26 W E S T W O R D S u m m e r G u i d e 2 0 2 5 westword.com Go Fetch! THE FIVE BEST DOG PARKS IN METRO DENVER. BY K Y L E WAGN ER Dog parks are to pooches what pubs are to people — places to hang out, make new friends, kick back and get rowdy. Places where humans and canines alike can socialize, see and be seen, and check out each other’s butts. And if no one ends up in a fi ght, so much the better. In a city where dogs have outnumbered children for years, longtime residents — especially apartment dwellers and those with tiny yards — remember the days when you had to get up before dawn to furtively play fetch in a public park with your pet. Now there are more off-leash options than ever. Here are fi ve of our favorites: Westminster Hills Open Space Off-Leash Area 10499 Simms Street, Westminster After a lengthy battle over whether to chop the metro area’s largest dog park into a tiny fraction of its size, the City of Westminster voted to keep all 420 acres as a mecca for active dogs with active owners who like to take more of a hike, run or bike ride along the many meandering and wide double-track gravel walkways and social trails that have de- veloped to connect them. A panoramic Front Range view offers a backdrop to rolling hills, large swaths of tall grasses, a few cottonwood stands and a nice creek to cool off in. The sheer size of the prop- erty means that even when it’s packed at peak walking times (morning and late afternoon), you can still get far away from the canine chaos. ............................ ............................... A 69-acre pooch paradise, Chatfi eld’s varied and slightly hilly terrain includes plenty of paved and gravel trails in loops and spurs to explore, two large ponds (with small beaches) to cool off in, shade trees and grassy areas for ball-tossing and independent play. And while most dog parks close by 8 p.m., Chatfi eld is open until 10 (light-up collars and headlamps come in handy, because there are no lights in the park). The required State Parks Pass and additional Dog Off-Leash Area daily ($3) or annual ($25) pass can be purchased at an entrance station or park offi ce, and there are restrooms for the two-legged. For an extra $15, you can use the dog-wash station, which is handy if your furball is a swimmer: The ponds are relatively clean, but the surrounding dirt will stick. ............................... ........................... Paws-down one of the best dog parks around, the 107-acre Cherry Creek has it all. There’s the creek, of course, which is big and wide, and even in drought years has water (bring a towel and wear sandals so you can splash, too). There are spacious gravel paths and narrow trails connecting them, as well as wooded areas with plenty of shady trees and meadows; count on water fountains, bag stations and nice restrooms. Kids of all ages are allowed here, but it’s worth noting that very large dogs also have the run of the place. A State Parks Pass and additional Dog Off-Leash Area daily ($3) or annual ($25) pass are both required and can be purchased at the entrance station. The only downside? The place is so popular that it fi lls up fast. ........................... .................................... A rare dog park that sits on a (steep) hill, Forsberg is famous for wearing out the pups that are running up and down, as well as for the stunning mountain and Red Rocks views (sunset is the best) and the fact that so many visitors bring and leave many, many tennis balls. Situated within Forsberg-Iron Spring Park adja- cent to Green Mountain, the off-leash space has grass until the summer sun scorches it, and one of the two fenced-in spaces sports ramps, agility poles and tubes, while the other is perfect for just running around. Shade is hard to come by from the one tree, but there is a covered picnic area just outside the fence, bag stations and a seasonal water fountain, as well as restrooms outside of the dog park. .................. ................................ Another rare dog park offering grassy patches in addition to dirt and gravel on its fi ve acres, Grandview sits next to Quincy Reservoir and has two sections. The big-dog side has several covered benches, but the other one — which is roomier than most small-dog areas and usually packed with the pint-sizers, whose people keep it exceptionally clean — has just one exposed bench, a picnic table and a few boulders to sit on. The obstacle course, complete with struc- tures to climb up on and run through, is fun for dog-show wannabes. Grandview Dog Park is a large open space with a few structures and a fenced-off area for smaller dogs. JACK SPIEGEL
