The 11 Best Off-Leash Dog Parks in Victoria
Ocean-view waterfront runs, a fully fenced city park, and coastal regional trails — here are Greater Victoria's best places to let your dog off the leash.
Greater Victoria is a patchwork of small municipalities, and each one writes its own off-leash rules, so "where can my dog run free" depends on which side of a street you're standing on. The City of Victoria has 15 designated leash-optional areas — most allow off-leash play only during set morning and evening hours, and only Vic West Park is a fully fenced enclosure. Saanich, the largest neighbouring municipality, allows off-leash only in designated leash-optional parks and on specific trails, with new fenced areas being built at PKOLS (Mount Douglas) and Cuthbert Holmes. Note that the Capital Regional District's big regional parks (Thetis Lake, Elk/Beaver Lake) are NOT off-leash — dogs must stay leashed or under close control there, so they aren't true off-leash destinations. Across the region, almost every off-leash spot is an open field, beach or coastal trail relying on solid voice control rather than a fence, and many waterfront areas have seasonal bird-sanctuary or species-at-risk closures. Off-leash fines run $100–$300, so it pays to check the posted signs and hours before you unclip.
Clover Point Park & Dallas Road Waterfront
One of the largest off-leash areas in the city — a long grassy oceanfront strip running between the multi-use path and the seaside walkway, from the south end of Beacon Hill Park all the way to Clover Point. Big sky, ocean views and constant wind make it a dog-walking institution.
Vic West Park Dog Park
Victoria's only fully fenced, double-gated off-leash enclosure, at the Wilson Street end of the park. Small but characterful, with a big rock formation dogs love to climb, plus seating nearby.
PKOLS / Mount Douglas Park
Greater Victoria's signature forest park — over 200 hectares of trails, a summit lookout over the city and sea, and a sandy beach. Several lower trails are designated leash-optional, making this the go-to for big forest adventures with your dog.
Topaz Park
One of Victoria's most popular parks, with two leash-optional areas. The larger north area (around Glasgow Field) gives high-energy dogs plenty of room for fetch; the south area is partially fenced.
Beacon Hill Park (Dallas Road side)
An off-leash zone on the south side of the park, between Douglas Street and Clover Point, set within Victoria's most famous park. Open meadow and waterfront character right downtown.
Macaulay Point Park
An oceanfront park with trails winding past WWII military bunkers, lookouts and rocky shoreline. The southern section, including the breakwater, is the leash-optional off-leash area.
Saxe Point Park
A scenic oceanfront park at the end of Fraser Street, with manicured lawns, big firs and rocky shoreline lookouts. The north-west side is the designated leash-optional area.
Banfield Park
A friendly neighbourhood off-leash area beside the Gorge waterway, between the basketball court and the Victoria West Community Centre parking lot. Grassy and central, popular with local dog walkers.
Oswald Park
A spacious neighbourhood off-leash area in the Oaklands area that locals praise for its room to roam. An easygoing, low-key spot for everyday play.
Songhees Hilltop Park
A small, well-kept hilltop green space in the Songhees neighbourhood with harbour views and low foot traffic — a calm option that suits smaller or more nervous dogs.
Pemberton Park
A quiet neighbourhood off-leash area in leafy Rockland. Unfenced, so it suits dogs with reliable recall who want a low-key local run.
Find every spot on the map
Off Leash is a free app that maps every off-leash park, beach and trail in Greater Victoria — 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 Victoria?
The City of Victoria has 15 designated leash-optional areas. The most popular are Clover Point Park and the Dallas Road / Beacon Hill waterfront (listed as leash-optional 'at all times'), Topaz Park, and the fully fenced Vic West Park dog park. In Saanich, PKOLS (Mount Douglas) has designated leash-optional forest trails, and Esquimalt has off-leash areas at Macaulay Point and Saxe Point. Everywhere else in Greater Victoria, dogs must be leashed unless the spot is specifically designated leash-optional. Note that the CRD's big regional parks like Thetis Lake are on-leash / under-control only, not off-leash.
Which Victoria dog parks are fenced?
Vic West Park is the only fully fenced, double-gated off-leash enclosure in the City of Victoria, located at the Wilson Street end of the park. Topaz Park's south leash-optional area is partially fenced. Saanich is building new fenced and partially fenced leash-optional areas — post-and-wire fencing at PKOLS (Mount Douglas), with completion anticipated in spring 2026, and a fully fenced leash-optional area planned at Cuthbert Holmes Park. Most other off-leash areas in the region are open fields, beaches or coastal trails with no fence.
What are the off-leash hours in Victoria?
In the City of Victoria, most leash-optional areas allow off-leash only during set hours: spring/summer (April 1–Sept 30) 6–9 a.m. and 5–10 p.m., and fall/winter (Oct 1–March 31) 6 a.m.–10 p.m., though hours vary by park (several neighbourhood parks are 6 a.m.–10 p.m. year-round). A few areas — Clover Point Park and Beacon Hill Park's Dallas Road side — are listed as leash-optional 'at all times' in the bylaw schedule. Off-leash violations carry fines of $100 to $300, so check the posted signs at each park.
Are there off-leash dog beaches in Victoria?
Most waterfront off-leash access has seasonal restrictions. Along Dallas Road, the grassy strip is leash-optional but the beach below it is on-leash only and sits in a federal migratory bird sanctuary. Fleming Beach at Macaulay Point in Esquimalt is leash-optional November 1 to May 1 and on-leash May 2 to October 31. At Saxe Point Park, the off-leash area is the north-west side of the park. In Saanich, dogs are banned from the PKOLS (Mount Douglas) beach and the area north of Cordova Bay Road from May 1 to August 31. Always check posted dates before unclipping near water.
Last updated June 2026. Spotted an error, a closure, or a spot we missed? Let us know — we keep the map current.