If you’re a dog owner desiring to live Brooklyn, there are a number of excellent parks featuring off-leash areas and dog runs that your canine companion will love. Most Brooklynites are familiar with Prospect Park — the second-largest park in Brooklyn after Marine Park — created by the famed designers of Manhattan’s Central Park, Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. But did you know that the city’s second-largest borough has more than 480 other parks and playgrounds, many of which are dog-friendly? Here are five more Brooklyn dog parks that we think make a “Best of” list for our furry friends.
Hillside Park
In the prime spot on this list is Hillside Park in Brooklyn Heights, which lies at the northwestern corner of this tony brownstone neighborhood, in a triangle of land adjacent to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE).
Bounded by Vine Street, Columbia Heights, and a BQE on-ramp, this 1.4-acre park is named for the slope of the space it occupies. It was created from land left over from the construction of the Expressway and features amazing views of downtown Manhattan. In addition, it features convenient access to nearby Squibb Park, Harry Chapin playground, Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Greenway, which connects the old industrial neighborhood of DUMBO with the Columbia Heights Waterfront District at the western edge of Cobble Hill.
The park offers a surface of wood chips for cleanliness, and there’s enough space to let your dog run free and fetch a Frisbee or tennis ball. The entire park is considered a dog run, with built-in doggie bowls as part of the park’s water fountains, so helping your pet quench his or her thirst after a bout of healthy exercise is easy. There’s a gated separate area for smaller dogs and plenty of disposal bins for waste. The word is that most dogs here are friendly. Many owners recommend this park enthusiastically and say it’s well-maintained by the nonprofit volunteer group that cares for it. In addition, free WiFi hotspots are accessible throughout the park, and there are picnic tables scattered around.
McCaren Park
Next on the list is McCarren Park in Williamsburg. As the primary green space separating this trendy, lively neighborhood from nearby Greenpoint, this park features multiple recreation facilities, including handball, tennis and basketball courts; soccer fields; a 400-meter running track; playgrounds; baseball diamonds; restroom facilities; and an extra-large community pool. With over 35 acres of space in two sections, McCarren Park is a thriving outdoor institution for Williamsburg and Greenpoint residents.
The McCarren Park dog run is well-liked because there are separate sections for large and small dogs. Dog owners say there are sometimes jugs of water and bowls available for thirsty pups and plenty of spare balls and toys to be had. The run’s surface is composed of wood chips and dirt and features ample space and decent amounts of shade from large trees in the summer. There’s also adequate seating for people. Reports are that most owners tend to pay attention to their dogs, which are for the most part well-behaved. Some owners say that weekend mornings are the least busy times for the run.
Like Hillside Park and other New York City green spaces, McCarren features free WiFi hotspots for visitors’ convenience. Many eateries and stores dot the perimeter of the area for human treats after your pooch’s hunger is satisfied.
Fort Greene Park
For those Brooklynites lucky enough to be living close to downtown Brooklyn and happening Atlantic Avenue, historic Fort Greene Park offers a sloping site capped by a famous memorial column, the striking Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument. It was designed by noted architect Stanford White, whose firm, McKim, Mead, and White, also designed wings of the White House, the original Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan and a number of America’s most historic buildings. Originally known as Washington Park, the site was where the Continental Army under the command of George Washington built fortifications during the Revolutionary War. Planned by designers Olmstead and Vaux (see above) in 1867, the 30-acre park is a regal open space in the middle of one of the most sought-after areas of the borough. There’s a tremendous view of Manhattan from the monument’s edge and plentiful trees and shade to hang out in.
For the convenience of your canine companion, dogs can be off-leash between the hours of sunrise and 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Owners say the park is well-kept and most pets are friendly. The park’s fountain has a place for dogs to drink. There are two playgrounds, a basketball court, tennis courts, bathrooms, and showers. In the summer, barbecues and outdoor performances take place, and there’s a farmers’ market on Saturday mornings. Like most of the other parks on this list, Fort Greene Park has free WiFi hotspots.
Mount Prospect Park
Incorporating the second highest point in Brooklyn, the location of Mount Prospect Park also served as a historic site during the Revolutionary War. It was the place that General Washington’s Continental Army used as a vantage point to spy on British ships in the New York Harbor. Like Fort Greene Park, 7.7-acre Mount Prospect Park was also designed by Olmstead and Vaux, but originally it was part of the larger Prospect Park, which lies across western boundary Flatbush Avenue. Olmstead and Vaux felt that the two spaces should be separate, and today the Avenue cleanly bisects them. In the 1850s, Brooklyn built a reservoir on this spot to supply the borough’s western portion. This became what is a main playground in the park today. Later, the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens were built on the Mount Prospect Park’s grounds.
Mount Prospect Park has off-leash hours for dogs that are the same as most NYC parks’ — between sunrise and 9 a.m. and from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dog owners generally say this park has a secluded feel, with tall trees, quiet and shade. Many report that it’s a nice alternative (with some even calling it “a well-kept secret”) to Prospect Park, which is immediately opposite. Some people hold a puppy play group before 9 a.m. and in the early evenings of weekdays in the big center field. The park features playgrounds for kids, water fountains and restroom facilities, but lacks the free WiFi hotspots of other parks (however, adjacent Prospect Park has them).
Shore Park and Parkway
As its name suggests, Shore Park and Parkway is a narrow strip of land between Shore Road and the Belt Parkway, in Brooklyn’s extreme southwest corner of Bay Ridge. Measuring 58 acres, the park is close to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the southern end and affords postcard views of the span along with those of Staten Island, the Statue of Liberty and Coney Island.
Like Fort Greene Park and Mount Prospect Park, Shore Park has a designated off-leash area. It runs between 4th Avenue and 69th Street and has standard off-leash hours of sunrise to 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Most dog owners report few people or dogs in this park, but still feel safe. The park features playgrounds, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, tennis courts, handball courts, restroom facilities, and spray showers. Numerous eateries can be found on the eastern edge of the area along Shore Road, and the park is a great place to bike, run, catch the ocean breeze, or just watch the sunset.
Dog Park Rules
Be aware that in all New York City parks, dog owners are required to carry proof of their dog license and of their canine’s vaccination against rabies when with their dogs — violations can result in a fine. All dogs must be on a leash of less than six feet except in designated off-leash areas and dog runs; waste must be picked up and disposed of appropriately. Dogs should be prevented from chasing squirrels, birds, and other animals and are not permitted in fountains, play spaces, sports fields, beaches, zoos, and bathing and pool areas. See New York City’s official Department of Parks and Recreation website for detailed dog rules.
2 Point Highlight
If you’re a dog owner desiring to live Brooklyn, there are a number of excellent parks featuring off-leash areas and dog runs that your canine companion will love. Here are five Brooklyn dog parks that we think make a “Best of” list for our furry friends.
