If you love breaking a sweat, Harrisonburg has a lot of great options. Although there are several fitness centers in our Friendly City, sometimes, you just need to work out without spending a dime.

Free Places to Get Fit in Harrisonburg

Get outside and breathe fresh air into your lungs with these hiking, biking, and walking trails in Harrisonburg:

• Purcell Park // 1.5 mile path around the park
• Hillandale Park // 1.3 mile path with exercise stations around the park
• Westover Park // plenty of space to walk or run in this 48 acre city park
• Ralph Sampson Park // natural surface path around the park
• Smithland Road Soccer Complex // natural surface path around the complex
• Riven Rock Park // a 27 acre city park located 15 miles outside of the city (yes, you read that right!) with natural surface trails
• Rocktown Trails // a trail system in Hillandale Park with three different levels difficulty for runners, walkers, and cyclists alike
• Bluestone Trail // a 1 mile shared use path from Port Republic Road to Purcell Park, and eventually to the new Ramblewood Athletic Complex
• Edith J. Carrier Arboretum // gorgeous and relaxing shared use trails run through and around JMU’s arboretum
• Happy Dogs Unleashed // for your four-legged pals, head to the Smithland Road Dog Park for lots of running and playing space
• Bike the Valley Biking Trails // on-and off-road cycling facilities in our area, plus a comprehensive list of scenic loop rides in each of our localities
• Bridgewater Arboretum // take a stroll on the level path around Bridgewater’s Cooks Creek Arboretum

There are several hiking trails near Harrisonburg due to close proximity to breathtaking sites like Shenandoah National Park and George Washington National Forest. You’ll likely enjoy the bonus of incredible views, too:

• Reddish Knob // a great spot for hiking and mountain biking on the border of Virginia and West Virginia
• Bearfence Mountain // an easy 1.2 mile hike in Shenandoah National Park
• South River Falls // a 5 mile hike in Shenandoah National Park that starts out easy and gets steeper as you go
• High Knob // a moderate 3 mile round trip hike in George Washington National Forest
• Humpback Rock // a 3 mile trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just south of I-64, with incredible sunrise/sunset views

Note: If you go to Shenandoah National Park, there is a $15 entry fee, but if you get the annual pass, it will pay for itself in just two visits.

If walking, running, or biking aren’t your thing, grab a buddy or six and try these free athletic facilities:

• Tennis Courts // play tennis with your closest friends at the Eastover Tennis Courts, Morrison Park, Purcell Park, or Ralph Sampson Park
• Basketball Courts // practice jump shots on your own, or play with your best pals on outdoor courts at Hillandale Park, Ralph Sampson Park, Morrison Park, or Kiwanis Park
• Sand Volleyball // enjoy a game of volleyball on the regulation-size sand court at Hillandale Park
• Skateboarding // a free skate park is open seasonally at Westover Park
• Disc Golf // play a free round of disc golf at Westover Park

Enjoy a workout with a group of other fitness enthusiasts at any of these free fitness-related events around Harrisonburg:

• Bike Month in the Valley // a slew of free bicycling events throughout the month of May
• Playfest // a free family fitness event hosted by On the Road Collaborative
• Schools Out for Summer Pool Party // take a dip in the Westover Park pool for free to kick off summer

What did we miss? Tell us in the comments!