40 Ideas for Creating the Perfect Pathway in Your Yard

Whether you're looking for a new design for your front entry, a solution for your side yard or you're just wanting to add stepping stones in your garden, check out these great ideas for walkways and pathways.

By: Jacquelyn McGilvray

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Keeping It Natural

A pathway and stairs made up of large unhoned stones help create a natural, forest-like setting in this front yard.

Side Yard Pathway

An intricate flagstone path connects the front yard to the back with a line of Italian cypress trees. The staggered stonework pattern keeps the pathway from feeling too narrow.

Soft Gaps

Irish moss fills the voids between these gorgeous flagstone pavers while a long bed of alyssum twists along the walk.

Cobblestone Diamonds

Cobblestones laid in a lattice pattern are filled with gravel to make this lovely beachside pathway.

Fallen Leaves

These leafy stepping stones are perfect for any season.

A Line of Diagonals

Pavers set on the diagonal draw the eye straight toward the home's entrance. Dwarf mondo grass planted between the pavers emphasizes the diamond pattern and gives the path extra dimension.

Subtle Curves

Bluestone steppers lying atop a bed of stone dust make up this gently winding garden pathway. Plantings soften the path while the curves spark curiosity about what lies around the corner.

Wood Walkway

This stunning walkway is jarrah timber — a type of eucalyptus — laid over a bed of natural river stones.

Matching Keeps It Formal

A cemented flagstone pathway with a matching retaining wall gives this colorful garden a sense of formality and elegance. The path is shaded by a set of arbors covered in clematis and jasmine and surrounded by hydrangeas, hostas and ferns.

Slate With Cobblestone Border

Cobblestones surround the arched door on this stately Tudor home, so it makes sense to continue the cobblestones on the stair risers and to outline the slate-tile walkway.

From: Nilsen Landscape Design

Basic Squares Done Right

If your budget won't allow for high-end stone materials, builder-grade pavers can look lovely when laid in a staggered pattern and intertwined with lush Irish moss, lavender and other soft-textured plantings.

Concrete and Crushed Oyster Shells

Most often the most reasonably priced hardscape material is what is produced locally whether it's man-made or natural. This coastal Carolina home uses locally harvested crushed oyster shells to line the pathway to the fire pit.

From: Tiffany Brooks

Bluestone and Brick Diamonds

Because the space that encloses this path is a slim four feet across, Pennsylvania bluestone-and-brick steppers turned on the diagonal make it appear larger. The placement also provides more room to tuck in plantings.

Checkerboard

Boxwood shrubs flank square brick stepping stones placed in a checkerboard pattern along this side lawn. The composition creates an engaging mix of formality and playfulness.

Non-Conformist Stamped Concrete

A walkway doesn’t have to be perfectly symmetrical or composed of straight lines to draw your eye to the front door. Varying the size of the bricks and employing subtle curves in the design make it more visually interesting.

Criss-Cross Walkway

Dissecting pavers create a pathway to both the patio and loggia of this Spanish-style home.

Curve Ahead

A direct path isn't always the best route. On this lush lawn, granite stepping stones take a wide turn towards the gate to make the journey last just a little bit longer.

Cottage Curb Appeal

This brick walkway cleverly morphs into a retaining wall as the driveway descends to the side yard. Tying architectural elements together like this can give a home a purposeful, cohesive look.

From: HGTV Magazine

Stone and Gravel Combo

A traditional gravel path is dissected with a random pattern of stepping stones that provide a landing spot to stop and look around. Stone edging keeps the gravel in line.

Slate Steppers

Slate pavers create an informal path within a well-manicured lawn. The use of large pavers lends a clean and uncluttered look versus using smaller stepping stones.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Frequently used paths should be made of a strong material that can stand up to heavy foot traffic. In this unique garden, curved concrete surfaces provide a durable and attractive trail to a quiet seating area.

Mediterranean Vibe

This elegant yard incorporates a variety of materials to guide pedestrians around the grounds. A flagstone pathway shaded by a grape arbor leads to an open courtyard comprised of crushed stone and limestone slabs.

Stacked Steps

Sandstone pavers are stacked to create a gradually ascending staircase leading up to the yard's highest point.

Southwest Style

Decomposed granite (essentially, granite worn down into particles) is compacted into a soft-underfoot pathway. Small boulders along the edge enhance the desert-like feel.

Red Brick All Around

In a small yard, a mix of too many hardscape materials can look haphazard like it was thrown together without thought. This front-yard entry went all brick for a tidy look with a classic style.

From: HGTV Magazine

Yucca Lined Walkway

The staggered placement of these rectangle pavers gradually guides the pedestrian through the curve and onto the patio. Using pavers that match the home's siding helps emphasize the architecture's modern aesthetic.

Repurposed Bricks

Antique bricks were cemented together to create terra cotta pavers in a classic herringbone pattern.

A Touch of Terra Cotta

French limestone and concrete combine for a stepped path that ties together the public and private sides of the home. Groundcover plantings around and between the stones soften up the solid surfaces.

Broken Beauty

An irregular bluestone path provides a transition between the front and the backyard. Creeping thyme and flowering plants help fill the gaps between the stones while giving off an appealing scent.

Built-In Rest Stop

Oversized steppingstones function like a stairway as this path ascends along the sloped garden. A custom stone bench provides a spot to perch and take in the plantings and wildlife.

Bluestone Landings

An inviting pathway that leads down into a lush garden is composed of bluestone with crushed rock zones in between in this elegant but simple design by Modern Backyard.

Small Wonder

A short but striking path leads to a water feature in the center of this garden. The modern, minimalist pavers contrast with the traditional style of the plantings.

Parterre Style

Intricate gravel paths edged in brick wind through this garden, which evokes classic parterre designs. Fragrant flowers, herbs and vegetables provide moments of discovery along the way.

Easy Access to the Backyard

Bluestone chips fill the joints between these minimalist, modern steppers, which allow the homeowner to reach the side of the house from the garage. Because the path is in the front yard, plantings help screen it.

Good Flow

Concrete paths entwine at the front entrance of this sleek and modern home. Their curvaceous shape takes the edge off the home’s hard angles and fosters a more inviting atmosphere.

Stepping Stones

A fieldstone path leads the gaze away from a brightly colored home and cedar pergola, punctuated by sculptures, specimen plants and other pockets of visual interest along the way. Blue spruces frame the path’s entry point, while layered plantings create a sense of intrigue about the garden and grounds beyond.

Formal Flair

A wet-laid full-range bluestone path anchors this formal garden. Its crossway shape connects the driveway, fireplace area, lawn and an entertainment patio.

Modern Marvel

Perfect for modern landscapes and slim side yards, this path features 18"x18" architectural slabs laid as stepping stones. Ground cover plantings eventually will grow into the space between the slabs.

Stone Look Pavers

Pavers in this pathway create the effect of natural stone.

A Relaxing Stroll

Large, field-collected Pennsylvania steppingstones are sunken in a grassy corridor to create a mosaic effect. The path has a slightly Old World feel that suits the dreamy, enchanted-forest setting.