I'm too slow.
Trail pace is whatever gets you up the hill. Walking the steep parts is normal, and experienced runners do it too. Nobody is timing you.
Austin, TX · Made for first-timers
You belong on the trail.
Curious about trail running but worried about the hills, your pace, or getting lost? Everyone starts exactly where you are. We help you take the first step, unhurried.
Sound familiar?
Every first-timer hears the same voices.
Here is what they say, and what we tell them back.
I'm not fit enough.
If you can run or run-walk about 3 miles on a road, you are ready. The clinics and the 4-week plan build from exactly there.
I'll get lost.
You will be with a guide on beginner routes we know well. The trail guides tell you where to park, where to turn and what your first run looks like.
What if I fall?
Everybody trips now and then. We teach quick feet and eyes-ahead footing first, and stay on gentle ground until you feel steady.
Everyone else will be experienced.
Every clinic is for beginners, in groups of 8 to 12. You will be surrounded by people just as new as you are.
Austin summers are brutal.
They can be. Summer clinics start early, we carry water, and we reschedule or refund for extreme heat or lightning.
Nerves at the trailhead are normal. Bring them along.
The First Trail Plan
Four weeks from pavement to your first trail.
Three easy runs a week, one trail skill at a time, and an Austin trail picked for each week. There are no pace goals, and walking is part of the plan.
Week 1: Get off the pavement
Run on soft surfaces and get used to uneven ground. No pressure on pace.
Week 2: Time, not distance
Switch to running by time. Trails are slower. That's normal and good.
Week 3: Rocks, roots and creeks
Build confidence on technical ground at a safe, easy effort.
Week 4: Your first trail “long run”
Put it together: a longer, relaxed trail run you enjoy.
Get the plan, $19Instant access. Included free with any clinic.
Ways to begin
Pick the first step that feels right.
Go at your own pace, bring a guide, or bring your friends. The same waiver covers all three.
On your own
$19
First Trail Plan
4 weeks, 12 runs, trail skills and an Austin trail picked for each week. Start today, on your own schedule.
Get the planWith a guideMost booked
$45per clinic
First Trail Clinic
Two hours in a small group: gear, footing, etiquette and a coached 3 to 5 mile run-walk. The Plan comes free with it.
See clinic datesWith your crew
$400up to 10 people
Private group outing
Your date, a route sized to your group. Built for teams, birthdays and running buddies.
Plan an outingFree guides
Where beginners should run first in North Austin.
Honest, beginner-first guides from Cedar Park to Georgetown: surface, shade, parking, water and your first run on each.
Cedar Park / Round RockEasiest
Brushy Creek Regional Trail
A long, friendly corridor linking a chain of parks between Cedar Park and Round Rock. The western stretch is mostly crushed stone, so it is a gentle bridge from road running with easy parking and restrooms nearby.
Read the guide →Cedar ParkEasiest
Lake Creek Trail at Brushy Creek Lake Park
A smooth dirt loop that branches off the Brushy Creek Regional Trail and runs right up next to the water. It is popular, gentle and easy to bail out of, which makes it a great first dirt trail.
Read the guide →North AustinModerate
Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
A large network of looping dirt trails in North Austin, shared with mountain bikers. Great for practicing turns, short climbs and trail awareness.
Read the guide →Northwest AustinModerate
Bull Creek Greenbelt
A creekside natural-surface trail through Hill Country woods. It has rocks, roots and creek crossings, and it feels wonderfully wild for being inside the city. A great next step after your first few dirt trails.
Read the guide →GeorgetownEasiest
Berry Springs Park & Preserve
A Williamson County park and preserve near Georgetown with several short loop trails through prairie, creekside woods and a century-old pecan grove. It is quiet, easy to navigate and good for a relaxed first outing.
Read the guide →GeorgetownHarder
Lake Georgetown (Good Water Trail)
The Good Water Trail circles Lake Georgetown through oak and juniper woods, bottomland and prairie. It is rocky and rooty in places, so treat a short section as a goal for after your first few weeks on dirt.
Read the guide →Every trail runner you admire once stood at a trailhead wondering if they belonged.
You belong there too. Your first trail is closer than you think.
Part of something bigger
The step before the trail clubs.
Austin's trail community is strong. Clubs like Austin Dirt Runners, Trail Roots and Happy Treading welcome runners of all paces. We're the structured first taste, so you show up to their runs confident, not anxious.
Get the beginner guides by email
Plus clinic dates as soon as they open. A few emails a month, tops.
Questions, answered.
I've never run on a trail. Is this really for beginners?
Yes. If you can run (or run-walk) about 3 miles on a road, you're ready. Clinics are small, the pace is conversational, and walking the hills is encouraged.
Do I need trail shoes?
Not for your first clinic. Road shoes with decent tread are fine. We'll help you decide if trail shoes are worth it for you.
What about heat and weather?
Summer clinics start early in the morning. We reschedule or refund for lightning, flooding, trail closures or extreme heat.
Is this a running club?
No. It's an on-ramp. Austin has great trail clubs; we help beginners get confident enough to join them.
Do I have to sign a waiver?
Yes, every participant accepts a liability waiver online before checkout. It takes a minute.