New York Central Park Clockwise Loop Run and a Mid City Gym Day Pass
Updated October 3, 2026
Run up Eighth Avenue to Columbus Circle, circle the whole of Central Park clockwise past the Reservoir and over Harlem Hill, then shower at Mid City Gym in Hell's Kitchen.
Central Park's full loop is the run New Yorkers measure themselves against: about six miles of car-free drive past the Upper West Side, the wooded north end, the Reservoir and Museum Mile. You start and finish at Mid City Gym on West 42nd Street, which builds the stretch up Eighth Avenue to Columbus Circle into the workout. A small rental fee buys a locker big enough for a backpack. Ask whether one paid entry covers leaving for the loop and returning to shower, since policies vary. As of October 2026, Bounce holds bigger bags in Manhattan from $2.90 a day.
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The run: Central Park full loop clockwise from Columbus Circle
It is the city's classic loop, with real hills at the north end, long leafy straights and part of the marathon course underfoot.
- Distance
- 14.4 km (8.9 mi)
- Start
- Columbus Circle
Leave the gym and run north up Eighth Avenue to Columbus Circle, then enter the park at Merchants' Gate. Go north on West Drive along the Upper West Side edge of the park and climb over Harlem Hill. Cross the top of the park near Harlem Meer, then come south on East Drive past the Reservoir and the Met. Swing west across the bottom of the park by Grand Army Plaza and the Central Park South corner back to Columbus Circle, and jog back down Eighth Avenue. Running clockwise puts you against the flow of bikes, so stay in the lane marked for runners and walkers all the way around.
Open the route mapOpen since 1962, it's one of the oldest independently owned gyms in New York, a free weights and machines institution where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno have trained. There are showers in the locker rooms, and towels and lockers cost extra.
- Price
- As of October 2026, $39 for one visit
- Showers
- Yes
- Hours
- Mon to Fri 6 am to 10 pm, Sat and Sun 8 am to 8 pm
9 min by transit from the run start to the gym
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