The Complete Guide to the Prospect Park Loop

Park Drive is 3.36 miles, according to the Prospect Park Alliance, and closed to cars. Here is how I run it.

Where to start

Most people start at Grand Army Plaza because it's close to the 2/3 train and easy to find. Other good entry points are Bartel-Pritchard Square on the southwest side near the F/G at 15th Street, and the Parkside and Ocean Avenue entrance by the Q train. Pick the one closest to you and you'll be fine.

The hill

The loop is not flat. Go easy on the climbs and let the downhills do the work.

Lanes and etiquette

The drive has marked lanes. Run counterclockwise, and look before you cross the bike lane. Cyclists move fast here, especially on weekend mornings.

When it's quiet and when it's packed

Weekday mornings before 7 am are quieter. Saturday mornings are the busiest, with group runs and races. For a clear shot at a workout, go early.

Water and bathrooms

Carry water, especially in winter.

Workouts that fit the loop

• Tempo run: two laps at a comfortably hard effort after a one mile warm up.
• Hill repeats: 6 to 8 times up the climb, jog back down.
• Long run: three or four laps, then add a trip out to Brooklyn Bridge Park if you need more.