Cherry Creek Dog Park

Name: Cherry Creek Dog Park
Rating: 4.7

Dog Friendly

4.7(181 reviews)

The take

The Cherry Creek State Park off-leash area at the south end of the reservoir. 107 acres of off-leash run, water access, and a real beach. Closest thing DougCo has to a destination dog park. Requires a $10 day-use fee.

Why it's here

Cherry Creek Dog Park sits at the south end of Cherry Creek State Park at 5400 S Parker Road. The off-leash area is technically inside the state park boundary (Arapahoe County), but the practical drive from Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, and northern DougCo puts it inside the regular DougCo dog-park rotation for most south-metro dog owners. The off-leash run is 107 acres, the largest fenced dog park in the metro Denver area, with real terrain (a creek bed, a small pond, and a 100-yard sprinting field) plus a beach with reservoir water access.

The water access is the differentiator and the reason this park is worth the day-use fee. The reservoir beach lets dogs swim, fetch in the water, and wear themselves out the way a fenced city dog park can't. Spring through fall, this is the destination for any working-breed or water-loving dog. The water level varies with the season; summer is the prime swimming window (June through early September), and the water clarity is generally good but does include the occasional algae bloom that the state park flags with signs (do not let the dog drink from the reservoir during a posted bloom).

The day-use fee is $10 per car at the entrance station; the annual Colorado State Parks pass ($120) pays back at the third visit and works for every state park in the system. The dog-park lot is at the south entrance off Lake Loop Road; from the entrance station, follow signs for the off-leash area. Most weekday mornings have parking. Saturday-Sunday from 9am to 3pm fills the lot and overflow parking adds a 5-minute walk.

The trade-offs vs. a free DougCo dog park: more expensive, longer drive, but materially bigger, with water access and real terrain that the smaller fenced city parks can't match. If your dog needs a real workout and a swim, this is the answer.

Know before you go

Go for

•A real swimming-and-running workout for a working-breed dog
•107 acres of off-leash terrain, more than any DougCo park
•The reservoir beach for water access (June-September)
•Day-trip with multiple dogs that need to actually tire out

Timing

Open daily, sunrise to sunset. Weekday mornings are calm. Sat-Sun 9am-3pm is busiest; the lot fills and the social density rises. June-September is the prime water-access window; spring and fall have great trail running but cooler swim conditions.

Pro tip

Buy the annual Colorado State Parks pass if you'll come 3+ times a year; the $120 pass pays back fast and unlocks every state park. Bring a towel and a backseat seat cover; reservoir water plus 107 acres of dirt creates the muddiest dog you'll see this year. Ball-launcher and a couple of throwable retrievers are the right gear; the field is big enough that a regular throw is the right distance.

Skip / heads up

The $10 day-use fee per car is real; budget for it. Algae blooms in mid-late summer occasionally close the swim beach; the state park posts signs and the official site updates daily during bloom season. Cell service is reliable but the GPS sometimes routes to the north entrance instead of the south; the south entrance off Lake Loop Road is the dog-park entrance.

Parking

Off the south entrance of Cherry Creek State Park, Lake Loop Road. $10 day-use fee per car at the entrance station; annual pass $120. Lot fills 9am-3pm weekends; weekday mornings have space.

By Nathan Boesen