Running Guide

Central Park offers a wide variety of loops and trails, and there is no shortage of groups that use the Park as their running hub. As the organization that cares for every mile, we have the inside scoop. Explore our official running map before you head out.

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Tips for Runners

Stay Hydrated

The Park contains dozens of water fountains, but most are turned off in the winter because their pipes are susceptible to freezing. Seven drinking fountains stay on year-round. Find those fountains (and restrooms, too!) on our official running map.

Know Where to Go

There are 20 restrooms throughout the Park. Many are open from 6:30 am to 9:00 pm, accommodating early-morning or late-evening runs. Jump to the map below to find a restroom along your route.

Find Your Bearings

If you get lost, look at a lamppost. The first two numbers on any lamppost base indicate the nearest street (for example, “60” for 60th Street), and the last two numbers designate whether you’re on the west or east side (odd numbers mean west; even numbers mean east).

Store Your Stuff

Need to store your things while you run? The New York Road Runners RUNCENTER, on 57th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, serves as a meeting place for the running community and offers lockers for runners. Fleet Feet NYC inside the Shops at Columbus Circle also provides lockers.

Leave No Trace

Animals are attracted to the sugars in energy gels and fuel packets. Please protect Central Park's wildlife and dispose of your fuel packets.

Pick Your Meetup Spot

If you’re running with friends, there are great places to meet up and stretch. We recommend the Great Hill, Arthur Ross Pinetum, Heckscher Ballfields, the bridle path at East 90th Street, and the green at the Davis Center. If you are meeting up with more than 20 runners, you will need a permit from NYC Parks.

Where to Run in Central Park

For Iconic Views

One of the most popular running destinations in the world is the Stephanie and Fred Shuman Reservoir Running Track, a 1.58-mile loop that offers some of the Park’s best views of the City. The track—a soft surface made of crushed gravel—spans almost the entire width of the Park, from 86th to 96th Streets. The Conservancy makes regular upgrades and repairs to the track’s surface to counter its heavy use, evidence of its consistent popularity. Note that this is a one-direction loop, going counterclockwise.

For Distance

Paved drives circle the entire Park and provide the longest routes. The longest loop in the Park totals 6.1 miles. Runners and walkers have a dedicated lane on the Drives, all the way to the left side.

For Soft Surfaces

Head to the bridle path, which stretches almost the entire length of the Park, including a 1.66-mile loop surrounding the Reservoir’s running track. Keep an eye out for leashed dogs and horses.

For Hill Work or Interval Training

The upper loop contains the steepest hills on the Drives. You'll have just enough time on the downhill to catch your breath before starting to climb again.

The Great Hill is a short gravel loop, perfect for fast-paced interval training, with an adjacent restroom.

For a Scenic Route

The bridle path is like a country road, with soft surfaces winding through many of the Park's enchanting interiors—including under a grove of flowering cherry trees in spring, alongside grotto-like rock faces, and through diverse landscapes across seasons.

Tips for Watching the TCS NYC Marathon

Roughly 60,000 runners complete the New York City Marathon each fall. Cheer on these runners—and the dozens of runners competing on behalf of Team Central Park—while watching from the Park.

Experience the excitement by watching from any of these areas: Fifth Avenue from 90th to 110th Streets; East Drive from 59th to 90th Streets; West Drive from 59th to 66th Streets; 59th Street from Fifth Avenue to Central Park West; and Columbus Circle. Large portions of the Park will be closed to all visitors on race day. Visit our alerts and closures page for more details.

Did You Know?

Central Park contains a little-known nod to Fred Lebow, creator of the New York City Marathon. Look for a bronze statue of Lebow staring at his stopwatch at Engineers’ Gate at Fifth Avenue and 90th Street (where runners enter the Park on race day). Because the statue is temporary, it must be moved at least once a year—appropriately, it is moved to the finish line of the marathon each race day.