Dogs are some of the most social creatures in the animal kingdom, so it’s time to fill up those fur minglers’ warm weather calendars with playful hangouts. The best dog parks in Denver are dotted throughout the city, with something for every doggy. So, make your summer schedule fit for your social butterfly of a housemate… they deserve it (and you deserve a contentedly tired companion).
The Best Denver Dog Parks, by Neighborhood
Rail Yard Dog Park | Uptown / LoDo Area
Visitors love the separate sections for high-energy and low-energy pups, and the soft, sandy soil is a welcome alternative to mud. It is also highly praised for being one of the few downtown areas with functional evening lighting.
Lowry Dog Park | Lowry
This fully fenced space is a local favorite because of its clean environment and dedicated small dog area. Active dogs benefit from a small agility course with obstacles to keep them engaged.
Berkeley Dog Park | Berkeley
Located right near Berkeley Lake, owners love the spacious two-acre layout and the scenic atmosphere near Lakeside Amusement Park. The gravel base ensures it stays relatively clean even after rain.
Greenway Off Leash Dog Park | Central Park
Reviewers rave about the massive three-acre open layout that gives large dogs plenty of room to sprint. It features mature shade trees, comfortable benches, and water fountains for the warmer months.
Fuller Dog Park | Five Points / Whittier
Pet parents appreciate that it is larger than the average neighborhood park, providing a great sand-surfaced spot for city socialization. It is entirely fenced, offering peace of mind to owners of runner-prone dogs.
Kennedy Dog Park | Hampden / Southeast Denver
This massive three-acre fenced park splits visitors into distinct high-energy and low-energy zones. Reviewers frequent it because it offers plenty of space for intense games of fetch without overcrowding.
Barnum Dog Park | Barnum
Situated on a hillside, this park is loved for the incredible panoramic views of the downtown Denver skyline it offers while pets play. It provides a massive open dirt-and-grass terrain perfect for high-speed chasing.
Carla Madison Dog Park | City Park / Congress Park Border
While compact, this urban park is highly rated for its convenient location next to the recreation center and its specialized pea-gravel base. Locals love it as a quick, reliable spot for neighborhood dogs to burn off energy.
The Social Lives of Dogs - Trivia
In anticipation of a summer filled with canine camaraderie: some fun facts about the social nature of our fur babies.
- Yawning is contagious in dogs. Research shows that the sound of a human yawn can trigger one from your pooch. And psychologists agree on the mechanism of contagion: empathy and social bonding.
- A human’s blood pressure goes down when petting a dog. As all dog lovers know, so do the dog’s.
- A study shows that dogs are among a small group of animals that show voluntary unselfish kindness towards others without any reward.
- Dog-human relationships combine the upsides of best friend relationships and parent-child bonds, but without the complex demands, making them (in some ways) more supportive and positive than most relationships between humans.
- Researchers investigated the characteristic canine head-tilt, finding that it happens when dogs process meaningful external cues, such as the name of a toy they know.
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Laurel Cisneros
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