Running trails in McKinney, TX
McKinney has 19 trails in the directory — 3 paved and 2 on crushed gravel or dirt, 8 loops that return to the trailhead, 2 with a stated distance, 10 shaded, and 6 open 24 hours. 18 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 6,595 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.
Bonnie Wenk Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,946 reviews
Park with an amphitheater & fishing pond plus a dedicated splash area, car park & trail for dogs.
Towne Lake Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,632 reviews
Park boasting a large lake with a fishing pier & paddleboat rentals plus trails & a playground.
Erwin Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,141 reviews
Popular park featuring paved and off-road trails, playgrounds, campgrounds and pavilions.
Katherine B. Winniford Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 409 reviews
16 acres with a fishing pond, hiking & biking trail, a playground, open turf & a picnic shelter.
Ash Woods Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 242 reviews
Recreational park featuring a playground, hiking trails, a splash pad, activity court & picnic area.
The Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney
4.5 ★★★★★ 184 reviews
Park featuring colorful blooms, a paved trail, and shaded tables for picnics.
Falcon Creek Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 178 reviews
Family-friendly, relaxing neighborhood park with a pond, a playground, barbecue grills and swings.
Jim Ledbetter Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 168 reviews
Family-friendly park featuring playground equipment and trails for walking or biking, plus a pavilion.
Dr. Charles B. McKissick Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 165 reviews
Clean destination for kids featuring swings, slides, a playground and an open field.
Cottonwood Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 151 reviews
A playground, baseball field & basketball court are features of this 3.2-acre city park.
Serenity Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 148 reviews
16.79-acre park with open space, a pond & fishing pier, plus a picnic shelter, tot lot & trail.
Dr. Kenneth Cooper Park
4.9 ★★★★★ 49 reviews
Park providing a walking trail in a clean and peaceful environment.
Hill Top Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 35 reviews
Old Settlers Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 23 reviews
Painted Tree Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 9 reviews
Tranquility Trail
5 ★★★★★ 4 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in McKinney
- Match the surface to your legs. McKinney gives you a choice: 3 paved, 2 natural surface, and 1 mixed. 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 paved trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 8 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 McKinney is Jim Ledbetter Park at 1 mi.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 6 trails in McKinney are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 18 of the 19 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 4 are lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 14 have trailhead parking, 12 have restrooms, and 7 have a water fountain in McKinney. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 10 shaded, 8 that runners describe as quiet, 5 dog-friendly, and 14 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 McKinney trails by type
Running trails near McKinney
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.