Best Places to Run

Visiting Ridgeland or Flowood? It’s easy to get in a run of any distance on the greenway trails throughout the community. Whether you’re hitting the rolling hills of Ridgeland or crushing the mostly flat Rez loop, you can find a variety of routes for any kind of workout. 

Fleet Feet hosts training groups and plenty of fun runs throughout the month, including a weekly coffee run. It gets hot in the summer, but Fleet Feet Jackson keeps it cool by providing plenty of water stops. See the beauty of Mississippi while getting your run in on our beautiful trails!

YMCA Out N’ Back 

• Best for: Short runs and walks 
• Surface: Paved
• Starting Point: Either the YMCA or the Flowood Nature Park.
• Distance: 1-3 miles

This is a mostly flat course that keeps things breezy, and the multi-use trail off Flowood Drive is easy and convenient to use. Whether you’re starting from the park or the YMCA, you can enjoy seeing horses or the lakes as you run across the various trails in the area.

Speed Bumps from Pelican Cove

• Best for: Speed workouts and intervals 
• Surface: Paved 
• Starting Point: Sports Pavilion Lawrence, 100 Rock Chalk Ln, Lawrence, KS 66049
• Distance: 1-4 miles 

With low traffic and a flat route, Dyke Road is ideal for getting your speed workout done in the Ridgeland area. You can start from the Old Trace Road or the Rice Road Trail Pavilion. The route follows the Rez and is completely flat, making it perfect for speed work. If you go out toward the Spillway, you can get nearly 2 miles in.

Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail 

• Best for: Long runs, easy runs, walks 
• Surface: Paved trail 
• Starting Point: Fleet Feet in Ridgeland or several other entry points across Ridgeland
• Distance: 11 miles

There are multiple access points for this trail including the Overlook off of the Natchez Trace Parkway and Friendship Park off of Lake Harbour Paved Trail. The Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail (or the Natchez Trace Trail) runs across Ridgeland towards Clinton with several outlets and entry points in the area. With a myriad of connections, you can easily extend or shorten your route, as well as swing by Fleet Feet or other places if you need a quick stop! 

The Yockanookany Trail  

• Best for: Favorite trails, taking in the views
• Surface: Trail 
• Starting Point: West Florida Boundary to HWY 43 Trail Head
• Distance: 15.5 miles

The Yockanookany is a hiking/horse/walking and trail running route that is the most technical (and most fun) in the area! It roughly follows the Natchez Trace Trail while meandering through some scenic spots. It can be a little confusing starting from the West Florida Boundary, so if you are new, start from the HWY 43 point and follow the trail.

The Overlook  

• Best for: Long runs, easy runs
• Surface: Paved 
• Starting Point: The Overlook off of the Natchez Trace Trail
• Distance: 21 miles

The Overlook connects to the Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail (or the Natchez Trace Trail) which runs across Ridgeland towards Clinton with several outlets and entry points in the area. If you want to continue running across the Rez, you could enter Old Trace Park and run lakeside.

Coffee Run   

• Best for: Easy runs, walks, grabbing coffee
• Surface: Paved 
• Starting Point: Fusion Coffee House
• Distance: 3-5 miles

From Fusion Coffee House, you can either run down Colony Park Blvd. (roughly 1.5 miles) or you can run down Highland Colony Parkway to the Multi-Use trail and get in as many miles as you want before returning for a warm or cold beverage and snack. 

Museum Trail 

• Best for: Easy/ speed runs, trail running, & walking 
• Surface: Paved but leads to a trail loop from path
• Full map available HERE