Running Routes
Louisville isn’t lacking for great running routes. From beautiful parks to waterfront paths, there are numerous locations for you to pound the pavement. Below are some of our favorite locations, as well as routes at each location of various distances.
Cherokee and Seneca Park
Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same architect who designed Central Park in NYC, this is Louisville’s most-used running location. Most mornings and afternoons, you can find a bevy of runners pounding the pavement along the Scenic Loop of Cherokee or the 1.2-mile walking loop at Seneca. The 2.4-mile Scenic Loop in Cherokee Park contains one way vehicular traffic, while the other lane is open to runners, walkers, and cyclists. Highlights of the Scenic Loop are Hogan’s Fountain, which is a great starting point for your runs with ample parking and permanent restrooms; and Dog Hill, aptly nicknamed because of all the locals who walk their dogs in the grassy fields (and also one of the most infamous hills in the city). Both parks have some significant hills, making it a perfect place for hill workouts and challenging runs.
Suggested routes:
2.4 miles: From the Hogan’s Fountain parking lot, one lap around the Scenic Loop (it’s fun to mix it up and do the loop both clockwise and counter-clockwise).
7.5 miles: From the bathrooms/playground at Seneca Park, running along the road to Cherokee Park, around the Scenic Loop and back. You can increase or lessen the mileage by adding on distance at the Seneca Park walking loop.
10 miles: From the bathrooms/playgrounds at Seneca Park, running down Cannons Lane to Frankfort Ave. Frankfort Ave will dead end at River Road, which you’ll take west to the Big Four Bridge and then back. This route does have a bit more vehicular traffic, but is popular on Saturday mornings for long runs (you can extend this route by going over the Big Four Bridge to Indiana’s Greenway).
waterfront park, big four bridge, and southern indiana
The path in Southern Indiana is one of our favorite long run spots in the city. You can start on the Louisville side, run across the pedestrian-only Big Four Bridge (which is always well-lit at night, as can be seen in the picture to the left), and continue along the Ohio River Greenway all the way to New Albany, IN. The best parking is at Waterfront Park at the base of the Big Four Bridge, where there’s plenty of free parking and permanent bathrooms (although they close during the winter). If you’re on Strava, take note of the fun names for the inclines/declines of the Big Four Bridge. :)
Suggested routes:
2 miles: From the parking lot just east of the Big Four Bridge around the Great Lawn to the west.
5.5 miles: From the parking lot under the Big Four Bridge over to the Falls of the Ohio and back.
15 miles: From the parking lot under the Big Four Bridge over to the New Albany Riverfront Amphitheater. Since this is an out and back route, you can cut it shorter by turning back earlier.
iroquois park
Located in Louisville’s south end, Iroquois Park (another Olmsted designed park) is often overlooked when people think about the city’s best running routes. Having grown up in the south end, this is a favorite spot of our’s. While Iroquois is one of the hillier locations in the city, it also has some great tree cover that’s perfect for a run on a hot summer day. Parking is ample and free at the Iroquois Amphitheater. From there, you can run the lower level of the park, which is a loop slightly longer than a 5K. You could add some distance by making your way to the top of the park (with an overlook featuring a great view of the city) or down the side running paths of Southern Parkway.
Suggested routes:
3.1 miles: From the Amphitheater, one loop around the bottom of the park.
7 miles: From the Amphitheater, one loop around the bottom of the park, up Southern Parkway to the interstate overpass and back. (This is our favorite route in the city.)
10 miles: From the Amphitheater, run part of the loop around the bottom of the park, continuing uphill to the top of the park and around the top. On the way down, turn right onto Rundill Road and do 1.25 laps of the bottom of the park. This route is infamously known as The Hard 10.
The Parklands of Floyds Fork
The Parklands of Floyds Fork lies just outside the Gene Snyder Freeway in East Louisville, and it’s massive! It extends all the way from Bardstown Road to Shelbyville Road, with over 19 miles of running path between the two. This is a great location for a long run, as you can follow the Louisville Loop out and back for as many miles as you may need. The best place to start is the Egg Lawn at Beckley Creek Park, which can be best accessed from Shelbyville Road. The Egg Lawn itself has a .75 mile path around its interior oval that is great for speed work. From there, follow the Louisville Loop out of the Egg Lawn for additional mileage. There are some pretty decent hills along this path, but there’s also lots of beautiful scenery in these parks. If you’re a fan of trail running, The Parklands does a great job with upkeep on its trails for runners and mountain bikers.
Suggested routes:
4.2 miles: From the parking lot at the Shelbyville Road entrance to The Parklands, follow the Louisville Loop around the Egg Lawn and back.
9.4 miles: From the Egg Lawn at Beckley Creek Park, follow the Louisville Loop to Pope Lick Park (where there are restrooms and a water fountain) and back. You can go much further than Pope Lick Park along the Louisville Loop to get even more mileage, or shorter by turning around sooner.