Running in Memorial Area (Allen, Taylor: cul-de-sac, homes, neighborhoods)

[NYCtoHOS]

Hello! Does anyone know if there are any running trails or consistent sidewalk paths in the Memorial Villages area? For those that do run, do you have to drive to a park or have a path near your home that you like to take? We are looking at homes in the area. Thank you!

[hendersj31]

Depends on where you are. There aren't really any running trails but there are sections with good sidewalk continuity. An example is near Bunker Hill and Taylorcrest. There is a wide sidewalk on Taylorcrest and if you go west to Strey the Sidewalk continues all the way down to Memorial drive. You could then head east back to Bunker Hill and use the sidewalk there to head north to Taylorcrest. Its really just a rectangle.
I walk and run here frequently. There should be pretty good continuity on Blalock and Piney Point as well.
Surely there are other areas like this and I know there are areas void of sidewalks altogether.

Get out and give it a look by car. If nothing else its a great neighborhood to take a drive through.

[gwarnecke]

I'm moving to the Memorial Villages area from the Energy Corridor. I'm definitely going to miss Terry Hershey Park - there's nothing like it in the Villages.

My impression is that most streets in The Villages have wide sidewalks well-separated from the road, or so little traffic that running in the street is safe. Unfortunately, a lot of these quieter streets are cul-de-sacs that don't connect anywhere except to one major street.

FWIW, the CityCenter running club runs a couple of routes through the neighborhoods just west of the Villages (Frostwood and Fonn Villas). They're pleasant for running, with well-maintained sidewalks and little traffic.

[hendersj31]

Exactly. Which is how I found the route posted.

Originally Posted by gwarnecke

I'm moving to the Memorial Villages area from the Energy Corridor. I'm definitely going to miss Terry Hershey Park - there's nothing like it in the Villages.

My impression is that most streets in The Villages have wide sidewalks well-separated from the road, or so little traffic that running in the street is safe. Unfortunately, a lot of these quieter streets are cul-de-sacs that don't connect anywhere except to one major street.

FWIW, the CityCenter running club runs a couple of routes through the neighborhoods just west of the Villages (Frostwood and Fonn Villas). They're pleasant for running, with well-maintained sidewalks and little traffic.

[mingna]

I usually drove to Memorial Park for running since it’s only about 10 minutes away, and I found the dirt/gravel trails easier on the knees than the concrete sidewalks.

They have multiple dirt/gravel based running trails: 1)Seymour Lieberman, 2) Cullen Running Center trail 3) the trail across North Picnic Lane parallel to the Lieberman, 4) and multiple wooded dirt trails of the Hike and Bike system- this gives you some elevation but you will share with mountain bikers and hikers, so best done off-peak times. 5)They also recently opened a 3(?) lane synthetic running/race track across from the Lieberman trail.

Lastly, you can run along the S.Picnic Lane loop popular with road bikers.

[Curious in Houston]

Originally Posted by mingna

I usually drove to Memorial Park for running since it’s only about 10 minutes away, and I found the dirt/gravel trails easier on the knees than the concrete sidewalks.

They have multiple dirt/gravel based running trails: 1)Seymour Lieberman, 2) Cullen Running Center trail 3) the trail across North Picnic Lane parallel to the Lieberman, 4) and multiple wooded dirt trails of the Hike and Bike system- this gives you some elevation but you will share with mountain bikers and hikers, so best done off-peak times. 5)They also recently opened a 3(?) lane synthetic running/race track across from the Lieberman trail.

Lastly, you can run along the S.Picnic Lane loop popular with road bikers.

+1 and I'll add that there is access to Allen Parkway trails for your longer run days if you could put up with the half mile along Memorial (by Starbucks). Lots of running groups also meet there. You can also access the White Oak trails and weave your way through to the heights. It's not all the same trail, but safe easy and mostly well lit at dawn and dusk.

[gwarnecke]

Originally Posted by gwarnecke

My impression is that most streets in The Villages have wide sidewalks well-separated from the road, or so little traffic that running in the street is safe. Unfortunately, a lot of these quieter streets are cul-de-sacs that don't connect anywhere except to one major street.

Thought I'd update now that I've lived here awhile. There are actually a number of hidden sidewalks/foot paths that connect dead-end streets and cul-de-sacs in the south-of-I10 villages. Once you've found them, it's easy to plot ~2 to 6-mile loops that minimize your time along busy streets and take you past some magnificent estates. I don't miss Terry Hershey Park, and I rarely feel compelled to drive to Memorial Park to run its loop.