“Anybody who doesn’t know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.” Franklin P. Jones
by Luke Schmaltz
Dogs are best friends, counselors, consolers, and confidants — they can share your emotional highs and spiritual lows with equal enthusiasm. Perhaps the only thing they love as much as being with their humans is the chance to run and play with their fellow canines. Across the Mile High City, there are numerous places where dogs can go for a leash-free romp. Yet, as with the rest of Denver’s infrastructure, this aspect has been placed in lopsidedly-high demand by the population boom. A recent article on denverite .com cites an estimate that there are somewhere around 150,000 dogs in Denver across 99,000 households.
Dog parks tend to coincide with areas which are in some stage of the gentrification process. As with most other urban issues, dog parks are a divisive topic — with non-owners being unsympathetic to the tax burden and dog owners being unanimously for it. The result is a network of areas across the city which are specifically designated for communal, off-leash dog play. Additionally, many residents choose to run their dogs in any open area across the Denver Parks and Recreation system, which is for the most part a benign practice with a few legal caveats.
According to BringFido.com, “There are 46 off-leash dog parks within 20 miles of Glendale.” This guide will keep you relatively close to home, featuring outdoor dog-friendly destinations within several miles of the Glendale/Cherry Creek area.
Top Dog Parks Near Glendale And Cherry Creek
Playa Del Carmen Park: Perfect for locals who need a convenient place to let their dogs get some exercise without making a long trip to a larger, out-of-the-way destination.
Playa Del Carmen Park Dog Run
Named after Glendale’s sister city in Mexico, this park with a dog run is situated along Kentucky Ave. just west of E. Cherry Creek Drive. This place is perfect for locals who need a convenient place to let their dogs get some exercise without making a long trip to a larger, out-of-the-way destination.
Lowry Dog Park
The Lowry Dog Park: High energy, low energy and agility runs for a wide variety of dogs.
Located at Yosemite Way and E. 4th Place, the park is known for its “agility” section for young dogs who want to show off their physical prowess as well as its “high energy” and “low energy” zones for younger, older, smaller, and larger breeds, respectively. Owners are encouraged to bring their own water, especially on a hot day, and are reminded to also bring baggies for cleaning up after their four-legged friends.
Kennedy Dog Park
This park is located at 9700 E. Hampden Ave. and features off-street parking as well as high and low-energy dog runs in separate fenced areas. The ground in the play areas is dirt, making cleanup after your pets easy. Meanwhile, the regulars — human and canine — are known to be friendly and easy going. Visitors are advised to bring their own water and, as shade can be scarce, folks should bring sunscreen, an umbrella, or both.
Stapleton Dog Park
Located at 2002 Spruce St. just north of E. Montview Blvd., the designated area in this park is one expansive dirt field for dogs of all sizes and energy levels to roam, run, and play. There are some water fountains in various states of working order, so owners are advised to bring water and, as always, arrive prepared to clean up after your pets. In the play area, there is a posted (unenforced) rule of “no children under 12” most likely for liability reasons but the shade trees, benches and other park features offer plenty of options for those not in the fenced area.
Carla Madison Dog Park
Located off the corner of 16th and Josephine near the 2400 block of E. Colfax, this small but clean park adjacent to East High is perfect for city dogs who need a bit of open space to run and play. The parking lot and grounds are wheelchair accessible, and visitors must bring their own water and dog waste cleanup bags.
Grandview Dog Park
Located in Aurora, east of Glendale, and near Quincy Reservoir, this park at 17500 E. Quincy Ave. features ample parking and a massive five-acre play area designed exclusively for dogs. There is a bit of a hike involved between the parking lot and the park, so visitors should be prepared to keep dogs leashed until inside the fenced-off play area. There are separate large and small dog sections, with the former offering agility obstacles for high-energy breeds. As with most dog parks, owners should bring water for their pets and arrive prepared to clean up the inevitable evacuation piles.
Railyard Dog Park
The Railyard Dog Park: Popular, centrally located destination.
Located in lower downtown, this park is located at 19th and Bassett Streets and is perfect for folks who like to take their dogs for an afternoon drive. The grounds feature a soft, sandy surface rather than grass as well as separate high-energy and low-energy play areas. As with all dog parks, the BYO water and poop bags protocol applies here. Plus, the park at large offers beaches and shady areas for visitors.
Denver Leash Laws:
More Like Loose Guidelines
The law simply states that, in public areas, all dogs must be kept on a leash unless within confined, designated areas and must be under the supervision of a keeper or an owner who is at least 18 years old. This includes areas of public parks that are not penned-in dog runs. As you may have noticed, however, this rule is being largely dismissed by dog owners. This is because, like most local ordinances, leash laws are not being enforced.
The Denver library.municode.com website explains, “It shall be the duty of the chief of police, and all other police officers and all animal protection officers, to see that a dog found running at large is taken up and impounded in the Denver Animal Shelter, and such dog may be so taken up without the necessity of filing a complaint and shall be impounded and disposed of in accordance with provisions of article VII of this chapter.” Similarly, the Warshauer McLaughlin Law Group website (https://w-mlawgroup.com/) states: “Dogs are considered “running at large,” if they are not on the premise of the dog’s owner, not on leash, cord, or chain held by the owner or guardian. They are also considered running at large, if they are on the owner’s property, but the dog still has access to the ‘public right of way,’ such as sitting in the front yard unrestrained.”
Were this policy to be enforced to the letter, Denver officials would be working overtime to corral and impound all of the dogs running around off-leash in local parks and open-space areas. Similarly, the posted rules in most dog parks state that dogs within the facility must be registered, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered if they are over six months of age. This is not always the case, not by a long stretch, so dog park users are advised that other pet owners may not follow the rules. But — as far as the authorities and the average citizen are concerned — no one seems to give a woof.