Dikmen Valley Park is one of the best places for an off-road run in Ankara. The city itself is tough for running, so finding a larger park or green space is important for those wanting to run in Ankara. Dikmen Valley is located in the southern part of the city, and the park is a pleasant oasis in an area that’s a bit of a concrete jungle.
Google Street View
This man-made park lies in a sunken valley and features has a series of paved paths, with some nice trees and landscaping. There’s a lake with fountains. A full loop of the park is nearly 5 km. Note that the park is fairly hilly: nearly 70m of elevation gain in a full loop of the park.
Add-On: Just east of the mid-point of Dikmen Valley Park is Orange Blossom Park (Portakal Çiçeği Parkı) and the Botanical Park (Botanik Parkı), which can add a couple of km of nice running. You can get there via Jose Marti Park, or easiest way is Hoşdere Cd.
Dikmen Valley Park is one of the best places for an off-road run in Ankara. The city itself is tough for running, so finding a larger park or green space is important for those wanting to run in Ankara. Dikmen Valley is located in the southern part of the city, and the park is a pleasant oasis in an area that’s a bit of a concrete jungle.
Google Street View
This man-made park lies in a sunken valley and features has a series of paved paths, with some nice trees and landscaping. There’s a lake with fountains. A full loop of the park is nearly 5 km. Note that the park is fairly hilly: nearly 70m of elevation gain in a full loop of the park.
Add-On: Just east of the mid-point of Dikmen Valley Park is Orange Blossom Park (Portakal Çiçeği Parkı) and the Botanical Park (Botanik Parkı), which can add a couple of km of nice running. You can get there via Jose Marti Park, or easiest way is Hoşdere Cd.
Get your heart rate up while enjoying some history and views! A series of stairs lead from Evi Park to Ankara Castle, which is built on a rocky hilltop, offering panoramic city views. Can combine with older, hilly roads in area and/or Gençlik Park, 1.2 km from Evi Park.
Independence Park and 50th Year Park are two parks just south of the old city that are pleasant for running. They can be run standalone or combined. 50th Year Park is particularly scenic, with hilltop views of Ankara and nicely landscaped paths.
Natural lake located 20 km of Ankara is one of the most scenic spots in the area for a run. A full loop around the lake on the very runnable road is 10.6 km, and features some lovely views. Can be combined with trail running in adjacent Metu Forest.
Huge area for with lots of running variety. Large university campus has many km of paths. The adjacent 7,500-acre METU Forest is a great spot for hilly trail running. Lake Eymir has a 10.5 km road around its perimeter with great views.
Running along the massive plaza up to the Ataturk Mausoleum is a breathtaking experience. There's a grand, nearly 1 km approach, built on a huge scale. Combine this with other area roads/paths, and a running track across the street.
Central Ankara's largest green space and a nice spot for a run. A loop around the nicely landscaped paths is ~2 km. Longer option: add the adjacent sports complex & running track, Hipodrom Park and paths around the Ataturk Cultural Center.
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