Take a Run in Prospect Park

Prospect Park is an amazing destination for runners and walkers, right in Brooklyn’s Backyard. 

Prospect Park features a 3.36-mile running lane along the Park Drive, which went car-free in 2018. The park’s 585 acres feature miles of trails and pathways that transverse hills, meadows and even picturesque waterways, maintained by Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that provides critical staff and resources that keep the park green and vibrant. This varied landscape is the perfect place to test your mettle and push yourself in your next run.

“Prospect Park is a great change from the crowded Central Park,” says Steve Mura, manager of runner training & education at New York Road Runners and also an NYRR Group Training coach in Prospect Park. “The 3.36-mile Park Drive loop offers a change of terrain as well as scenery,” says Mura, “and you can further change it up by cutting through Center Drive or Wells House Drive.”

Want to train on a trail less traveled? “There are some great trails in the park that will loop you around the inner area,” says Mura. “Get lost trying to find some historical area of the park, like Lookout Hill, the highest point in the park, with great views of Brooklyn—you might even be able to see Coney Island; Harry’s Wall, which honors Prospect Park Track Club co-founder Harry Murphy; and Cleft Ridge Span, a decorative concrete arch that dates back to 1872.”

Ready to push yourself? “That Battle Pass hill is a challenge! Run by effort,” advises Mura. “Your pace will slow down, but that effort level should stay the same. On the downhill, watch your effort. You want to stay controlled down the hill and stay in your rhythm.” 

Ready to get out in the park? Take a look at Prospect Park Alliance’s downloadable running map with mileage and distances in Prospect Park, then check out NYRR’s 3-mile Prospect Park running route, which passes 10 different points of interest in the park. For everything else, head to prospectpark.org/running.