HomeIllinoisBenton › Benton City Park

Benton City Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 423 Google reviews · Running trail in Benton, Illinois · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Paved
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Tree cover
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Benton City Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

PavedShadedScenicRestroomsWaterTrailhead parking

Large, clean family-friendly park offering baseball fields and playgrounds, plus paved trails.

What runners say about Benton City Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (423 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 10 mentions

“Very clean, fun playground for the kids and paths to walk on, a security car drives by every 20 mins and the bathrooms are in perfect condition!”

🏞️ beautiful scenery 6 mentions

“This park is beautiful and very shaded in parts.”

👟 good for all levels 2 mentions

“Beautiful family friendly park.”

Very clean, fun playground for the kids and paths to walk on, a security car drives by every 20 mins and the bathrooms are in perfect condition! And the best - no bees to ruin our picnic. We had a restful stop here on our long roadtrip. Definitely one of our favourites!

★★★★★ — Theresa , May 2022

Was delighted to find this hideaway park! So beautiful and very well kept. Thanks to my kids for taking me hiking on the trails through the woods. Got to see the albino deer and her family who live there on the protected grounds. Great experience all around!

★★★★★ — Terri , Oct 2023

Large park. Very well kept. Tennis court, 3 ball fields. A couple playgrounds. A paved walking/jogging path around the ball fields. Police frequent. It's a very nice park. I feel safe going there for my walks.

★★★★★ — Ba , Jun 2019

I absolutely love this park! I live just a few blocks away and go here pretty often with our 20 month old. Has fantastic playground equipment for the kids. Nice little hiking trails and bridges throughout the park and tons of wildlife.

★★★★★ — James , Oct 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 423 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 6 mentions

“This park is beautiful and very shaded in parts.”

More trails like this →

🚻 Restrooms 5 mentions

“Includes pavilion with picnic tables, restrooms and water fountains, playgrounds, and short nature trails, along with an antique fire truck and a caboose on railroad tracks.”

More trails like this →

🌳 Shaded / tree cover 3 mentions

“Great place to walk your dogs with several nicely wooded trailes.”

More trails like this →

🅿️ Trailhead parking 3 mentions

“Parking could be better laid/designed with better accessibility for the elderly to the ball fields”

More trails like this →

🛣️ Paved surface 2 mentions

“A paved walking/jogging path around the ball fields.”

More trails like this →

🚰 Water fountains

“Includes pavilion with picnic tables, restrooms and water fountains, playgrounds, and short nature trails, along with an antique fire truck and a caboose on railroad tracks.”

More trails like this →

Plan your run at Benton City Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
  • At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
  • Websitebentonil.com

Hours

Monday 7 am–10 pm
Tuesday 7 am–10 pm
Wednesday 7 am–10 pm
Thursday 7 am–10 pm
Friday 7 am–10 pm
Saturday 7 am–10 pm
Sunday 7 am–10 pm

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Benton City Park

802 1st St, Benton, IL 62812

Get directions

Running trails near Benton

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Benton Community Park District

4.5 ★★★★★ 188 reviews

Benton, IL

Scenic

Well-maintained park offering baseball fields, basketball courts and picnic tables, plus trails.

under a mile away

Rend Lake Bike Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 17 reviews

Benton, IL

Scenic

4.4 miles away

Blackberry Nature Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 44 reviews

Sesser, IL

LoopPavedDog-friendly

6.1 miles away

Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area

4.5 ★★★★★ 892 reviews

Whittington, IL

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Converted farmland now a 3,300-acre park with camping, hiking & a lake for fishing & water sports.

7.3 miles away

Herrin Memorial Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 307 reviews

Herrin, IL

Scenic

Family-friendly city park featuring a pond, bridges and a skate park. Playgrounds. There are also baseball fields.

12.9 miles away

Herrin Park Office & Maintenance

4.5 ★★★★★ 108 reviews

Herrin, IL

Dog-friendly

Park with picnic tables and a basketball court, plus a kids' playground with slides and swings.

12.9 miles away

All running trails in Benton, IL →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.