Dog parks in Parker, CO
Where to run a dog off leash in and around Parker, what each park costs, and the two-minute check that keeps a foxtail from turning into a vet bill.
Parker has two public off-leash dog parks. The Town runs USMC Cpl. David M. Sonka Dog Park on Pine Lane, nearly five acres with a small dog area, and Douglas County runs a fenced one at Bayou Gulch, south of town. For more room, Cherry Creek State Park has over 100 off-leash acres.
Plenty of our clients drive in from Parker, so we see what these parks leave in a coat. The park details below are what the Town of Parker, Douglas County, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife publish. Hours and fees do change, so check the operator's page before a long drive. The coat advice further down is ours.
What dog parks are in Parker, CO?
| Park | Where | Off-leash space | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| USMC Cpl. David M. Sonka Dog Park | 17855 Pine Lane, south of E-470 on the Cherry Creek Trail | Nearly 5 acres, with a small dog area | Free |
| Bayou Gulch dog park | East side of Fox Sparrow Road, Bayou Gulch Regional Park | A little over 2 acres, fenced | Free |
| Cherry Creek State Park, 12 Mile area | South entrance at Parker Road and Orchard Road | Over 100 acres, not fenced along the creek | Park pass plus a dog pass |
| Glendale Farm Open Space | Off the RidgeGate exit of I-25, south of Lone Tree | 17 acres, fenced | Free |
Sonka Dog Park
The Town's dog park is named for Corporal David M. Sonka, a Chaparral High School graduate who was killed in Afghanistan in 2013 along with his military working dog, Flex. It sits at 17855 Pine Lane, south of E-470 along the Cherry Creek Trail, next to the Town's 18-hole disc golf course. Parker Parks and Recreation lists nearly five acres of off-leash space, a separate small dog area, an agility course, shade structures, and drinking fountains that run seasonally. There are no lights, and it's open dawn to dusk.
Because it's on the Cherry Creek Trail, a leashed walk and an off-leash run can be the same trip. That also puts it right in foxtail country from late spring on, which is the subject of the second half of this page.
The Bayou Gulch dog park
Douglas County's fenced off-leash area is in the passive side of Bayou Gulch Regional Park, on the east side of Fox Sparrow Road. The County's directions: take Highway 83 south to Bayou Gulch Road, go east about a mile, then turn north on Fox Sparrow. The County lists it at a little over two acres. The soft-surface trails beside it are leash-only, and the park is open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.
Cherry Creek State Park's off-leash area
This is the big one. Colorado Parks and Wildlife puts the off-leash space in the park's 12 Mile area at over 100 acres, and the south entrance sits at Parker Road and Orchard Road, so from most of Parker it's a straight run north. It costs money: a park vehicle pass, a dog off-leash pass ($3 a day or $25 a year), and a Cherry Creek Water Basin sticker. The limit is three dogs per handler, dogs have to stay in sight and under voice control, and you carry a leash and bags the whole time.
The area isn't fenced along the creek. If your dog's recall gets worse near water, plan on a wet dog.
Glendale Farm, on our side of town
Douglas County's Glendale Farm Open Space sits just south of Lone Tree, off the RidgeGate exit of I-25. It has a 17-acre fenced off-leash area next to a 1.6-mile loop trail where dogs stay leashed. If your dog is booked in with us, a run there first is a good idea. A tired dog stands better on the table, and we're about to bathe it anyway.
Are there free dog parks in Parker, CO?
Yes. Sonka and the Bayou Gulch dog park are both free, and so is Glendale Farm. Cherry Creek is the one that charges, because it's a state park: you pay for the vehicle and for the dog.
What are the rules at Douglas County dog parks?
Douglas County's rules for its own off-leash areas, which include Bayou Gulch and Glendale Farm, are short. Keep the leash on until your dog is inside the gate and put it back on before you leave. Keep your dog under voice control, pick up after it, and keep food out of the enclosure. Dogs that are sick, aggressive, in heat, not current on vaccinations, or too young for a rabies shot aren't allowed. The County's brochure lists a fine of at least $50 for leaving waste behind on County parks and open space.
