Best Trails for Running in Tallahassee

Tallahassee is full of adventure and home to some beautiful trails. We’ve compiled a list below that includes both public and private trails in Tallahassee for you to enjoy. Whether you’re looking for a quick escape, or something more long-term, there’s something on the list below just for you.

The Apalachian Ridge Trail at the Apalachee Regional Park is a great trail to avoid traffic on your run in Tallahassee. It also offers incredible views of nature, including Lake Hall. The bonus? There’s plenty of restrooms along the way should you need them! Over all, this trail is about 7 miles long if you run around it twice. If running isn’t your thing – there are also designated biking trails in Apalachee Regional Park.

Piney Z Run is a great place to run but it does not have much in the way of water or bathrooms. You can park out at Mahan Gap or drive up to/park at the end of CR 1221 off Hardy Road (which is about half way along Piney Z Run). There are not many obstacles to watch out for on this trail other than roots and rocks which you’ll find on most trails anyway. The landscape itself is beautiful with pine trees all around so you always feel like you’re getting some shade, even if it’s really hot outside. Since there are big “NO BIKES” signs posted everywhere I’ve never seen any indication that hikers or runners were unwelcome, just mountain bikers.

You can park at the Maclay Gardens entrance or just drive through if you just want to run for a little bit. This trail is also mainly hard packed dirt, however there are some roots and rocks here and there which you’ll need to watch out for with each step. The scenery on this trail includes old oak trees so it’s always nice and shady here too. You will find water fountains along the way as well as bathrooms in case you decide to enter the gardens themselves (they’re beautiful) but not much else in terms of trails, obstacles, or beauty since it’s really designed more for walking than running at a slow pace.

You can park in the Cascades Park parking lot so you won’t have to worry about running out of gas. This trail is very beautiful with its’ bright green grass, unique trees (some that I’ve never seen before), and water feature (a small waterfall below a small dam).

This is a great place for sprints if you have someone to run with because it’s nice and round (almost like a track) except there’s no actual track involved (not that I’ve ever heard of). The scenery itself along this trail isn’t very spectacular since it basically looks like all the other grassy areas around Tallahassee, especially after it rains and becomes muddy, but overall I’d say this is a pretty good trail for running because it’s flat and free of obstacles.

The 1.4 mile Meyers Park trail is relatively easy and offers an excellent view of the Florida Capitol Building.

1.4 miles loop, mature trees, benches, exercise stations along the loop.

The trails in this park are well signed and mapped out with fitness stations along the trails.

While this one isn’t IN Tallahassee, it is a short drive away. This trail is absolutely gorgeous! It runs along the St Marks River and offers amazing views of nature. You might even catch a glimpse of local wildlife like deer or alligator on your run! The trail itself is about 2 miles long, but if running around it doesn’t sound exciting enough – there are plans to make this trail part of the Florida Greenways and Trails System. If that doesn’t get you excited, I’m not sure what will!