Located in California’s San Joaquin Valley, Fresno is the state’s fifth-largest city and is a major agricultural center. It’s a very spread out city. For visitors, Fresno is also a gateway city to numerous recreational areas: Yosemite National Park, the Sierra National Forest Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park are within 75 miles of Fresno. The opportunities for running in Fresno are mixed — there are no major parks in central Fresno and no natural waterways. The most attractive places to run in Fresno tend to be in the foothills to the north of the city.
Near downtown, there’s nice neighborhood running in the Tower and Fig Garden districts. The signature running spot in Fresno is Woodward Park, which also includes the attractive Lewis S. Eaton multi-use trail. There are also some terrific paths and trails for running in the rolling hills of the Tesoro Viejo residential community. In Clovis, there are numerous multi-use paths, including the longer Fresno-Clovis Rail Trail and the Dry Creek Trail. The Millerton Lake area is a terrific running destination, with a mix of rolling hill roads and some hillier, more options for trail running. For a unique and special running experience, run the Fresno County Blossom Trail between mid-February and mid-March.
Runners should note that Fresno’s terrain is quite open and exposed, so be aware of the sun and temperatures that reach 90F or above most days from May through September.
