Do you remember the first time you went trail running? What I consider my first “real” trail run happened at the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic Park, bordering the Potomac River in Maryland. It’s been years, but I recall the trails being hard packed and full of rocks and roots, with scrambling sections (Billy Goat Trail) I was certain would be my undoing. But, focused on foot placement and exploring new routes, my ears filled with sounds from the river raging over the falls, I felt like Washington, DC, just a few miles downriver, was a world away. The challenge of rolling hills, joy in longer miles and beauty of changing seasons made me wonder why more people weren’t running on the trails. Needless to say, it changed my perspective forever.
Now is your chance to make some trail memories. With 400 national parks in the U.S., there are plenty of options. Click through the photos to see a few of the most compelling places to run. Go to the National Park Service site for park hours and trail accessibility information.
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Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Established in 1974 as the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, this park near Akron, Ohio, was designated as a national park in 2000. The park has more than 125 miles of trails, including a 20-mile crushed limestone path of the Towpath Trail—which follows a stretch of the 308-mile Ohio and Erie Canal path. Photo: National Park Service
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Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park in the southwestern corner of Texas (on the U.S.-Mexico border) has the distinction of being the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography and ecology in the U.S.. It has more than 150 miles of trails with wide-ranging scenery, including the High Chisos Vista pictured here. Photo: National Park Service
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Badlands National Park
Located in southwestern South Dakota not far from Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park is chock full of stunning scenery and features, including eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires, as well as the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the U.S. Pictured here is Brule Formation. Photo: National Park Service
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Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area encompasses 80,002 acres of ecologically- and historically-significant landscapes surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area. More than 100 miles of trails can be found on land on the north and south side of the Golden Gate Bridge, offering views of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. Photo: National Park Service
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Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park is a gem of a park located within a stone's throw of the heart of Washington D.C. In addition to access to the C&O Canal Trail, the park has more than 100 miles of forested trails, including numerous 4- to 8-mile loops. Photo: National Park Service
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Mount Rainier National Park
Even if climbing the mountain isn't your thing, Mount Rainier makes a majestic visual focal point for 260 miles of maintained trails about an hour east of Seattle. The longest, the 93-mile Wonderland Trail (pictured here near St. Andrews Lake), circumnavigates Mount Rainier. Photo: National Park Service
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Rocky Mountain National Park
Run some of the finest high-altitude trails Colorado has to offer in this mountainous park, including a portion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Explore lakes, waterfalls and several high mountain peaks. At an elevation of 14,259, running Longs Peak (pictured) is not an endeavor to be taken lightly. Photo: National Park Service
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park
When it comes to running in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, runners can pick their pleasure. Hop on the Appalachian Trail, run to waterfalls, through dense forests or stop to take in expansive views on more than 800 miles of trail. The Trillium Gap Trail (pictured here) runs behind the 25-foot high Grotto Falls. Photo: National Park Service
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Redwood National Park
For running among ferns, deciduous trees and redwoods, including the world's tallest (if you can find it), taking Redwood Creek Trail to Tall Trees Grove is 16-miles round trip. In total, there are over 200 miles of trails from sea level at the Pacific Ocean to more than 3,000 feet above sea level in the Bald Hills. Picutred here is the Flint Ridge Section of the Coastal Trail. Photo: National Park Service
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Zion National Park
Champiopn ultrarunner Jared Campbell says Zion National Park is his favorite place to run. Steep climbs, slot canyons, stunning vistas, slickrock and creek crossings are accessible along the 90 miles of maintained trails, including the Zion Chinle Trail pictured here. Photo: National Park Service
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Acadia National Park
Originally created as Lafayette National Park in 1919, the oldest National Park east of the Mississippi River was renamed Acadia in 1929. This amazing island park in Maine has more than 120 miles of hiking trails and carriage paths that range very easy to very strenuous. Photo: National Park Service
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Grand Canyon National Park
Rim-to-rim-to-rim journeys are enticing for a adventurous few at this Arizona wonder. But a 17-mile loop down the South Kaibab trail to Phantom Ranch and back up via Bright Angel trail delivers challenges and rewards to last a lifetime. You can even run your own personal half-marathon (or full if you go out and back) on the 13-mile, mostly paved Rim Trail, complete with bathrooms, water fountains and shuttle buses for when your run is done.
Photo: Allison Pattillo
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Yellowstone National Park
With more than 1,100 miles of trails through alpine meadows, pine forests, grasslands, geothermal features and wetlands, Yellowstone National Park—spread across parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho—can seem like an otherworldly endeavor. Most longer trails will send you into remote backcountry portions of the park, so be sure to watch out for grizzly bears. Photo: Brian Metzler
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