HomeNebraskaColumbus › Sunset Park - Lake Esther

Sunset Park - Lake Esther

4.6 ★★★★★ 17 Google reviews · Running trail in Columbus, Nebraska · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Sunset Park - Lake Esther'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.

Trailhead parking

What runners say about Sunset Park - Lake Esther

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (17 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

Nice peaceful place for a walk or picnic and of course fishing have been out there many times only problem is that if if you need to use the restroom there isn't any which has happened to me numerous times and the only place you can go for relief are business in the surrounding area makes me uncomfortable to go to one…

★★★★★ — Jim , May 2024

Lake Esther can be circumnavigated in less than a mile. A nice walking/running/biking trail runs around the perimeter. Not much yet for trees, etc. A couple benches for sitting and enjoying the view, one picnic shelter and two other picnic tables as well as a concrete fishing area are available. Simple but nice.

★★★★☆ — Jennifer , Aug 2020

Great lake for the kids to go fishing. Really nice walking trail and playground, too!

★★★★★ — Patrick , Jul 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 17 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.

🅿️ Trailhead parking

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Plan your run at Sunset Park - Lake Esther

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 trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • Websitecolumbusne.us

Hours

Monday 5 am–12 am
Tuesday 5 am–12 am
Wednesday 5 am–12 am
Thursday 5 am–12 am
Friday 5 am–12 am
Saturday 5 am–12 am
Sunday 5 am–12 am

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 Sunset Park - Lake Esther

3974 41st Ave, Columbus, NE 68601

Get directions

Running trails near Columbus

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

Pawnee Park

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Popular park featuring basketball, volleyball and skate-park courts, plus an area for picnicking.

2.3 miles away

Pawnee Park Sertomaland East

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LitScenic

Clean area, with a fishing pond and a disc golf course in addition to 2 playgrounds.

2.5 miles away

Castner's Crossing

4.5 ★★★★★ 47 reviews

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Scenic

Park offering fishing and kid-friendly hiking trails.

2.8 miles away

Cowboy Trail - East Trailhead

4.8 ★★★★★ 21 reviews

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Mixed

37.9 miles away

Cowboy Trail under Hwy 81

4.4 ★★★★☆ 13 reviews

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Crushed gravelScenic

38.0 miles away

Ta-Ha-Zouka Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 803 reviews

Norfolk, NE

PavedShadedLitScenic

Park offering facilities for softball, sand volleyball, horseshoes & disc golf, plus a playground.

38.1 miles away

All running trails in Columbus, NE →

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.