DFW has surprisingly good running infrastructure. Here are the best trails.
Paved trails (road running):
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Katy Trail — 3.5 miles through Uptown Dallas. THE running trail. Shaded sections, water fountains, wide path. Gets crowded evenings and weekends. Source: katytraildallas.org
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White Rock Creek Trail — 14+ miles from Richardson through north Dallas to White Rock Lake. Paved, shaded, connects multiple parks. Source: dallastrails.org
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White Rock Lake loop — 9.3 miles around the lake. Paved, scenic, rolling hills. The "signature" DFW long run. Source: whiterocklake.org
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Trinity Trails (Fort Worth) — 70+ miles of connected paved trails. Multiple access points. Source: trinitytrails.org
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Campion Trail (Irving) — 22+ miles along the Elm Fork Trinity River. Well-maintained, less crowded than Katy. Source: cityofirving.org
Dirt/trail running:
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Cedar Ridge Preserve — 9 miles of trails with actual elevation changes (rare in DFW). Source: audubondallas.org
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Arbor Hills Nature Preserve (Plano) — 2.2-mile paved loop plus dirt trails. Elevation. Views. Source: plano.gov/parks
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River Legacy Park (Arlington) — 8+ miles of wooded trails along the Trinity. Source: riverlegacy.org
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Northshore Trail (Grapevine Lake) — mountain bike trail that's great for trail running. Rocky, technical, scenic. Source: dorba.org
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LBJ National Grasslands (north of DFW) — wide open prairie running. Solitude. Source: fs.usda.gov
Summer running tips (critical in DFW):
- Run before 7am or after 8pm June-September
- Hydration vest or handheld for runs over 5 miles
- Electrolytes (Nuun, LMNT) — you lose more salt than you think in DFW humidity
- Check heat index, not just temperature. 95 with 60% humidity feels like 110.
Sources:
- Trail websites and city parks departments
- Strava heatmap for popular DFW routes
- 6 years of DFW running
What's your favorite route?
Trinity Trails in Fort Worth with 70+ miles is the most underrated trail system in Texas. You can run for hours and never repeat a section.