9 Philadelphia Dog Parks: Find A Park Near You

There are 9 official dog parks in Philadelphia, and a few other noteworthy areas to take your dog. Keep in mind that only the first nine parks have an enclosed area where your dog can run without a leash.

Some of the dog parks are open to all but the others require some form of membership and \ or registration before you can bring your dog to the park.

Philadelphia Dog Parks

All the parks below but one have a website or Facebook page. Some of the sites are very informative and others do not provide much information about the dog park.

I included the best information that I could find for each dog park: membership required or not, available water source, small dog section or not, etc.

Take a look at each website for more information about the dog parks that are in Philadelphia neighborhoods closest to you.

1. Seger Dog Park

1001 Rodman Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Seger dog park is located in the Washington Square neighborhood of Center City. It is open to the public but membership is preferred to help pay for maintenance. It is a non-profit organization run by Seger Park Dog Owner’s Association (SPDOA).

The ground of the dog park is gravel and mulch. I was not able to view any photos to see if there were benches or not, and there was no mention of water for the dogs. The dog park is enclosed with a separate area for small dogs.

Membership is optional but encouraged with a $50 donation which is used for maintenance fees.

Check out their about page for more information, as well as their events and park rules pages.

The park is open 24/7.

Amenities \ Benefits: They have social events with local business and musicians such as their weekly summer concert series called “Woofstock”.

2. Orianna Hill Dog Park

900 N. Orianna Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123

Orianna Hill dog park is located in the Northern Liberties section of the city. It is a member only park. Online registration is required as is an orientation. The membership costs $50 per year.

There is lots of shade and benches and the area for the dogs is enclosed. In their sidebar, they mention the funds going towards water, electricity, and mulch.

Check out the Park Rules page for more info. You need to register your dog with them to actually use the dog park. Also, take a look at their Youtube video about the park.

The park is open 24/7.

3. Schuylkill River Dog Park

2500 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130

This is a Philadelphia dog park near me and I’ve been to it many times. I used to go before the upgrade in 2012 and I went a few times after the upgrade. It’s a nice dog park for sure. You can also walk along the Schuylkill River with your leashed dog for some nice views.

They have K9Grass in both the small and large dog enclosures and there is no membership required. There are some shade and lots of places to sit and there are water fountains for the dogs.

The dog park is located along the river with freight train tracks separating the park from the river. But there is a pedestrian bridge to cross over the tracks and get on the Schuylkill River Trail. That is a nice trail to walk with your dogs and take in the scenery.

Their site is informative so take a look at each page for more information. Also, take a look at their Youtube video about the Schuylkill River dog park.

The park is open 24/7.

Amenities \ Benefits: The Schuylkill River Trail is fantastic and it is right next to the park.

4. Roxborough Dog Park

4117 Mitchell Street
Philadelphia, PA 19128

There is not a lot of information about the park on the website. It is a member only dog park and annual membership is $100.

The surface of the park is grass and dirt and there is a lot of shade for the pups on hot days. There are benches for the dog owners. The good thing is that you can find parking close to the park.

The website does not mention the hours the park is open.

5. Columbus Square Dog Park

1200 Wharton Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147

The dog park is in the Passyunk Square neighborhood of Philly. There also isn’t much on this site but they mention their rules on the home page.

They have a hose to fill your dog’s water bowl and the surface is gravel. The dog park is fenced in with a few tables and benches. They also have logs and stumps for the dogs to play on.

The website does not mention the hours the park is open.

6. Green Street Dog Park

1819 Green Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130

This is a Philly dog park near me – about 2 blocks from me. It’s rather small but it is enclosed with a separate area for small dogs. One of my dog walking clients takes his dog to the park.

It is a member only dog park and it is a lengthy process becoming a member. The website mentions that it has an “electronically controlled entry system and security cameras with 24 hour real-time and recorded video coverage. The perimeter of the Park is equipped with ample lighting, benches”

The surface is K9Grass in both the small and large dog sections. And since it is so small, there is a limit on how many dogs can be there at any one time. which is controlled by the number of key fobs used to enter the park.

The park is open 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

7. Palmer Doggy Depot

37 E. Palmer Street
Philadelphia, PA 19125

This is a community dog park in Fishtown so membership is not required. You will need to bring your own water because they do not have any water sources in the park. They do have plans to have lighting and water available this summer (2019).

There is a double-gate entry to the park and only one large area for the dogs – no separate section for small dogs. The surface is mulch and cobblestone with some seating and NO shade.

The park is open 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

8. Penn’s Landing Dog Park

1 N. Delaware Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19106

They do not have a website. And the park is very small.

The surface is gravel and water is available for the dogs. There is a separate area for small dogs. There is lots of shade and benches and a great view of the Ben Franklin Bridge and the Delaware River.

Amenities \ Benefits: The view of the bridge and river!

