Great Runs in Jamaica
Note: For the Full Guide to Running in Jamaica, see the GR Website
The Caribbean country of Jamaica is the third largest island in the Greater Antilles, next to its neighbors Cuba and Hispaniola. After a tumultuous history of Spanish and English rule, Jamaica won its independence in 1962. This wonderfully diverse country boasts a rich culture of reggae music, delectable foods, and world class athletes, including Olympic champion runner Usain Bolt (run the track he trained at the University of the West Indies). It’s no wonder that Jamaica’s white sand beaches, tropical forests, and vibrant people attract record numbers of tourists each year. For any of those travelers who run, there is great running in Jamaica’s resort strips, beaches, parks, and trails.
The Hip Strip: Run the commercial/resort area along Gloucester Ave, a 2.6 km sidewalk past restaurants, galleries, and shops of Montego Bay.
The Elegant Corridor: Coastal area east of the airport home to numerous resorts and golf courses. There’s decent running on the lit sidewalk along the main A1 road for nearly 8 km, from Ironshore to near the Rose Hall Great House.
One Love Trail: In Ocho Rios, a paved seaside walkway with great views, stretching 4.9 km from the cruise ship pier to Dunn’s River Falls. A great 10k out and back and one of the prettiest runs on the island.
Seven Mile Beach: The best bet for a long beach run in Jamaica. Though the sand is soft and sugary, many runners use the beach to log distance. An alternative is the lane along Norman Manley Boulevard.
Mona Reservoir Dam: The “Holy Grail” of running in Kingston. A hard dirt path 2.6 km loops around the reservoir, with views of Kingston city and the Blue Mountains as a backdrop.
Emancipation Park: This beautiful park in downtown Kingston has a designated 500 meter paved jogging track lined with lawns, trees, and gardens.
Great Bay & Big Groun’: Run segments of the famous Jake’s Off-Road Triathlon in Jamaica’s pastoral south coast town of Treasure Beach. Options include a 7.5 km out and back to Great Bay, or an 11 km loop.
Palisadoes Road: A stone-paved walkway along the spit of land between the Harbour View neighborhood and Port Royal makes for a nice run, with great views of Bull Bay and Kingston Harbour.
National Heroes Circle: A small park in Kingston, the National Heroes Circle is a good place to run laps while learning about the country’s history and culture.
Mountain Spring Drive: A good spot for some hill training, Kingston’s Mountain Spring Drive is a dead-end road with little traffic and great views. A rise of 191m with grades up to 18%!
Jamaica Trail Running: Our guide to the best non-technical trail running spots in Jamaica, including the Mount Zion Trail, Oatley Mountain and Holywell Park, and Catherine’s Peak.
For the full running guide to Jamaica, see greatruns.com.
