A 1,200 acre park with about 15 miles of trails. It’s a good combination of biking trails for gentler running, and 6 miles of hiking trails, with a more rugged surface. It’s not super-technical trail running. There’s nice variety here, and a good opportunity to get some shade, and see some lovely Florida foliage and wildlife while running. The park is a popular kayaking and birding spot, and features the only lake suitable for swimming in Sarasota County…so take a dip after your run and enjoy the small beach!
The 11-mile Legacy Trail, a paved bike trail from Venice to Sarasota, runs through the park and forms part of the park’s bike trail network.
A 1,200 acre park with about 15 miles of trails. It’s a good combination of biking trails for gentler running, and 6 miles of hiking trails, with a more rugged surface. It’s not super-technical trail running. There’s nice variety here, and a good opportunity to get some shade, and see some lovely Florida foliage and wildlife while running. The park is a popular kayaking and birding spot, and features the only lake suitable for swimming in Sarasota County…so take a dip after your run and enjoy the small beach!
The 11-mile Legacy Trail, a paved bike trail from Venice to Sarasota, runs through the park and forms part of the park’s bike trail network.
There's some pleasant running downtown. The area south of Fruitville Rd. to U.S. 41 has some pleasant, shaded side streets with nice homes. Main St. is fun, down the the water, as is the area just south of Fruitville to the waterside Arts Center.
Former celery fields are now a combination water collection zone, restored wetlands area, birding spot, and recreation area. ~4 miles of perimeter trails around marshlands, ponds, canals, edged by oaks, willows, and pines. Hill running on Observation Hill.
Near the Ringling Museum and the airport, this is an opportunity to run on some pleasant roads, incorporating some interesting Sarasota sites and lovely homes. Bay Shore Rd. is the anchor to this run from the New College of Florida to Indian Beach.
Named one of the best beaches in the United States, it's also great for running, with white, firm sand -- especially at low tide. The overall beach is 8 miles, but the best continuous section is ~3 miles south from Siesta Village. Mainly a beach run.
Pleasant, low traffic road, with good views to the Gulf of Mexico, and some spectacular waterside homes. Straight shot on Casey Key Rd., up to 6 miles one-way from the beach pavilion. It's also possible to run on the beach here.
A lovely paved trail that runs along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway, from historic downtown Venice, south to the Shamrock Park Nature Center and Caspersen Beach. Can do a great a 10-mile loop, with good views of the water.
A 10.8 mile former rail line, now a paved recreation trail running from Venice, north toward Sarasota. Some shaded, foliated sections, pastureland, streams and rivers, and some more populated sections. Intersects with Oscar Sherer State Park at halfway point.
Possibly the most dramatic run in the Sarasota area, with great water views and even a bit of elevation! It's ~4 miles over the bridge to St. Armands Circle and back, with numerous add-on options.
600 acre public park that's mainly a rowing facility. But there's a nice path around the lake that makes for a good 5k+ loop. Eastern side of the lake has a dedicated path along a fairly busy road, while the western side is more bucolic.
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