Home › Surfaces
Running tracks by surface
The surface under your feet matters more than most runners expect — it changes how fast you run, how your legs feel afterward, and whether the track is even usable in the rain. A springy rubber all-weather oval runs faster and easier than the same distance on dirt, grass, or asphalt. Here's how each surface runs, and the top-rated tracks of each type. We pull the surface from each venue's own description, its website, and runner reviews wherever it's stated — 888 tracks in the directory have a confirmed surface so far.
Grass / turf tracks — 446 in the directory
The gentlest surface you can run laps on — soft, low-impact, and quiet, a favorite for recovery runs, barefoot strides, and anyone managing shin or joint stress. Cross-country runners use grass loops to build strength without the pounding of pavement. But grass is uneven (footing takes attention), it's slower than a hard surface, and it gets slick and heavy when wet. Treat it as a strength-and-recovery surface, not a place to chase a fast time.
Jackson Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 7,622 reviews
540-plus-acre city park featuring a beach, gardens & indoor/outdoor fitness facilities.
Warinanco Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 7,371 reviews
Expansive park offering an ice-skating rink & lake activities plus multiple playing fields & trails.
McCarren Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 6,255 reviews
Public park with playgrounds, sports fields & courts, plus an Olympic-sized pool & a running track.
John V. Lindsay East River Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 4,326 reviews
46-acre riverside park with bike paths, an amphitheater & playgrounds, plus sports courts & fields.
Glasgow Regional Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,871 reviews
County park with woodland trails, tennis & basketball courts, a skate park & a farmer's market.
Carpenter Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,445 reviews
Park featuring an amphitheater, a carousel, a boat house, a playground, a skate park & sports.
Rubber / all-weather tracks — 292 in the directory
The modern polyurethane track — the fast, springy surface you find on most resurfaced high-school, college, and stadium ovals. It returns a little energy on every stride, cushions your joints through long interval sessions, and drains so it stays grippy in the rain when a dirt oval would be a puddle. If you're running timed repeats or want an honest measured mile, this is what you want under you. The only catch: some venues restrict metal spikes to protect the surface.
Weequahic Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 4,114 reviews
Green space with a large lake, golf course, running track, trails & athletic fields.
Brookdale Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,241 reviews
Park offering soccer, baseball, tennis, and archery, plus a playground, and picnic facilities.
The Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,924 reviews
Large race track hosting several events for all ages including high school meets.
Livingston Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,878 reviews
Park with a running track, baseball diamond, playground, swimming pool & boardwalk around a pond.
Southwest Williamson County Regional Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,459 reviews
Areas for soccer, basketball, softball, football, track & tennis, plus a miniature train & a trail.
Rancho Cienega Recreation Center
4.3 ★★★★☆ 1,400 reviews
Sports center with a gymnasium, pool & adjacent stadium plus a kids' play area & community room.
Dirt / cinder tracks — 97 in the directory
The old-school oval — soft, quiet, and easy on the legs, which makes it genuinely nice for easy days and recovery miles. Many are older tracks that predate the rubber-resurfacing era. The trade-offs are real: dirt and cinder absorb some of every push-off (so you'll run slower here — don't judge your fitness by the clock), and they don't handle rain, turning soft, rutted, and puddled after a storm. Best on dry days for relaxed running rather than sharp speed work.
Thomas Jefferson Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 2,710 reviews
City-owned space for indoor & outdoor recreation, with a track, sports facilities & an outdoor pool.
Betsy Head Park
4.1 ★★★★☆ 1,674 reviews
Park & recreation center with a pool, baseball & football fields, volleyball courts & running track.
Central Recreation Center
4.4 ★★★★☆ 858 reviews
Large center for recreation with an indoor pool, plus a gym and a track.
Mark McGrath Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 617 reviews
Park featuring exercise equipment, a playground, a baseball field, a splash pad, a lake, and a garden, along with walking, running and fishing trails.
Ken Mercer Sports Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 581 reviews
Community park offering various athletic fields, skate parks, a running track & roller hockey rink.
Paved / asphalt tracks — 53 in the directory
A paved or asphalt oval is the simplest kind — hard, durable, and basically always usable, rain or shine, with no soft patches to slow you down. The downside is the pounding: asphalt is unforgiving on the legs and joints over big mileage, and it bakes hot in summer sun. It's a fine everyday surface for shorter runs and a reliable fallback when the rubber track is locked, but for heavy interval work most runners prefer a springier surface if they can find one.
Battle Creek Regional Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,404 reviews
Busy park offering a summer aquatic center, pavilion, playground, off-leash dog area & paved trails.
Bay Creek Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,282 reviews
154-acre park with ball fields & a playground, plus a lighted skate complex, track & tennis courts
Gary Pirkle Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,166 reviews
This 67-acre park features a creek, a covered playground, paved trails, multipurpose fields & more.
Vago Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 998 reviews
Set on 20 acres, this city park features playgrounds, picnic tables, a volleyball court & a track.
Veterans Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 894 reviews
Well-maintained park with a tank, a track and a playground for kids.
Buffaloe Road Athletic Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 847 reviews
Aquatic center, 6 sports fields, a running track & playground with links to a river greenway trail.
Find a track by surface on the map
Use the feature dropdown on the map to show only rubber, dirt, or grass tracks, or the locate button to jump to the ones near you.
Want the fast surface? Look for a rubber all-weather track. Not sure what "all-weather" means or how the surfaces compare? Our how to read a track guide breaks it down.