Running in Dallas

The Northaven Trail is a paved path running roughly six miles through North Dallas, connecting neighborhoods near the Dallas North Tollway to the White Rock Creek Trail system without following any major arterial road. Built along a utility and drainage corridor, the trail links several North Dallas neighborhoods that otherwise have few connected running routes, and its relatively flat, shaded profile makes it a favorite for steady mileage away from downtown traffic.

Because the Northaven Trail feeds directly into the White Rock Creek Trail, runners based in North Dallas can string together a long run that eventually reaches White Rock Lake itself without ever running on a public street for more than a block or two. The trail sees far less foot and bike traffic than the White Rock Lake loop, which makes it a practical choice for runners doing tempo work or intervals who want a predictable, uncrowded surface.

About twenty five miles southwest of downtown Dallas, Cedar Hill State Park sits along the shore of Joe Pool Lake and offers rockier, hillier trail terrain than anything found inside the city itself. The Duck Pond Trail and the park's other singletrack routes wind through juniper and oak woodland with enough elevation change to function as genuine hill training for Dallas runners used to the area's mostly flat streets and paths.

The park's trail network totals several miles, giving visiting runners the option to extend a Cedar Hill outing into a longer trail day. Because the terrain and tree cover differ so much from White Rock Lake or the Katy Trail, Dallas area trail runners often treat a Cedar Hill State Park visit as a deliberate change of pace during marathon training blocks that call for varied footing.