Running trails in Madison, WI
Madison has 18 trails in the directory — 3 paved and 2 on crushed gravel or dirt, 1 boardwalk, 2 loops that return to the trailhead, 5 with a stated distance, 3 shaded, and 1 open 24 hours. 16 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 2,896 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.
University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum
4.9 ★★★★★ 442 reviews
1,200 acres of varied habitats including prairies, forests & wetlands plus trails & nature classes.
Hoyt Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 365 reviews
A former quarry, this recreational area has picnic shelters with stone fireplaces & a trail network.
Owen Conservation Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 341 reviews
This 97-acre property offers a network of hiking trails, views & an abundance of plants & wildlife.
Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - North
4.7 ★★★★★ 319 reviews
Low prairie & wetlands cover 2,000 acres at this preserve with a trail & boardwalk for visitors.
Capital Springs Recreation Area
4.6 ★★★★★ 313 reviews
This expansive open space features camping, picnic shelters, trails & a pond with boat launch.
Raymer's Cove
4.8 ★★★★★ 237 reviews
Nature preserve with hiking trails leading to a small beach on the lake.
Stricker's Pond
4.7 ★★★★★ 181 reviews
Trails winding through a park, featuring basketball and tennis courts, plus a soccer field.
Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - South
4.6 ★★★★★ 132 reviews
Nature preserve featuring trails for hiking and biking, as well as ponds and a boat ramp.
Lower Yahara River Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 118 reviews
Park featuring a long boardwalk and bridge connecting two sides of a lake.
Quarry Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 123 reviews
Wooded area showcases hiking & mountain biking trails with steep hills, sharp bends & rocky terrain.
Turville Point Conservation Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 96 reviews
Picturesque, lakeside retreat featuring over 3 miles of trails amid oak trees & spring wildflowers.
Sandburg Woods
4.2 ★★★★☆ 54 reviews
Conservation forestland with native plants & wildlife, plus hiking & snowshoeing trails.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Madison
- Match the surface to your legs. Madison gives you a choice: 5 mixed, 3 paved, 2 natural surface, and 1 boardwalk. 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 mixed 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 Madison is Knollwood Conservation Park at 75 mi. 2 trails are long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 1 trail in Madison is open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 16 of the 18 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 1 is lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 15 have trailhead parking and 13 have restrooms in Madison. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 3 shaded, 1 with mile markers, 8 that runners describe as quiet, 8 dog-friendly, and 5 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. 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 Madison trails by type
- Mixed trails
- Paved trails
- Natural surface trails
- Boardwalk trails
- Loop trails
- Long-run trails (5+ mi)
- Shaded trails
- Lit for early & night runs
- Flat & fast
- Hilly trails
- Scenic trails
- Trails with restrooms
- Trailhead parking
- Trails with mile markers
- Quiet, uncrowded trails
- Dog-friendly
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible
Running trails near Madison
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.