The 10 Best Off-Leash Dog Parks in Denver
From Lowry's four fenced acres to the huge state park off-leash areas at Chatfield and Cherry Creek — the best places to let your dog run in and around Denver, with the details lists skip: what's fenced, the hours, the passes, and where there's water.
Denver's leash law is simple: outside a designated dog park, your dog must be on a leash — in parks, on trails and on the street — and both park rangers and Denver Animal Protection write tickets for it, starting at $80–$100 for a first offense. Denver Parks and Recreation lists 17 dog parks (including pop-ups, a pilot and newer additions), all free. Most are unlit and open sunrise to sundown every day; Railyard, downtown, is the only one with its own lights and is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The city's rules are stricter than most: dogs need a current rabies tag and Denver dog license, must be spayed or neutered (or hold a Denver Intact Permit), one person can bring no more than two dogs, and children 10 and under aren't allowed inside. Most city parks are small yards surfaced with sand, squeegee or infield mix rather than grass, so at 5,280 feet in strong Colorado sun, go early, look for the shade structures and bring water. For real space — and water — metro dog owners head to the big Colorado Parks & Wildlife off-leash areas at Chatfield and Cherry Creek (park pass plus a $3 daily or $25 annual dog pass) or the free, wide-open prairie at Westminster Hills. Here are the best of them, ranked.
Chatfield State Park Dog Off-Leash Area
The metro area's best off-leash space: 69 acres of completely fenced open country with two ponds and miles of paved and unpaved trails, plus two parking lots and restrooms. You need a state park vehicle pass and a dog off-leash pass ($3 a day or $25 a year, covering one handler and up to three dogs) worn visibly. CPW warns that mapping apps misroute "Chatfield State Park" — navigate to the park address instead.
Cherry Creek State Park Dog Off-Leash Area
More than 100 acres in the park's 12 Mile area, with Cherry Creek running through it and access points to the water. It is not completely fenced — there's no fence along the creek — so recall matters. Same dog pass as Chatfield ($3 daily or $25 annual, worn by the handler) on top of the park pass, plus Cherry Creek's water basin fee ($1 a day or $3 a year per vehicle). Expect long waits at peak times, weekends and holidays, and check CPW's alerts before going: it closes the area for a few days of maintenance most Octobers.
Lowry Dog Park
At 4.1 acres, Denver's largest city dog park, set in the Lowry open space with separate enclosures for high- and low-energy dogs, agility features, boulders and a shade structure. In the city's 2019 dog-owner survey it scored highest for condition, alongside Berkeley Lake. No lights, so it closes at sundown.
Westminster Hills Off-Leash Dog Area
More than 400 acres of open prairie and trails, free to use and only partially fenced, so your dog needs to come when called; dogs must be spayed or neutered and stay on marked trails. There's a dog drinking fountain, shade shelters and a portable restroom. When burrowing owls nest, the city closes the area around the nest from March 15 to October 31 — recently that meant social trails off Yucca Loop — and a new management plan is weighing paid parking at busy times.
Berkeley Lake Dog Park
A 1.9-acre fenced park at the edge of Berkeley Lake Park with a drinking fountain, shade structure, obstacles and separate high- and low-energy areas. Neighborhood volunteers help keep it in shape, and it scored highest for condition, with Lowry, in the city's 2019 dog-owner survey.
Greenway Dog Park
At 2.9 acres, the city's second-largest dog park: one big sand-surfaced enclosure with a shade structure, drinking fountain and trees. There's no split by energy level, so it suits confident, social dogs best.
Kennedy Dog Park
A 2.2-acre fenced park beside the Kennedy soccer complex near Hampden Avenue, with agility features, boulders, some shade and separate high- and low-energy areas. A useful big option for the southeast side of the city.
Railyard Dog Park
The only Denver dog park with its own lights, so it's open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. — the go-to for after-work visits downtown. It's small at 0.6 acres, with separate high- and low-energy sides, a shade structure, a drinking fountain and picnic tables.
Willow Bark Dog Park
A 1.6-acre fenced park in the Central Park neighborhood with separate high- and low-energy areas, a drinking fountain, a shade structure and picnic tables. Built in 2017 as part of the neighborhood's development.
Green Valley Ranch East Dog Park
A 1.5-acre fenced park with separate high- and low-energy areas, a shade structure, a drinking fountain and picnic tables close by. The main city option for the far northeast of the city.
Find your next park on the map
Off Leash is a free app that maps dog parks across Metro Denver — filter for fenced parks and see which dogs are there right now before you head out.
Off-leash, answered
Where can I take my dog off-leash in Denver?
Inside the city, only in Denver Parks and Recreation's designated dog parks — the leash law applies everywhere else, including parks, trails and sidewalks. The city lists 17 dog parks (including pop-ups, a pilot and newer additions), all free; the biggest in its most recent inventory are Lowry (4.1 acres), Greenway (2.9 acres), Kennedy (2.2 acres) and Berkeley Lake (1.9 acres). For much more space, metro dog owners use the Colorado Parks & Wildlife off-leash areas at Chatfield State Park in Littleton and Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora, or the free Westminster Hills Off-Leash Dog Area. The Off Leash app maps dog parks across Denver and shows which dogs are there right now.
Which Denver dog parks are fenced?
Denver's permanent city dog parks are fenced enclosures, and many — including Lowry, Berkeley Lake, Kennedy, Railyard, Willow Bark and Green Valley Ranch East — have separate enclosures for high- and low-energy dogs, which helps with shy or small dogs. Outside the city, Chatfield State Park's 69-acre off-leash area is completely fenced. Cherry Creek State Park's off-leash area is not completely fenced (there's no fence along the creek), and Westminster Hills is only partially fenced, so both need reliable recall.
What are the dog park hours, rules and fees in Denver?
Denver's unlit dog parks are open sunrise to sundown, seven days a week; Railyard, the only one with its own lights, is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. City dog parks are free, but dogs need a current rabies tag and Denver dog license and must be spayed or neutered or hold a Denver Intact Permit. One person can handle no more than two dogs, handlers must be 16 or older, children 10 and under aren't allowed, human food isn't allowed, and dogs stay leashed until they're inside the gate. A red sign at the entrance means that park is closed for condition. The Chatfield and Cherry Creek state park off-leash areas need a park entry pass plus a $3 daily or $25 annual dog off-leash pass (up to three dogs per handler); Chatfield is open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cherry Creek also charges a water basin fee per vehicle. Westminster Hills is free, open sunrise to sunset, and requires dogs to be spayed or neutered.
Where can dogs swim off-leash near Denver?
Not in the city's dog parks — they're sand, squeegee and infield-mix yards with no water to swim in, so bring a bowl and plenty of water on hot days. For water, head to the state parks: Cherry Creek State Park's off-leash area has creek access in several places (the creek side is unfenced), and Chatfield State Park's fenced off-leash area has two ponds inside the fence. Both require a park pass plus a dog off-leash pass, Chatfield's swim beach is off-limits to dogs, and it's worth checking CPW's park alerts for water-quality advisories before your dog goes in.
Last updated October 2026. Spotted an error, a closure, or a spot we missed? Let us know — we keep the map current.