Best Winter Running Cities: North America

For some, winter running might mean hopping on a treadmill or getting on a plane to a warm weather spot. But others embrace winter running for its crisp air and snowy landscape. They prefer running when it’s 20º and snowy than when it’s 42º and rainy. For winter running lovers, this list is for you — the Great Runs list of the best winter running cities in North America, with separate sections for Canada, the United States, and mountain/ski towns.

See also our companion guide for Europe & Asia.

What Makes For a Great Winter Running City?

What makes a great winter running city? First off is reliable winter weather! To qualify for our list, a city must receive at least 30 inches (75cm) of snow annually and winter high temperatures that are below freezing. On top of that, good winter running cities have a winter running culture. They celebrate winter. And in some cases, they maintain some of the roads and trails so they can be enjoyed in winter.

PRO TIP: To find scenic and safe routes in winter, search out leafy residential areas, where you’ll find snow on the trees and plowed, lit roads! (on Great Runs, use the keyword Gorgeous Residential or Fantastic Neighborhood category). On snowy days, look for routes in parks/forests. See also our Winter Running Hub for lists of favorite winter running routes, plus all tips & tricks for winter running.

Best Winter Running Cities in Canada

Montreal. It will be no surprise that three Canadian cities top our list. Montreal has among the coldest and snowiest winters of any major city in the world. Head to Mount Royal, which in winter has a maintained outdoor ice rink, ski/toboggan hill, and miles of trails popular with runners. And on a snowy night, there’s nothing better than running through the streets of Old Montreal. See also our guides to the Laurentian mountains up north and the Eastern Townships to the east.

Ottawa. Like Montreal, Canada’s capital celebrates winter. The Rideau Canal is a World Heritage site and is the longest maintained skating rink in the world. Several miles of the path, especially near downtown, are cleared of snow. Runners can enjoy these paths and avail themselves of the changing rooms and warning huts lining the canal – and have a post-run hot chocolate!

Quebec City. Like the other two Canadian cities in the snowy Golden Triangle, winter is celebrated in Quebec City, rather than eschewed. Of course, there’s the famous Winter Carnival, which features some skiing and running amidst the snow sculptures, sledding spots, and copious alcohol consumption. Here’s a hearty winter challenge: run the Plains of Abraham on a cold, windy morning and tell us about it. We’ll send you a T-shirt!

London, Ontario. This small city west of Toronto has a particularly nice selection of centrally located paths that are well maintained in the city’s snowy winter.

Barrie, Ontario. Lake effect snows deliver 225 cm of annual snowfall to this city located on Lake Simcoe, 90 km north of Toronto.

Saint John & Moncton, NB. Moncton is New Brunswick’s largest city and receives 282 cm (111 inches of snow annually). Saint John gets slightly less snow.

St. John’s Newfoundland. It’s the snowiest, foggiest, windiest, and cloudiest major Canadian city. Favorites in fresh snow are our ‘residential’ tour to enjoy the colorful houses, or Bowring Park, and around Memorial University to Signal Hill.

Red Deer, Alberta. The city only gets 105 cm of snow annually (though it is reliably cold), but gets a special award for the extent to which its trails (and streets) are cleared in winter, shown in this fantastic map!

Best Winter Running Cities in the United States

New England. Many Currier and Ives spots to run in New England. In Western Massachusetts, there is festive winter running along the main streets of Amherst and Northampton, and around the bucolic ‘five colleges’. And the Berkshires, while popular in summer, are also a running treat in winter. What could be a more appropriate place to run after a fresh snowfall than the grounds of the Normal Rockwell Museum? Just west of the Berkshires (and not officially in New England), Saratoga Springs has some lovely winter running. Or, head to Burlington, since winter and Vermont are synonymous. Great winter running spots are incorporated in our Burlington Highlights Tour. Or, head down to the Lake Champlain waterfront, where trails are packed by winter sports enthusiasts, and enjoy views of the frozen lake, the Green Mountains, and the Adirondacks. North Conway is the gateway to the White Mountains and has some fabulous winter running options.

U.S. Northeast Cities For east coast cities, Boston gets the most snow (but not reliably). The go-to run after a fresh snowfall is through the Common and around Back Bay, or along the paths of the Emerald Necklace. Portland, Maine is another solid winter destination—run the streets of the pretty, and hilly downtown. In central New York State, the major cities of Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse are in a snow belt, owing to the lake effect snows. In fact, Syracuse is the snowiest major city in the United States, averaging 120 inches annually!

Acadia National Park. The most visited national park in the U.S. is quiet and pristine in winter. It’s worth the drive to enjoy running on the park’s famous Carriage Trails. XC skiers and snowshoers will pack down the trail for you, and the trails are groomed by a group of volunteers in winter. They’re wide enough so that runners can share the trail – but please stay out of the ski tracks!  Grooming status here.

U.S. Midwest Cities: For a city with consistent cold and high snowfall, Marquette, Michigan averages nearly 200 inches of snow annually and frigid temperatures (73 days a year that temps stay below freezing). Minneapolis-St.Paul is the coldest major city in the United States, where winter is braved…and celebrated. A prime example: the iconic Chain of Lakes trail is plowed in winter. Duluth, MN is another good winter running city, with near guaranteed below-freezing temps and snow. In Madison, the go-to winter run is around the well-maintained paths around the University of Wisconsin, whose Arboretum is special after a fresh snowfall. To run in areas that benefit from plentiful lake-effect snows, head to Lake Erie Shores, OH (just east of Cleveland). In Chicago, the fresh winter wind coming off Lake Michigan (Lakefront Trail) can be ‘invigorating’. Chicagoland’s famous Forest Preserves are really pretty in snow. Grand Rapids, the second-largest city in Michigan, receives 80 inches of snow annually.

Northern Michigan. Traverse City receives 100 inches of snow annually. Marquette, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula receives copious winter snows.

Voyageurs National Park. This water-based park in northern Minnesota is transformed in winter, with extensive trails for running and maintained “ice roads” across frozen lakes.

Alaska. We have running guides for Anchorage and Fairbanks, which are both good winter running cites. While both cities receive about the same amount of annual snowfall, winter temps in Fairbanks are significantly colder. Both cities have excellent winter running options, with lit paths and maintained paths.

Great North America Ski Towns For Running in Winter

East

In the eastern United States, Stowe, Vermont is a Currier & Ives ski town with lovely winter running on its back roads. Two other terrific northeast ski towns covered by Great Runs are North Conway, NH and Lake Placid, NY.

In eastern Canada, the Laurentians are a popular vacation destination north of Montreal, dotted with numerous small ski hills and the resort area of Mont Tremblant. Some terrific winter running options, especially a section of the P’tit Train du Nord. Serious winter here. East of Montreal, the Eastern Townships (Canton de l’Est) area is a winter playground.

West

In the western United States, our two favorites for running are Aspen and Telluride. In Aspen, the Village Run features pretty residential side streets lined with Victorian era homes and the tony shops along Main St

In western Canada, Banff is a really pretty ski town. Its historic downtown is festive and well-lit. Whistler, British Columbia is one of the world’s great skiing destinations and has some lovely running paths, when the valley stays cold enough.