remington Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 65 reviews
Relaxed park, with picnic tables and a path for walking or jogging that also attracts dog-walkers.
Dunbar Lake Dam
4.5 ★★★★★ 36 reviews
Canyon Rim
4.3 ★★★★☆ 33 reviews
Lubbock Waterfalls
4.1 ★★★★☆ 11 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Lubbock
- Match the surface to your legs. Lubbock gives you a choice: 2 crushed gravel and 1 paved. 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 crushed gravel trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 2 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.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 6 trails in Lubbock are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 21 of the 21 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 1 is lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 1 has trailhead parking, 8 have restrooms, and 3 have a water fountain in Lubbock. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 5 shaded, 6 that runners describe as quiet, 11 dog-friendly, and 1 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 Lubbock trails by type
Running trails near Lubbock
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.