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Founders Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 681 Google reviews · Running trail in Rapid City, South Dakota · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Founders 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.
Sprawling green space along Rapid Creek with hiking and walking trails, plus picnic tables.
What runners say about Founders Park
“It is a beautiful park and very well maintained and I love the marker explaining why it is named founders park.”
“Beautiful park and perfect for the food venders but a few tables placed the length of the island would be nice .”
“Great park with a lot of extensive trails, both quiet and popping areas if that's your thing.”
Really nice park just off of I-90. Cool trails for hiking and mountain biking. Nice flat trails too by the river. Seemed like a pretty popular spot even in the cold.
Rapid creek was a brisk temperature which was nice, full of leeches though. The main attraction is the M Hill hiking trails, I usually go off trail and try to find new flora and fauna to photograph but this was strictly for exercise and scenery this time, definitely recommend the hike!
I went for a hike here a few weeks ago and had an Awesome time and last night, there were a few other bikes and cars meeting up here, so we decided to stop and chill and also practice slow turns and lockout turns in the parking lot late at night.
Visiting South Dakota in an RV and loved the bike path to have an easy ride. After a little fall, I sat by the breeze, river and enjoyed the quiet! Sent my hubby on a longer ride.
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful park and perfect for the food venders but a few tables placed the length of the island would be nice .”
“Follow the main trail to the left follow around the base of the hill to the right.”
“Great park with a lot of extensive trails, both quiet and popping areas if that's your thing.”
“The bathrooms are kept up nicely and the shelter is a nice addition.”
Plan your run at Founders Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- 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.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- Phone+1 605-394-4175
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–10 pm |
Running trails near Rapid City
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Chuck Lien Family Park
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M Hill
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Skyline Wilderness West Dinosaur Trailhead
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Petrified Forest Trailhead
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Landscaped area featuring hiking trails and views of Rapid City.
Skyline Wilderness Area Park
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150-acre public park offering scenic trails for hiking & mountain biking, plus picnic areas.