9. Mario Lanza Dog Park

200 Queen Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147

They only have a FB page without much information. The park is located in the Queen Village neighborhood of Philly.

The park is a small enclosed dog park within the larger Mario Lanza park with a gravel surface and shade. There is seating in the center for dog owners to watch their pups play and there is a hose for the dogs.

Regulars plan occasional social events and happy hours.

The park is open 24/7.

Amenities \ Benefits: The happy hour events with other dog owners sounds like fun.

10. Kitchen’s Lane Dog Beach

Address: Turn towards the creek at the little building at one of the bends on Forbidden Drive. Sorry, but that is the best I can do. The quickest way to get there is by going into the woods alongside Walnut Lane the Golf Club.

This is the beach area that is the unofficial dog park I mention at the beginning of the article. You can see the Wissahickon Creek on the map that is on the Facebook page.

There is a bit of a downhill scramble, so if you have mobility issues then you may not be able to go. But once down, your dog should be safe unless he or she can swim to the other side and run off.

The park is open 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM (Wissahickon park hours).

Amenities \ Benefits: Nature. You are in the wooded area of the Wissahickon Creek so it is really nice scenery, By the way, if you bring your bathing suit, you can take a dip in the water with your dog. You know, for those really hot days.

Other “dog parks” in Philadelphia

Here are some other dog parks you may find when searching for dog parks in Philadelphia, but there are some issues with them being called dog parks.

Clark Park Dog Bowl: This is not an enclosed dog park but it is a nice city park with other events. You can not have your dog off leash as there is a nearby playground. Check this one out though because they have festivals, farmers’ markets, and food vendors.

Pretzel Park Dog Park: 4300 Silverwood Street, Philadelphia, PA 19127.  The surface is dirt and wood chips but the “enclosure” is a low wall which dogs could easily jump over. The Manayunk Towpath is nearby for a nice stroll with your dog and they have flea markets on Saturdays.

Chester Avenue Dog Park: This was a dog park but it closed this past March. You’ll still see it though on other “Philadelphia Dog Parks” lists. (Keeping your website up to date is not easy.)

Triangle Dog Park: This is another park that was in Fishtown but it is closed now. Just an FYI if you see a review of the park on Yelp or another site.

Monk’s Dog Run at Monkiewicz Playground: The information I found on this park is that the surface is wood chip and there is water for the dogs. I do not know if it is an enclosed park or not.

Pops Dog Park: I found this park listed on some sites but I’m not sure about it. The last post on the Facebook page is from November 2018.

Sherman Mills Dog Park: 3502 Scotts Ln. Philadelphia, PA 19129. I don’t know what the story is with this park but I don’t think it exists anymore. Just take a look at the Facebook page and you’ll see what I mean.

Dog-friendly hiking trails in Philadelphia

There are a lot of great hiking spots in Philly though you can not have your dog off-leash. My favorite is the 7-mile hike along Forbidden Drive in the Wissahickon Valley Park.

There is also all of Kelly Drive along the Schuylkill River. Continue past Boathouse Row to get to the  Art Museum and the Water Works. Then the Schuylkill River Trail starts up again and takes you to #3 on the dog park list: Schuylkill River Dog Park.

And they are only the hiking areas I’m familiar with I’ve never been in the Philadelphia section of the John Heinz Wildlife Sanctuary but there are nice trails down at the Tinicum end.

Here are some links to areas that you can hike with your dog:

1. Wissahickon Creek Park: The main trail is called Forbidden Drive and is 7 miles long. I found one decent article and an okay map. If you like the area, you should buy a map of the entire area.
2. Schuylkill River Trail: The trail is 10 miles long within the city, but the trail is well over 100 miles long. Here is a map of the Philly section.
3. John Heinz Wildlife Refuge: The main link for this area is not good. I think the trail is over 8 mils long. Check out these 2 links for more info: 1) Trail running article; 2) Philly Day Hiker article
4. FDR Park \ the “Lakes”: I’ve never hiked in this park but I’ve tail-gated in the section close to the stadiums. Here is a decent map of the park (the only good one I could find)

Summary

Definitely, take advantage of any dog park near you if it is open to the public. The one problem with those parks though, is there will be irresponsible owners at times. So that that into account.

That is why the member dog parks in Philadelphia may be a better option. Any dog that is aggressive will not be allowed into the park.

You may want to take a look at my article on Dog-Friendly Hotels in Philadelphia if you are here visiting and are interested in visiting again in the future.

Let me know of any other great dog parks or hiking trails in Philadelphia and I’ll add them to the list.

Also, I have an article on the rates and cost for every type of pet service. The article is called Pet Services Rates but it also includes other subjects like Philly dog parks, pet-friendly hotels, 24-hour emergency vets, and adoption locations. Check it out if you are interested in other pet services located in the city.