Denver Parks & Recreation operates 12 off-leash areas throughout the city. Find more information about locations, rules and our volunteer program in the following sections:
- Barnum Dog Park - N. Julian St. between W. 4th & 5th Ave.
- Berkeley Dog Park - W. 46th Ave. & Sheridan
- Carla Madison Dog Park - 2405 E Colfax Ave.
- Fuller Dog Park - E. 29th Ave. & Franklin (closed for maintenance Sept. 21-22)
- Green Valley Ranch East Dog Park - E. 45th Ave. & Jebel
- Greenway Dog Park - E 22nd Ave & Syracuse Street
- Kennedy Dog Park - Hampden & S. Dayton
- Little Box Car - Broadway & Lawrence St.
- Lowry Dog Park - E. 4th Pl. & S. Yosemite
- Parkfield Dog Park- 53rd Ave. & Chambers
- Quality Hill Pilot Dog Park - 10th Ave. & Pennsylvania**
- Railyard Dog Park - 19th Ave. & Little Raven
- Sonny Lawson Park - 24th St. & California
*Railyard Dog Park is the only off-leash area with lighting, however, other facilities may be indirectly lit by athletic fields or street lights.
**Quality Hill Pilot Dog Park is open from 7am-10pm, 7 days a week. Learn more about this project.
Per dog park rules and city ordinance, dog handlers must dispose of dog feces properly and immediately. Dog bag dispensers are available at all dog parks and patrons are asked to help keep them stocked.
All dog parks are monitored by parks operations staff. Signage indicating status of condition is located at the entry to the dog park. This rating system is determined and monitored by parks staff, and if the designated off-leash area is not kept to the standard expected in the off-leash area, a warning sign will appear. If the area continues to be in poor condition, the off-leash area can be closed by parks staff. Signs indicate the rating status of the off-leash area:
- Green: indicates that the off-leash area is in good condition
- Yellow: indicates a warning that the off-leash area is in need of attention. If the area is not cleaned up by users of the dog park, it will be closed
- Red: indicates the off-leash area is in poor condition and is closed until further notice
All visitors must adhere to posted rules and regulations. Dog bag dispensers are available at all dog parks and patrons are asked to help keep them stocked.
Before visiting a Denver Dog Park please keep the following in mind:
- Unlighted dog parks are open from sunrise to sundown, 7 days a week
- Lighted dog parks are open from 5am-11pm, 7 days a week*
- Dogs must be spayed or neutered, or have a current Denver Intact Permit (Denver residents)
- Dogs must have current rabies and Denver dog license.
- Pets, other than dogs, are not permitted in a dog park.
- Only activities common and customary for playing with, training and exercising dogs are allowed. No other uses, including other park uses and commercial uses, are allowed in a dog park.
*Quality Hill Pilot Dog Park is open 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. each day.
The following dogs are not permitted in a dog park:
- Aggressive dogs and dogs with a known propensity to attack or bite people or other dogs. Any dog that acts aggressively towards people or other dogs shall be immediately removed from the dog park.
- Female dogs currently in estrus
- Dogs that do not have a current rabies vaccination tags issued to the particular dogs, which tags must be attached to the dogs' collars or harnesses
- Dogs too young to be vaccinated against rabies
The following restrictions shall apply to persons within a dog park:
- A person ten (10) years of age or younger is not permitted in a dog park.
- Any person eleven (11) to fifteen (15) years of age must be accompanied by an adult (18 years of age or older)
- Any person in charge of a dog must be sixteen (16) years of age or older.
- Any one person may not be in charge of more than two (2) dogs at a time.
- Dogs are not permitted in a dog park when the dog park is closed or outside of the posted days and hours of operation for the dog park. Dogs are not permitted in a dog park when the dog park is dark and unlighted. Park Curfews apply.
- A person bringing a dog to a dog park must have a leash available at all times. A dog must be kept on a leash until it is inside the dog park. A dog must be placed on a leash before it may be taken outside of the dog park.
- Notwithstanding the fact that a dog may be off leash in a dog park, a dog must be under the control of the person in charge of the dog and must be in view of that person at all times.
- Excrement must be promptly and completely picked up and properly disposed of by the person or persons who brought or allowed the animal into the facility.
- Human food is not permitted within dog parks. However, dog treats are permitted.
- The person in charge of a dog is responsible for any damage to the dog park caused by the dog. Holes dug by a dog must be filled in and any turf damage must be repaired.
- The person in charge of a dog in a dog park is responsible for any injury to any person or other dog caused by that person's dog.
- Any person in charge of a dog in a dog park must comply with all posted rules and regulations.
- Any person engaged in any activity assumes all risks associated with such activity and is liable for any damage or injury caused by said activity.
Quality Hill Park
As of July 25, 2022, initiated a 3-month pilot dog park at Quality Hill Park, located at the corner of E. 10th Ave. and Pennsylvania St. in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Learn more about this project.
Please note that Quality Hill Dog Park is open from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 7 days a week.
Veterans Park
As of May 11, 2022: There is not enough support from the neighborhood to move forward at this time with a dog park at Veteran’s Park. Three potential locations within the park were discussed during the community engagement process, and the location which would be most viable, farthest from homes, would need to be reworked along with other park amenities to make a successful dog park design that could be implemented in conjunction with other master plan improvements.
DPR will track for potential future funding a master plan update that considers how a dog park can be thoughtfully incorporated into the park along with phasing the implementation of other amenities called for in the master plan.
View the survey results summary(PDF, 575KB)
Public Outreach Information
Open House: February 23, 2022
January 2022: New petitions for the community-driven pilot program are not currently being accepted while the first round of the pilot program is being evaluated and refined.
The first round of the pilot program included three chosen proposals: Quality Hill Park, Washington Park, and Rosedale Park. During the process, Washington Park and Rosedale park proposals were merged together into a proposal for Veterans Park.
After collecting the necessary signatures and letters of support, the Veterans Park proposal has reached the point in the process to host a public open house. This open house is scheduled for February 23, 2022.
Neighbors interested in providing feedback on the proposed location in Veterans Park may join the open house and/or take the online survey, which launches on February 23 and will close on March 18, 2022. All feedback from the open house and survey will be taken into consideration in the determination of Veterans Park as a dog park location.
Take the survey >>
Dog Park Master Plan Technical Update (2019)
Project Background & Info
Off-leash areas require continual upkeep which is a shared responsibility with dog park users. Deteriorating conditions due to accumulating pet waste, holes from digging, etc. may result in a closure of a dog park.
DPR established the Adopt-A-Dog Park program to enable civic groups, neighbors, individuals and businesses to help keep their local dog park clean.
To organize a volunteer group, fill out the Adopt-a-Dog Park Agreement and email to tina.myers@denvergov.org.