Running trails in Murphy, TX
Murphy has 11 trails in the directory — 4 paved, 2 loops that return to the trailhead, 4 with a stated distance, 5 shaded, and 1 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 1,593 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.
Murphy Central Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 510 reviews
Community park featuring covered play equipment, a splash pad, pathways & an amphitheater.
Waters Edge Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 241 reviews
Neighborhood park with multiple soccer fields & a walking path located beside a small creek.
North Hill Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 164 reviews
Clean tennis courts, a basketball court and a pool with lifeguards anchor this park featuring picnic tables and a sand volleyball court.
Mustang Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 135 reviews
Well-kept community park with playgrounds, swings, basketball courts and soccer goals.
Timbers Nature Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 132 reviews
Family-friendly oasis boasting a pond for fishing as well as ball fields, barbeque grills and playgrounds.
The Preserve at Maxwell Creek
4.7 ★★★★★ 105 reviews
Local area for walking and cycling as well as enjoying nature.
Aviary Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 93 reviews
Neighborhood park with 2 playgrounds, picnic shelter, basketball court, and a volleyball court, plus a walking trail.
Liberty Ridge Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 93 reviews
5-acre city park equipped with 2 playgrounds, a picnic/BBQ pavilion, walking trail & a pond.
City Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 60 reviews
Tranquil 30-acre space featuring a pond, a grill and playground equipment.
Brentwood Park
4 ★★★★☆ 43 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Murphy
- Match the surface to your legs. Most of what's here is paved (4 of 11). 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? 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. The longest stated distance in Murphy is Timbers Nature Preserve at 1.6 mi.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 1 trail in Murphy is open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 11 of the 11 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. 3 have trailhead parking, 6 have restrooms, and 8 have a water fountain in Murphy. 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, 2 that runners describe as quiet, and 3 dog-friendly. 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 Murphy trails by type
Running trails near Murphy
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.