Trail running is hitting a growth PR right now. Here are the best shoes for anyone looking to start, or up, their game

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Most of us know how quickly road running is growing in popularity, but trail running is taking off even faster. Road running has been growing by about half a percent annually, and trail running is climbing by about eight percent every year, according to the research firm Insight Accelerator. For any longtime trail runners, it’s not hard to understand the sport’s ascension: You get the highs of running and hiking, plus the technical challenge of navigating terrain on certain rugged trails.

At a Glance: the Best Trail Running Shoes

But trail running comes with its own challenges. Namely, rocks, roots, dirt, and everything else nature will throw at your feet. That means your footwear needs to be up to the task of protection, in addition to keeping you comfortable and supported over long miles.

Luckily, the continued rise in trail running’s popularity has led brands to put out some highly capable shoes purpose-built for the wilderness. If you’re thinking of getting into trail running, or you’re looking to improve your dirt day performance, read on. We’ve put together a full guide on the best trail running shoes to buy in 2026.

How We Tested Trail Running Shoes

When I started running over 15 years ago, I was exclusively logging miles on trails. Since then, I’ve worked trail runs into my routine as much as possible and owned several pairs of purpose-built shoes. For this article, I added to my existing experience by picking up over a dozen pairs of new, top-rated trail running shoes and testing them over the course of two months. After solo testing, I did a side-by-side comparison test of all of the shoes during a weekend in upstate New York.

While testing trail shoes, I primarily looked for comfort, stability, and traction, with style, weatherproofing, and weight as secondary considerations. Compared to roads or tracks, trails offer many more opportunities to roll ankles or slip, and most trail runners (like myself) are focusing more on miles than pace — especially on more technical trails.

Trail shoes have standard running shoe variables like cushion level, rocker, and drop height, but different shoes are also built for different kinds of terrain. Some are best on flat, packed trails (and roads leading to trail heads), some are ideal for more technical, gnarly terrain, and a select few are balanced to navigate all of it. For this reason, I used all shoes on several surfaces, including pavement, packed dirt trails, gravel, and more rugged paths.

After finding my favorites, I combed through other expert reviews to see which trail running shoes they ranked as best and compared my notes. I also used AI to summarize thousands of online user reviews for each shoe — primarily around durability, since I wasn’t able to log the usual 300-plus miles on all of the shoes I tested.

After all of this, I put together the list of the best trail running shoes you’ll find below.

Shout-out to Audi for hooking me up with a new SQ7 to access the best trails in upstate New York. It was big enough for five adults and luggage (including all those shoes) and plush on the highway. But once we reached the winding back roads outside the city, the large car turned into a shockingly fun carver. Even loaded up with people and gear, the beefy twin-turbo V8 felt like a rocket.

The Best Trail Running Shoes of 2026

I’ve owned a couple pairs of Brooks Cascadias over the years, and haven’t found a trail shoe I like better. The two main reasons I love the Cascadia are balance and approachability. Like the majority of trail runners, I’m not competing in ultramarathons, so I don’t want something overly technical. I’m also a big fan of the level of cushioning offered by the Cascadia: It’s supportive and comfortable, even on long runs, but you can still feel the terrain underfoot. This not only helps performance, but also makes me feel more secure navigating wonky trails. The shoe’s balance also makes it feel totally usable on pavement, which comes in handy when running to the trailhead.

These Saucony Peregrine 16 GTXs are a close second to the Cascadia 19, but they’re even better if most of your runs are especially wet or muddy. This comes thanks to a breathable GORE-TEX upper (if you don’t want the added weight of the GORE-TEX, the normal Peregrine 16 is excellent as well).

Despite its all-weather capabilities and ultra-rugged Vibram outsole, the shoe feels light and flexible. They deliver a very locked-in, nimble feel, but the recently upgraded midsole foam balances things out for comfort over long miles. Just like the pair above, the amount of cushioning you get with the Peregrine is right on the mark, offering trail feel and shock absorption in equal measure for long miles, technical terrain, or runs that involve both.

The North Face’s Altamesa 500 was a hit when it landed in 2023, and they just made the already great shoe even better with this V2 follow-up. They’re designed for pavement and smoother trails, and a plush foam midsole ensures you stay comfy on both of those surfaces. Although the foam is thick, I was shocked by how grounded and stable the shoes were, and the ample rocker creates a smooth, rolling feel that I was a big fan of. They’re not ideal for more technical trails, but the 4mm lugs were perfect for one dry dirt trail I hit that might cause other shoes to slip.

Most trail shoes can handle the elements better than their road-faring siblings, but Nike’s Pegasus Trail 5 GORE-TEX runners are on another level (similar to the Sauconys above). The GORE-TEX means you get true waterproofing through rain and puddles. On roads or flat dirt paths, it’s almost as good as a standard running shoe — largely thanks to Nike’s excellent ReactX midsole foam, which delivers a lively, springy feel and ample cushion for short-to-mid-length jaunts. However, as comfy and springy as this midsole is, it won’t handle rough terrain as well as some other shoes on this list.

These Salomon Ultra Glide 4s are my recommendation for longer distances. The max-cushion shoe, which uses Salmon’s optiFOAM and relieveSPHERE pressure distribution system, left me feeling fresh after double-digit miles. Despite the padding, the shoes still feel capable thanks to the type of rugged traction you’d expect from Salomon. I was also a big fan of the upper, which felt breathable and comfortable but still handled almost full-submersion in a mud puddle.

When it’s time to put up a PR on the trail, I would trust the North Face’s Summit Series VECTIV Pro 3 to help me do it. Everything about the shoe is aggressive: It features a carbon plate, plenty of rocker, a super-wide outsole, and a reinforced upper that locks your foot in place. All of this combines for a shoe that you can confidently throw at any trail — no matter how gnarly or how long. I also love how this shoe looks in person, which is of course secondary to performance, but style points matter.

Barefoot running shoes are a great way to strengthen more muscles, work on stride and posture, and improve balance. All those benefits are also possible for trail runners with the right barefoot trail running shoes, like these Primus Trail Knit FGs from Vivobarefoot. They’re slightly firmer than a regular barefoot shoe and feature grippy tread, but they still feel planted, flexible, and, well, barefoot. I also wore these in the gym for a few days, and they were better for squats and deadlifts than most sneakers — and certainly better than any running shoe.