Lexington's parks: the 8-mile Legacy Trail, 10-plus miles at Raven Run, Jacobson Park's lake and boats, eight dog parks and more. Parks: 859-288-2900.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Facts on this page come from Lexington Parks and Recreation. Parks office: 469 Parkway Drive, 859-288-2900, lexkyparks@lexingtonky.gov.

Lexington Parks and Recreation runs the city’s regional, community and neighborhood parks, four protected natural areas and a long list of walking and shared-use trails, all listed on its parks and natural areas page. Because the city and county are one government, the system covers all of Fayette County.

Who to call

  • Parks and Recreation office: 469 Parkway Drive, 859-288-2900, lexkyparks@lexingtonky.gov
  • Natural areas (Raven Run, McConnell Springs, Hisle Farm, Kelley’s Landing): 859-288-2927
  • Raven Run Nature Sanctuary: 3885 Raven Run Way, 859-272-6105
  • A broken swing or overflowing can: LexCall, 311 or 859-425-2255

The big parks

Jacobson Park, 4001 Athens-Boonesboro Road. Built around Lexington Reservoir No. 4, it has a marina with pedal boats and kayaks, a fishing dock, a spray ground, a dog park, disc golf, basketball and four volleyball courts, open playfields, seven shelters and restrooms. The city stops boat dock activity at the first lightning or thunder.

Masterson Station Park, on Leestown Road, has about 3 miles of trails, including a 2.6-mile grass perimeter path, an equestrian program with year-round riding lessons, a dog park and the historic Beatty Family Cemetery.

The city’s parks page also features Cardinal Run, Coldstream, Shillito and Veterans parks. Shillito Park has a 1.5-mile shared-use loop that connects to the Lafayette Trail, 2.5 miles in all. Veterans Park off Southpoint Drive has a 1.4-mile walking trail and 3.65 miles of mountain bike trail.

Natural areas

Four parks are managed as natural areas, with nature centers, hiking trails and guided programs:

  • Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, 3885 Raven Run Way: more than 10 miles of hiking trails and a 1-mile paved trail, with views over the Kentucky River palisades. No bikes or pets.
  • McConnell Springs Park, at the end of Rebmann Lane off Old Frankfort Pike: a 0.5-mile walking trail and 1.5 miles of unpaved path. No bikes or pets.
  • Hisle Farm Park, off Briar Hill Road: 3.5 miles of shared equestrian and hiking trail. No bikes.
  • Kelley’s Landing, 8949 Old Richmond Road, with grass trails and a monthly bird walk.

Raven Run hours, from the city:

Months Open daily
April 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
May through September 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
October 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
November through March 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Trails

The city’s trails page lists more than 50 trails and has a bike-friendly trails map. Shared-use trails are paved and 10 to 12 feet wide, for walking, running, biking and skating; on walking trails, bikes and skates must keep to a fast walking pace. The longest, from the city’s list:

Trail Length Where
Legacy Trail 8.0 miles YMCA on West Loudon Avenue to Iron Works Pike; parking across from the Horse Park Campground, at Coldstream Park and at the YMCA
Raven Run Nature Sanctuary 10+ miles Hiking trails; no bikes or pets
Hisle Farm Park 3.5 miles Equestrian and hiking; no bikes
Veterans Park mountain bike trail 3.65 miles Off Southpoint Drive
Masterson Station Park 3.0 miles Grass perimeter path and shared-use link
Shillito Park and Lafayette Trail 2.5 miles Shared-use loop and north-south trail
Arboretum Trail 2.0 miles Off Alumni Drive; no bikes
Town Branch Trail 1.9 miles Off Long Branch Lane across from Masterson Station Park
Brighton Rail Trail 1.84 miles Man o’ War Boulevard to Pleasant Ridge Park and Polo Club Boulevard

The state’s Newtown Pike widening is adding a Legacy Trail underpass near Citation Boulevard and a new trail link to Newtown Court; see road construction.

Dog parks

Lexington has five dog parks and two smaller dog lots, the city’s dog parks page says, at Cardinal Run Park North, Coldstream, Jacobson, Masterson Station, Phoenix Park, Pleasant Ridge, Veterans and Wellington parks. Two had partial closures posted: part of Masterson Station from April 16 and one paddock at Wellington from Feb. 17. Check the page before you go.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Legacy Trail? 8 miles, from the YMCA on West Loudon Avenue to Iron Works Pike.

When is Raven Run open? Daily; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in October and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. November through March.

Can I bring my dog to Raven Run? No; pets are not allowed at Raven Run or McConnell Springs.

More: farmers markets, things to do this month and fall festivals and pumpkin patches.