The 12 Best Off-Leash Dog Parks & Runs in NYC
Fenced dog runs and big-park courtesy hours where your dog can run free — with the details most lists get wrong: which are fenced, the real off-leash hours, and where dogs can actually swim.
Off-leash in NYC comes in two flavours: fully fenced dog runs that are open all day, and big parks like Central Park and Prospect Park where dogs can roam off-leash only during “courtesy hours” — roughly 6–9am and 9pm–1am. Here's where to go, which is which, and what each spot is best for.
Prospect Park (incl. Dog Beach)
Brooklyn's premier off-leash scene — hundreds of dogs roam the Long Meadow, Nethermead and Peninsula during courtesy hours, and the Dog Beach at the Upper Pool lets them actually swim. It's a shared park, not a fenced run, so recall matters.
Central Park off-leash meadows
The classic NYC scene: dogs play off-leash on the open meadows (East Meadow, North Meadow and other posted lawns) during courtesy hours. Heads up — Sheep Meadow and the Great Lawn Oval are dog-free at all times, and the Ramble and Cedar Hill stay leash-only.
Tompkins Square Park Dog Run
NYC's oldest and most famous dog run — fully fenced with separate large- and small-dog (under 25 lb) sides, double-gated entries and a summer pool. Gravel and astroturf, with shade and benches.
Washington Square Park Dog Runs
Two fenced runs in the heart of the Village, including the beloved Robin Kovary Run for small dogs (25 lb and under). A gravel-to-turf resurfacing is planned but had not started as of 2026.
Riverside Park Dog Run (105th St)
The oldest and best-loved of Riverside Park's three runs, fully fenced with great drainage, shaded benches and Hudson River views. The 87th St run nearby has a fountain dogs can cool off in.
Hillside Dog Park
Brooklyn's largest dog park — 1.4 fully fenced acres of natural woods with separate large- and small-dog areas, water stations and a wash tub for muddy pups. Hilly and shaded, more real terrain than gravel pen.
Brooklyn Bridge Park — Pier 6 Dog Run
A fully fenced waterfront run with separate large- and small-dog areas and double gates, kept clean by the conservancy. A second run at John Street serves the DUMBO end; dogs must be leashed elsewhere in the park.
McCarren Park Dog Run
A fully fenced run with completely separated large- and small-dog sides, inside a 35-acre park that also allows off-leash courtesy hours in the open field — so you get an all-day fenced option plus a big-field option early and late.
Carl Schurz Park Dog Runs
Two fenced runs by the East River: a larger all-dog run with a sandy-gravel surface and rocks to climb, plus a separate small-dog run right on the water. The small-dog fence is low, so the size limit matters.
Sirius Dog Run
A small, beloved fully-fenced run at Kowsky Plaza, named for the K-9 lost on 9/11. Dog water fountain, cleanup hose, plenty of seating and a warm-weather wading pool; Battery Park City washes its runs twice daily.
Madison Square Park — Jemmy's Dog Run
A fully fenced run with double gates and separate large- and small-dog areas, joint-friendly ground, a water feature and shade umbrellas. Closed midday Tue/Thu for cleaning.
Union Square Dog Run
A small, social, fully fenced run with secure double-gated entry that handles 1,000+ dogs a week. No large/small split and gravel underfoot — central but crowded, especially on Greenmarket days.
Find every spot on the map
Off Leash is a free app that maps every off-leash park, beach and trail in New York City — with fenced/unfenced filters, off-leash hours and beach access for each one. No more guessing whether you can unclip.
Off-leash, answered
What are the off-leash hours in NYC parks?
In many NYC parks, dogs can be off-leash from when the park opens until 9am, and again from 9pm until the park closes — in practice about 6–9am and 9pm–1am. Fenced dog runs (like Tompkins Square or Washington Square) are open all day. Always check the posted signs, and carry proof of your dog’s license and rabies vaccination.
Can dogs go off-leash in Central Park?
Yes — on the open meadows (East Meadow, North Meadow and other posted lawns) during off-leash hours, 6–9am and 9pm–1am. But Sheep Meadow and the Great Lawn Oval are off-limits to dogs at all times, and spots like the Ramble and Cedar Hill stay leash-only.
Which NYC dog runs are fenced and open all day?
Plenty — Tompkins Square (East Village), Washington Square (incl. the small-dog Robin Kovary run), Riverside Park at 105th, Madison Square’s Jemmy’s run, Union Square and Carl Schurz on the East Side, Sirius in Battery Park City, and Brooklyn’s Hillside, Pier 6 and McCarren runs. Many have a separate small-dog section.
Where can dogs swim off-leash in NYC?
Prospect Park’s Dog Beach at the Upper Pool lets dogs swim during off-leash hours. Most NYC park water bodies otherwise ban dogs, so fenced runs with summer pools (Tompkins Square, Sirius) are the reliable warm-weather cool-off spots.
Last updated June 2026. Spotted an error, a closure, or a spot we missed? Let us know — we keep the map current.