youranut

i have just started running. i have tried several times in the past but always failed to keep it up. running around the subdivision just gets old. i have come up with a plan to make my goal more fun and need some suggestions. i have decided to switch it up a bit and travel to interesting places to run. last weekend i went to a state park and ran a trail. much better than the asphalt grid. i want to make this a regular thing and run different trails. i would like to travel to a state or national park (or something similar) once a month on a weekend. my requirements are that the spot has campgrounds with showers, and i would prefer that the trails connect to the campground. it would also be great if the trails took me to a fishing spot. i have a collapsible fishing pole that fits in the hydration pack back pocket and i am itching to use it. i have been searching the web and found a few possibilities, but the public lands websites provide little information. my search area is eastern Kansas, eastern Oklahoma, southern Iowa, Illinois, Arkansas, western Tennessee, western Kentucky, and northern Mississippi. does anybody know of some good trails that meet my criteria?


i have considered some weekend trips to run in new cities but camping is much cheaper than hotels since i already have all the gear. but if you know of a great town with great places to run please mention it. i will probably lean this direction in the winter since flights will be cheaper and it will be poor weather for camping.

i know its a tall order but feel free to offer some alternative ideas. im just sick of running the same circle all the time and looking for an excuse to travel to some spots i have never been.

thanks

annerj

If you were on this side of the country I could give you dozens of spots.

youranut

where are they? i am serious about taking flights this winter to run new places. or even during the summer if i run across cheap airfare.

SkiAdcock

National parks can be a good place to run, but fishing isn't allowed. I don't think state parks have that restriction.

Cheers.

youranut

if that's true then i'm a criminal. there may be some national parks that don't allow fishing but i am sure that isn't true for all national parks.

VickiSoCal

There are lots of National Parks that do catch and release.

PBIGuy

Have you checked the park/trails where this group puts on races?

http://www.psychowyco.com/id7.html

I've also done the Frisco 50K which is a rail trail just outside of Springfield, MO - not technical, but scenic.