Irving & Las Colinas: Campion Trail, Lake Carolyn, & More

Irving, located just northwest of Dallas and just east of the DFW airport, hosts numerous corporate offices, a convention center, and major arts center. The best places to run in Irving center around Las Colinas, a high-end planned community mixing office buildings and residential communities set around golf courses and lakes. There are numerous multi-use trails, and a couple of (scenic, but artificial) lake loops.

Campion Trail Greenbelt. The signature running spot in Las Colinas. The paved trail is an oasis of green, passing through several parks for up to 7 miles one-way. The terrain is mainly open, though there are some shaded sections and some cutouts for river views. The southern end is at California Crossing Park off Riverside Dr. It’s 1 mile to downtown, 2.3 miles to Spring Trail Park, 3.5 miles to Keenan Crossing Park, and 5 miles to Sam Houston Trail Park. Good access points to the trail from Las Colinas are, from south to north: Las Colinas Blvd., N O’Connor Blvd., & Promenade Pkwy. See this TRAIL MAP for sections & access points.

• Longer & Loop Options: Then, the trail heads west for ~1 mile to the Valley Ranch Library and another 1 mile to Hollows Pond. You can retrace your steps for the return, or do a partial loop back by heading south past Cumberland Park and then along the Valley Ranch Canal Trail, rejoining the Campion Trail at Sam Houston Park. ROUTE MAP

Lake Carolyn Loop. The centerpiece of Las Colinas is the promenade around Lake Carolyn. The lake has numerous offices & apartment buildings, hotels, and restaurants around its perimeter.  The paved waterfront path is a 3.1 mile loop.  You can also add ~2 miles by using the paths along each side of the lake just north of N O’Connor Blvd., where the Mustangs of Las Colinas sculpture is located (note: there’s not a full loop around this section of the lake) Bonus: Lit at night!  ROUTE MAP

Canal Trails. The Valley Ranch Canal Trail follows a man-made canal for 1.7 miles northwest from Valley Ranch Parkway E. to Valley Ranch Parkway W. Do an out and back, or for a loop return, take the path east toward the Valley Ranch Library for 0.5 miles to connect with the Campion Trail through the park. The last 0.5 miles of the loop is on a path along the parkway. Distance of the loop is 4.6 miles. ROUTE MAP

Thomas Jefferson Park. Sandwiched between the Irving Convention Center and DFW Airport, this park features a paved, 2.2 mile loop around a pond and the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza. ROUTE MAP