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McKay Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 637 Google reviews · Running trail in Jefferson City, Missouri · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from McKay 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.
20.4-acre green space with a lakeside fitness trail, basketball court, bank fishing & picnic tables.
What runners say about McKay Park
“Centrally located, clean and well maintained restrooms, great playgrounds, plenty of parking, quality walking track, and best of all, the FISHING!”
“I also love taking walks on the trail that surrounds the beautiful Sunset Lake.”
“The paved walk trail around the lake always has people of all ages walking/jogging through the pleasant scenery.”
This park is a gem. Centrally located, clean and well maintained restrooms, great playgrounds, plenty of parking, quality walking track, and best of all, the FISHING! Kids and adults alike are in for a good time! Edit* They have one of the cold water dispensers like in schools!
We take our dogs here for walks it's a nice park I just wish people would pick up after themselves especially when they're fishing
McKay Park was the first city park I went to when I first moved to Jeff City and I think it's a good one. It's not where you go for long canopied hikes, or wildlife encounters (other than fishing) but it is exactly the kind of park you go to for a picnic, to take the kids to play, to have a BBQ, sit on a bench and…
Very family friendly lake, with a playground, bathroom, public places to charge your phone, lounge, even public bbq grills, the geese are relativity friendly ( your not supposed to feed them) great place to fish the only thing is it is fished so much here the fish are very finicky, they are more likely to probe a lure…
Trail conditions & character
“The scenery is pleasant, the elevation stays fairly consistent, and the loop is just about 1 kilometer.”
“It includes a wonderful paved walking path all around the lake where you'll likely see many geese ( and a couple of faux swans).”
“I also love taking walks on the trail that surrounds the beautiful Sunset Lake.”
“Centrally located, clean and well maintained restrooms, great playgrounds, plenty of parking, quality walking track, and best of all, the FISHING!”
“It's also dog friendly and has a really nice little walking loop around with lake with high visibility and all paved.”
Plan your run at McKay 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.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- Websitejeffersoncitymo.gov
- Phone(573) 634-6482
Hours
| Monday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Tuesday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Wednesday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Thursday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Friday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Saturday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Sunday | 5 AM–11 PM |
Running trails near Jefferson City
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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