When buying a new home, pet owners know it’s important to consider a locale that is suitable for the four-legged members of the family. This is especially true for households with dogs, who need lots of exercise and outdoor play time. The city of Knoxville is known for the University of Tennessee, college football, craft beer, a recession-proof economy, and country music, and is currently one of the best locations in America for new homeowners. However, it may surprise some to learn that the heart of “Vol Nation” is also consistently ranked among the most dog-friendly towns in the United States.
This is no accident, as several organizations including the city government, the University of Tennessee, the Young Williams Animal Shelter, and PetSafe Village have joined forces in an effort to make Knoxville the most pet-friendly community in the country. The movement’s work has clearly paid off: In 2011, the city was named the most dog-friendly community in the Southeastern United States by Dog Fancy Magazine.
With over 80 open park spaces and seven dedicated dog parks, Knoxville is the perfect place for canines and their owners to spend time together in the great outdoors. Here, we take a look at five of the most popular Knoxville dog parks that residents and their four-legged companions can enjoy.
1. PetSafe Village Dog Park
PetsSafe Village, a pet resort and one of the organizations behind the initiative to make Knoxville the most pet-friendly town in America, donated money in 2005 to create five new Knoxville dog parks. The company also operates its own highly-rated park situated just across the street from the main PetSafe Village location. This was opened in 2007, making it one of the city’s first public dog parks.
Open from sunrise to sunset, the PetSafe Village dog park features numerous walking trails, a fountain just for the animals to drink from, and even a natural pond for those canines who love to play in the water. The location is people-friendly as well, with picnic tables and convenient waste receptacles provided for pet owners. This Knoxville dog park requires that owners use leashes until the evening hours, when the park staff is present and allows off-leash activities.
2. Charter Doyle Dog Park
Opened to the public in 2011, the Charter Doyle Dog Park features two acres of open space for your pooch to enjoy. This beautiful off-leash park is notable for its mature cedar trees, which offer plenty of shade for animals at play. This, along with a doggy water fountain, makes Charter Doyle Park a perfect place for canines to spend time during those hot and humid Tennessee summers. Waste disposal stations are readily available as well.
This southern Knoxville location also features separate areas for large and small dogs, making it an ideal choice for owners with smaller pets. The 0.4 mile-long Charter Doyle Greenway surrounds this beautiful area and conveniently connects with the dog park. Outside of the specified off-leash areas, owners can take their leashed companions on a relaxing walk along the shaded trails in the nearby woods.
3. Victor Ashe Dogwood Park
Another location known for its lovely wooded areas, the Victor Ashe Dogwood Park was opened in 2007 and, along with PetSafe Village, was among the first of the Knoxville dog parks to be opened to the public. Dogwood park, part of the larger Victor Ashe Park situated in the northern part of town, is open from dawn to dusk and is safely fenced in so pets can play off-leash to their hearts’ content.
Dogwood features all the necessities for dogs and their owners, including a doggy drinking fountain and waste disposal stations, but this location is unique among Knoxville dog parks: While the main Victor Ashe Park area contains playground equipment for kids, Dogwood park contains its own playground just for the pups. Your four-legged companion can spend hours enjoying ramps, tunnels, jumps, and other fun obstacles.
4. Tommy Schumpert Dog Park
The Tommy Schumpert Dog Park is comprised of two off-leash spaces: one for dogs under 30 pounds and one for canines of any size. This is another location ideal for owners of smaller animals who want to let their pups mingle without being hassled by larger dogs who might play a little too rough.
The area of the Tommy Schumpert Park allocated for small dogs has plenty of space for running around, and the other area features a swimming pond with a dock for pooches who want to cool off during the hot summer season. In the main park area, owners can leash their dogs for a walk along the nearby loop or take them for a longer journey along the beautiful Sterchi Hills Greenway.
5. Concord Dog Park
Concord Dog Park, opened in 2012, is the newest and largest of the Knoxville dog parks with four acres of land for canines and their owners to enjoy. This fenced off-leash park contains separate locations for large and small pets and features water fountains, plenty of open and wooded walking trails, and even a doggy shower for cleaning up after a long day of play. Best of all, a dock allows access to a nearby swimming area for animals who love to splash around in the water.
Concord Park has a lot for people, as well. The larger park area boasts a golf course and clubhouse, tennis courts, a marina, a skate park, and both paved and natural trails where owners can enjoy long walks along Lake Loudon with their canine companions.
With a great housing market, a strong economy, the University of Tennessee campus, and one of the best barbecue and craft beer scenes in America, the city Knoxville has a lot to offer for the anybody who decides to plant roots here. However, with seven new dog parks and over 80 other pet-friendly park spaces throughout Knoxville, the city’s canine residents have a lot to wag their tails about as well.
2 Point Highlight
1. In 2011, the city was named the most dog-friendly community in the Southeastern United States by Dog Fancy Magazine.
2. With seven new dog parks and over 80 other pet-friendly park spaces throughout Knoxville, the city’s canine residents have a lot to wag their tails about.