Sonka is a Town park, so its rules are the Town's and are posted at the gate. Cherry Creek's are the State's, covered above.
What should you check your dog for after a Parker dog park?
Grass seeds, from roughly May through October. Foxtails and cheatgrass both have barbed seed heads that only move one way, so once one catches in a coat it works inward: between the toes, down into an ear, into an armpit, under the tail. A seed that burrows under the skin has to come out at the vet. Douglas County's dog park brochure makes the same point in one line, telling owners to check ears and between toes.
The check takes a couple of minutes. Run your hands against the grain on the legs, chest, and belly. Spread each foot and look between the pads. Look into both ears, and feel around the armpits and the base of the tail. Long and double coats hide seeds best, so on a golden or a shepherd, part the coat rather than skimming the top.
The signs that one got past you are head shaking or tilting, pawing at one ear, licking one foot over and over, a small swelling between the toes, or a fit of sneezing after nosing through tall grass. Any of those should go to your vet. What we can do is the prevention: a full brush-out to the skin is how we find seeds before they travel, and it's part of every bath and brush.
Should you bathe your dog after the dog park?
Not every time. Our air is dry most of the year, and shampooing on top of it is hard on skin. After an ordinary dry visit, brush the coat out and wipe or rinse the feet. Save the bath for a dog that's actually dirty: a roll in something, a mud day after snowmelt, a swim in the creek at Cherry Creek.
A dog that swam needs drying all the way to the skin, and on a double coat that's the hard part. The top coat can feel dry while the undercoat stays damp for hours, and damp undercoat against warm skin is where hot spots start. Getting it fully dry is what the high-velocity dryer does in a bath and brush, which starts at $45 for a small dog and $100 for an extra-large dog or a heavy double coat. If you'd rather do the washing yourself, our self-wash stations are $22 a wash, walk-in during open hours, with the last wash 45 minutes before close. For the heavy coats, our post on why a double coat shouldn't be shaved for summer explains what actually keeps those dogs comfortable.
Grooming for Parker dogs
Our salon is in Lone Tree near Park Meadows, about 15 minutes up Parker Road from most of Parker. Our grooming page for Parker covers the drive, the neighborhoods we see most, and what Parker dogs usually come in needing. A full groom starts at $75 for a small dog, and all the tiers are on the full-service grooming page. For a sense of how often an outdoor dog should come in, see how often to groom your dog. When you book a visit, tell us which park your dog came from, so we know where to start looking for seeds.
Common questions
Are there free dog parks in Parker, CO?
Yes. Sonka Dog Park on Pine Lane and Douglas County's fenced dog park at Bayou Gulch are both free, and so is Glendale Farm Open Space south of Lone Tree. Cherry Creek State Park charges for a vehicle pass and a dog off-leash pass.
What is the biggest off-leash dog park near Parker?
Cherry Creek State Park's 12 Mile area, at over 100 acres. The south entrance is at Parker Road and Orchard Road. You need a park pass, a dog off-leash pass ($3 a day or $25 a year), and a water basin sticker, and it isn't fenced along the creek.
Does Sonka Dog Park have a small dog area?
Yes. The Town lists nearly five acres of off-leash space with a separate small dog area, an agility course, shade structures, and seasonal drinking fountains. It is at 17855 Pine Lane, has no lights, and is open dawn to dusk.
What do dogs need to use Douglas County dog parks?
Current vaccinations. The County doesn't allow dogs that are sick, aggressive, in heat, or too young for a rabies shot, and dogs stay leashed until they're inside the gate. That covers County areas like Bayou Gulch and Glendale Farm.
How do I check my dog for foxtails after the park?
Run your hands against the grain on the legs, chest, and belly, spread each foot and look between the pads, and look in both ears. Head shaking, pawing at an ear, or licking one foot over and over can mean a seed got in, and that's a vet visit.
