The 11 Best Off-Leash Dog Parks in Toronto
From fully fenced city runs to a Lake Ontario dog beach and ravine forests where your dog can roam — with the details other lists skip: which parks are actually fenced, the off-leash hours, and where dogs can swim.
Toronto has more than 80 designated off-leash areas (the City counts 81, with more on the way), but the rules are strict everywhere else: by city bylaw your dog must be leashed (max 2.4 metres) in any park, beach, or street outside a marked off-leash zone, with fines up to $615. Most parks are open 5:30 a.m. to midnight (no one may use a park between 12:01 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.), and fenced off-leash areas within 20 metres of homes run roughly 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Some off-leash areas are fully fenced and double-gated, others are open ravine fields or beaches with no fence at all — so recall matters. Here's where to go, what's fenced, and which spots suit which dogs.
Cherry Beach (Clarke Beach Park)
One of the largest off-leash spaces in the city — a big stretch of Lake Ontario sand and shoreline where dogs can swim. The dog beach is fenced off from the public beach on the land side but open to the water, so it isn't fully enclosed.
High Park Off-Leash Dog Area
The off-leash area inside Toronto's largest park sits between the Grenadier Restaurant and the High Park Zoo. It's a wooded, natural space with running water and benches, but it is not fully fenced — natural bush and trees form the borders.
Thomson Memorial Park
A standout for nervous dogs: separately fully-fenced off-leash fields — one for all dogs, one for small dogs, and one quieter field for shy or less-social dogs. Double-gated entry, water fountain, and shaded seating.
Coronation Park
Unusual for a shoreline park, this off-leash area is completely fenced — waterfront side included — with a double-gated entrance and Lake Ontario views. Plenty of room for dogs of all sizes, though there's no separate small-dog pen.
Allan Gardens Dog Park
A fully fenced downtown run at the west end of the historic Allan Gardens, with a separate small-dog section, water fountain, shade, seating, and a double-gated entrance. One of the most convenient enclosed parks in the core.
Sherwood Park
A huge ravine off-leash space with roughly 2 km of forest trails, boardwalks, and Burke Brook for a splash, set among 150-year-old trees. It has a double-gated entrance but is only partially fenced, with some gaps — recall matters here.
Sunnybrook Park
A large, flat fenced off-leash field in the Don ravine below Sunnybrook Hospital, plus a separate fenced area for smaller dogs (under 20 lb). A shallow stretch of the West Don River nearby is a favourite for a drink or a post-play rinse.
Trinity Bellwoods Park (The Dog Bowl)
The famous sunken "dog bowl" — a large grass-and-sand off-leash hollow in one of the city's most social parks, and the largest unfenced off-leash area in Toronto. It's a big open space, but it is not fenced, so reliable recall is a must.
Stan Wadlow Park
A fully fenced, double-gated off-leash area in East York with a dedicated small-dog section and lots of room to socialize. Seasonal water fountains for dogs and people run May to October.
Sorauren Avenue Park
A fully fenced neighbourhood off-leash area with two entry points and a water fountain just outside the north gate. No separate small-dog pen, and commercial dog walkers are permitted.
Greenwood Park
A convenient fully fenced, double-gated off-leash area in the heart of Leslieville with a water fountain, new fencing, and benches. Its surface was much-complained-about pea gravel; the City committed to replacing it with mostly artificial and natural turf, so check the current footing before you visit.
Find every spot on the map
Off Leash is a free app that maps every off-leash park, beach and trail in the Greater Toronto Area — with fenced/unfenced filters, off-leash hours and beach access for each one. No more guessing whether you can unclip.
Off-leash, answered
Where can I take my dog off-leash in Toronto?
Only in the city's designated off-leash areas — Toronto has more than 80 (the City counts 81). Top picks include Cherry Beach on the waterfront, the off-leash area in High Park, the fenced fields at Thomson Memorial Park in Scarborough, and fully fenced downtown runs like Coronation Park and Allan Gardens. Everywhere else your dog must be leashed. The Off Leash app maps every off-leash area with its rules and hours.
Which Toronto dog parks are fully fenced?
Fully fenced, double-gated options include Coronation Park (downtown waterfront), Allan Gardens, Thomson Memorial Park (Scarborough — multiple separate fields), Sunnybrook Park, Stan Wadlow Park (East York), Sorauren Avenue Park (Roncesvalles), and Greenwood Park (Leslieville). These are the safest choices for puppies, small dogs, or dogs still working on recall. High Park, Trinity Bellwoods' "dog bowl," and Sherwood Park are not fully fenced, and Cherry Beach is fenced off only on the land side, open to the lake.
What are the off-leash rules and hours in Toronto?
By city bylaw, dogs must be leashed (max 2.4 metres) anywhere outside a designated off-leash area, with fines up to $615. Most Toronto parks are open 5:30 a.m. to midnight — no one may use a park between 12:01 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. — and fenced off-leash areas within 20 metres of homes generally run about 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dogs must also be licensed. Always read the signs at the entrance, since hours vary by site.
Are there off-leash dog beaches in Toronto?
Yes — Cherry Beach (Clarke Beach Park) on the Port Lands waterfront is the main off-leash dog beach, with a sandy stretch where dogs can swim in Lake Ontario; the dog beach is fenced off from the public beach on the land side but open to the water. Coronation Park also offers a fully fenced run with waterfront views, though dogs can't swim there. Keep dogs leashed outside the marked off-leash zones at any beach.
Last updated June 2026. Spotted an error, a closure, or a spot we missed? Let us know — we keep the map current.