Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – June 17, 2024 – According to Reddit user u/ConsequenceOk4257, “I am an avid walker. Although, I get sick of walking up and down the street I live on. My house is across town from Craighead Forrest. I have also walked the trails of Craighead already around 15 times this month. Is there anywhere else to walk, hike, run, or bike in Jonesboro? Maybe some hidden public trails. Not looking to travel outside of Jonesboro just sick of walking the same trail over and over.”
There are several trails across NEA that offer a multitude of amenities based on wants and needs. Looking for something smooth and stroller friendly? We’ve got that! Want something a little more natural and ambitious? We’ve got that, too!
You can find short, paved trails at most of the 21 Jonesboro City Parks. Many of these parks have playground equipment or ball courts with short walking tracks around them so your children can play while you walk!
Each of the 5 Community Centers also have gyms and walking tracks either indoors or outdoors that accommodate all types of walking or biking activities.
One of Jonesboro’s favorites, Craighead Forest Park offers a 3.1-mile paved trail as well as a 2.4-mile chat trail around the water’s edge. Craighead Forest also has over 13 miles of unpaved trails through the woods that are aimed at mountain bikers, but can be walked as long as you watch out for cyclists!
Joe Mack Campbell Park also has a paved walking trail that can be used as either a 1.1-mile loop or a 1.5-mile loop.
The Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center boasts a .3-mile paved trail, and over 3 miles of unpaved trails.
Central Baptist Church recently finished a 1-mile paved public trail that is partially shaded and surrounds a disc golf course, so there’s always something to look at!
Arkansas State University also has several miles of paved sidewalks. With school being out for the summer, many parking spaces don’t require parking passes, and the campus is mostly vacant. It’s a beautiful place to take your furry friends, children, or even a stroller or wagon.
The Jonesboro Greenway Trail (once completely finished) will boast a 29-mile, 12 ft. wide multi-use trail that will wind around Jonesboro connecting major destinations including multiple parks, ASU, and Downtown. The vision for the completed project is that it will be a linear park that provides a safe place for recreation as well as transportation for all of Jonesboro. The City has been working on building and improving the Greenway Trail for over a decade, with much of it finished already and available for public use.
According to the Quality of Life and Connectivity Master Plan implemented in 2018, there are plans to build a large bike/pedestrian network consisting of dedicated bike/ped lanes, advisory shoulders, sidewalks, and sharrows to create over 45 miles of bikeable and walkable trails in and around Jonesboro. Much of this plan has already been implemented, with the Turtle Creek Track and the Downtown Hub nearly complete.
Reddit’s u/Famous-Perspective-3 even suggests walking around Walmart as a walking track. When the weather leaves much to be desired, why not patronize one of our local stores as a way to get some laps in and shop local at the same time?
Though every street in town isn’t lined with sidewalks, there are dozens of dedicated places to stroll in and around Jonesboro. Though Craighead Forest is often everyone’s first thought when it comes to taking a walk, there are lots of other great options that are free and open to the public year-round.
Let’s take a walk!