Easily one of the best aspects of living in Denver, Colorado is just how dog-friendly the city and surrounding areas are.
You wouldn’t be able to walk a few blocks in Denver without noticing how many people are out walking their dogs. But the truth is, sometimes walks just don’t cut it when it comes to getting that crazy pup energy out.
Dog parks are a great way to make sure your pup gets the exercise they need, but you’ll want to make sure you’re bringing your dog to a safe place where they can roam and play.
Now, I admittedly have not been to every single dog park in the greater Denver area so I might be missing a few here, but I have taken my crazy Bernedoodle Bella to quite a few parks and can say with confidence that all the places below are ones I am comfortable taking my dog to and are some of the best dog parks near Denver.
1) West Arvada Dog Park
The West Arvada Dog Park is easily one of my (and my dog’s) favorite parks on this list!
There are two completely fenced-in areas that connect in the middle and a nice walking loop along the perimeter of the park. The whole loop is probably a little shy of a mile long, and it’s great to walk around while your dog runs around and plays.
The park is almost always stocked with tennis balls and there are plenty of water bowls around the park as well. Overall, great place for you and your dog to get some fresh air.
2) Twin Lakes Open Space
I’ll get this out of the way by saying Twin Lakes Open Space is closer to Boulder than to Denver, but I’d say this park is worth the 40 minute drive from Denver if your dog loves to play in water.
Twin Lakes is another fully fenced in open space with a nice walking loop on the outside, but, as the name might suggest, there is also a lake in the center for your pup(s) to play in.
During a hot day in the summer, this is definitely one of my favorite places to take my dog to.
3) Cherry Creek Dog Off Leash Area
The first time I ever took my dog to the Cherry Creek Dog Park, I thought to myself, “this is always what I imagined a doggy heaven would look like.”
It’s a massive 107 acre area with walking paths, open fields and even a creek area for the dogs to play in. It’s mostly fenced in, but parts of it near the creek area are not, so keep that in mind if you’re dog isn’t fully trained yet.
It really is a beautiful dog park and between the creek and the 2.5 mile walking loop, my dog always leaves here exhausted!
Just note that there is a fee to get in. A one-day fee is $11, but there is also an annual pass available for $83. Also, on a nice day on the weekend, I’d recommend going early since there are times when there’s a massive line of cars waiting to get in and it could take an hour or so at peak times.
4) Berkeley Dog Park
This is really the first “standard dog park” I put on the list, but it’s worth a shoutout because it’s pretty closer to the actual city (more so if you’re in the northern part of Denver), is a big fenced in area, and stocked with tennis balls and clean waters.
I prefer coming here in the mornings when it’s a smaller crowd since it can get pretty crowded in the afternoons. Even then, I never had an issue here in the afternoon but it’s worth noting if your dog gets a little more overwhelmed with big crowds of other dogs.
Last thing to note is it is a gravel park, so just know your dog might be a little (or extremely) dusty after playing here.
5) Tony Grampsas Dog Park
Tony Grampsas dog park is located right in Golden near North Table and North Terrain Brewing Company.
It’s a little hard to find the entrance here if you’ve never been here before, but there are a few entrances and one is right near the North Terrain Brewing Company if you walk back past the fence. The park itself is a nice fenced in area that’s a neat little wooded area with a small stream running through it.
It’s cool to see the dogs have the experience of playing in the woods, but, at least from my experience, the stream can get very muddy so be prepared to give your dog a bath after!
6) terrace Dog Park
Located just a few minutes away from Old Town Aravada, I’d qualify Terrace Dog Park as the hidden gem on this list.
It’s probably the smallest park on this list, but it’s a nice grass park that is a little quieter than the others that I’ve mentioned here. Every time I’ve been here, the dogs and the people have always been extremely friendly, and I’d recommend it over Berkeley if your dog is on the shier side.
7) Westminster Hills off-Leash Dog park
The Westminster Open Area dog park is the largest park on this list, clocking in at 420 acres. I saved this one for last, since it’s only partially fenced in so I would only recommend bringing your dog here if they’ve had some off-leash training.
That said, if you are comfortable with your dog in a more open area, the park is great for hiking with your dog or letting them play in the massive creek that runs through the park.
Also, you can bike in the park as well, so if you’re looking to train your dog to run along side you as your bike then this is the perfect park for you.