United States

Tuscaloosa, AL

Creative Commons. Redbird310

Tuscaloosa is a city in western Alabama located in the Black Warrior River. The University of Alabama is one of the main economic engines of this city of 100,000. There are some decent options for running in Tuscaloosa, with river paths, arboretums, and some good parks for trail running just outside of town.

The signature run in Tuscaloosa is the 2.2 mile Riverwalk, which can be combined with our downtown loop. The campus of the University of Alabama is also lovely for running, with numerous paths, historic buildings, and a running track. One of the best places to run in Tuscaloosa the area around the UA Arboretum. In Northport on the north side of the river, run on the Levee Path and down to the Oliver Lock. Good parks for trail running include Sokol Park and Lake Lurleen State Park.

Runners should note that Alabama summers are hot and humid! Go early and hydrate.

Editor's Picks

Some of our favorite runs in Tuscaloosa, AL

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Tuscaloosa has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and mild winters. Runners should be aware that summers are very hot and humid, with daily temperatures near 90F, and very warm nights. Winter is mild, with highs near 60F, and lows dipping to the mid-30s. Spring and fall are more delightful for running. Please be aware of thunderstorms which can be frequent from April-September. Tuscaloosa gets a lot of rain — 57 inches spread evenly though the year, mainly in the form of thunderstorms from April-September.

Source: Wikipedia

We recommend trying to stay near the river (south side) or UA campus for access to the best running in Tuscaloosa.

RUNNING STORES

There’s a good selection of stores for running gear in Tuscaloosa. Best bets are:

Wagner’s RunWalk. Stores downtown & Northport. Great indy running stores.

Fleet Feet. Tuscaloosa outlet of this running store chain.

Athlete’s Foot. Northport.

GROUP RUNS

Wagner’s RunWalk hosts regularly group runs in season. Calendar.

Fleet Feet has group runs 6pm Tuesdays. Info

Local event calendar, from the Tuscaloosa Track Club.