If you have lived for any length of time with a dog in Washington DC, there has come a time when you think about letting your furry friend run free to sniff, pee and play. Unfortunately, here in DC, dogs and their owners have somewhat limited options. So hhere are the dog parks in DC?

First, it’s important to note that almost every green space, from parks to patches of green at intersections around the city are under the jurisdiction of the National Park Police. In the District, there are more than 167 open spaces that are considered part of the National Park Service. Off leash dogs are illegal in these areas and depending on the mood of the Park Service authorities, this can mean a warning to owners to leash their pets to tickets and in some cases, far worse.

Keeping that in mind, dog owners who want to let their dogs off leash should be aware of the risks in so doing. Here on Capitol Hill, two of the more popular, less-than-legal dog play areas are in the middle of Lincoln Park and on the east side of Stanton Park in NE. Garfield Park in SE is also a place that dogs are seen frolicking. However, there is one city sanctioned dog park on Capitol Hill and a members only dog area at the Congressional Cemetery.

About ten years ago, there was a movement of sorts to create legal off leash dog play areas in DC. The National Park Service did not cooperate in creating these spaces but the District of Columbia government recognized the need and worked with dog activists to come up with rules for siting off leash areas in the city. While it is a cumbersome process, several places in the city are designated leash free.

Dog Parks in DC

The DC Department of Parks and Recreation has designated the following locations as dog parks in DC:

Dog Park Name Ward Location
Chevy Chase Dog Park 3 41st & Livingston Sts., NW
Francis Dog Park 2 25th & M Sts., NW
Gage – Eckington Dog Park 1 286 V St., NW
Guy Mason Dog Park 3 3600 Calvert St., NW
Kingsman Dog Park 6 D St. & Tennessee Ave., NE
Lansburgh Dog Park 6 M St. & Delaware Ave., SW
Langdon Dog Park 5 2901 20th St., NE
Newark Street Dog Park 3 39th & Newark Sts., NW
S Street Dog Park 2 17th & S Sts., NW
Shaw Dog Park 2 11th St. & Rhode Island Ave., NW
Upshur Dog Park 4 4300 Arkansas Ave., NW
Walter Pierce Dog Park 1 20th & Calvert Sts., NW

Off Leash Areas Near the City

If you want to explore a bit further outside of the District, Arlington County has developed a number of off leash spaces in various parks in the county. While I have not been to all of these areas, the dog spaces at 4 Mile Run in Shirlington is a very large enclosed space that can accommodate dozens of dogs safely. Here are other designated dog areas in Arlington County:

Benjamin Banneker Park
1701 North Van Buren Street
Arlington, VA 22205
Lights on until 8 p.m.
James Hunter Park
1230 N. Hartford Street
Arlington, VA 22201
CCA area closes at 9 p.m.
Fort Barnard
At the corner of South Pollard Street
and South Walter Reed Drive
Lights on until 9 p.m.
Shirlington Park *
2710 S. Oakland Street
Arlington, VA 22206
Closed at sunset
Fort Ethan Allen Park
3829 North Stafford Street
Arlington, VA 22207
Lights on until 7 p.m.
Towers Park
801 South Scott Street
Arlington, VA 22204
Lights on until 10 p.m.
Glencarlyn Park *
301 South Harrison Street
Arlington, VA 22204
Closed at sunset
Utah Park
3191 South Utah Street
Arlington, VA 22206
Closed at sunset

So now that the weather is warmer, exploring the dog friendly spaces in and near the city is a must. Enjoy!

Related Posts

Places

Who is that guy in the middle of Stanton Park?

When I moved to Capitol Hill some sixteen years ago, I very quickly discovered Stanton Park, located just a block north of 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NE. There, my dog Morgen made friends with Read more...

Places

Congressional Cemetery in the Morning

A few weeks ago, I took this photo at the Congressional Cemetery here on Capitol Hill. Established in 1807, it sits in the midst of the urban bustle in the eastern part of the city. Read more...