In addition to its many bike paths and parks, Dayton has some attractive residential neighborhoods for running. Here are our recommendations:

Oakwood/Shroyer Park/Patterson Park. This is hands down the nicest set of neighborhoods for running in Dayton. Lovely, set-back homes, tree-shaded streets, sidewalks. Generally the area between the University of Dayon and Dorothy Ln. north-south and between Hills and Dales MetroPark and Shroyer Rd. Oakwood, west of Far Hills Ave. (Rt. 49) is windier and more tree-shaded, while the many of the streets in Patterson Park, east of Far Hills Ave. are on more of a grid system, with nice grassy medians.  There’s a good running track at Mack Hummon Stadium at the Oakwood High School.

At the northern end of the neighborhood, there’s nice running around the campus at the University of Dayton. There’s also a paved multi-use path at the eastern edge of Patterson Park that runs for 1.8 miles from Stuart Field at the University of Dayton, south to Wiltshire Blvd.

University Row & Five Oaks. Just northwest of downtown, the streets around the University Row, Princeton Heights, and Five Oaks are decent for running. Nice, quiet, tree-lined roads with sidewalks. Basically between Salem Ave. and Riverview Ave. east-west and from the river north to W Hillcrest Ave. See the map, below.