Memorial Park is a 1466-acre green treasure and one of the largest urban parks in the United States. It is also the heart of Houston’s running community, offering fabulous paths in the greens along with spectacular views of Houston skyline. One can easily put together a 7-8 mile run in the park. Most of the terrain is fairly wooded. One special feature is that you can change/shower and leave your belongings at the Memorial Park Running Trails Center, located at 7575 N. Picnic Lane. Also, the Kinder Land Bridge, opened in 2023, connects the northern & southerm sections of Memorial Park with trails over Memorial Dr.
A few running options:
Seymour Lieberman Exercise Trail. Also known as the ‘Memorial Park Loop’, this is one of the most frequently run routes in America, according to MapMyRun & Strava stats. It’s a crushed granite, 2.9-mile trail at the northern end of the park.The path is well-shaded and has restrooms and water fountains along the way. The route is accessible from all parts of the park, but a good option is to start from southeast corner at the Trails Center. Bonus: Lit at night — good option for those hot Houston days!
Running Track. At the northwest part of the route, near to the Tennis Center, there’s a quarter-mile asphalt timing track and a work-out station for cross-training.
Arboretum. Located at the west side of Memorial Park. There are five miles of nature trails winding through native prairie, savanna, wetland, woodland, and riparian habitats, with six educational Field Stations throughout the site. NOTE: Admission is free, though parking is $6.50 (waived on Thursdays and the second Sunday of each month).
Trails East of the Arboretum. Great off-road running. 3-4 miles of trails east of the Arboretum, west of Wescott. At the South Picnic Loop, the Green Ridge Trail parallels Park Drive for 1.6 miles. There are also other trails that are rated for difficulty: the easy Purple Trail, moderate Yellow Trail, and difficult Blue & Orange Trails.
Note: New trees are being planted and other improvements to the park are underway, as the record drought in 2011 and hurricane Ike have shrank the number of trees in recent years.
NEW: A major gift to the park is resulting in a significant range of improvements to the park’s trail system, including a new Running Complex. Keep checking back for updates!
Memorial Park is a 1466-acre green treasure and one of the largest urban parks in the United States. It is also the heart of Houston’s running community, offering fabulous paths in the greens along with spectacular views of Houston skyline. One can easily put together a 7-8 mile run in the park. Most of the terrain is fairly wooded. One special feature is that you can change/shower and leave your belongings at the Memorial Park Running Trails Center, located at 7575 N. Picnic Lane. Also, the Kinder Land Bridge, opened in 2023, connects the northern & southerm sections of Memorial Park with trails over Memorial Dr.
A few running options:
Seymour Lieberman Exercise Trail. Also known as the ‘Memorial Park Loop’, this is one of the most frequently run routes in America, according to MapMyRun & Strava stats. It’s a crushed granite, 2.9-mile trail at the northern end of the park.The path is well-shaded and has restrooms and water fountains along the way. The route is accessible from all parts of the park, but a good option is to start from southeast corner at the Trails Center. Bonus: Lit at night — good option for those hot Houston days!
Running Track. At the northwest part of the route, near to the Tennis Center, there’s a quarter-mile asphalt timing track and a work-out station for cross-training.
Arboretum. Located at the west side of Memorial Park. There are five miles of nature trails winding through native prairie, savanna, wetland, woodland, and riparian habitats, with six educational Field Stations throughout the site. NOTE: Admission is free, though parking is $6.50 (waived on Thursdays and the second Sunday of each month).
Trails East of the Arboretum. Great off-road running. 3-4 miles of trails east of the Arboretum, west of Wescott. At the South Picnic Loop, the Green Ridge Trail parallels Park Drive for 1.6 miles. There are also other trails that are rated for difficulty: the easy Purple Trail, moderate Yellow Trail, and difficult Blue & Orange Trails.
Note: New trees are being planted and other improvements to the park are underway, as the record drought in 2011 and hurricane Ike have shrank the number of trees in recent years.
NEW: A major gift to the park is resulting in a significant range of improvements to the park’s trail system, including a new Running Complex. Keep checking back for updates!
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