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Things to Do > Activities and Facilities > Dog Runs

Dogs in New York City Parks

You and your dog are welcome in New York City parks! There are numerous opportunities to enjoy the outdoors with your dog. Just remember to be safe, obey the rules, and respect the park and others.

images of city dogs

 

With proof of current dog license and rabies vaccination, owners can allow dogs to run off-leash in certain designated areas from the time the park opens until 9 a.m. AND from 9 p.m. until the park closes. Continue reading rules & regulations.
This guide outlines rules and suggestions, so that all New Yorkers can enjoy our nearly 29,000 acres of parkland.

 

Where to Go With Your Dog

There are four designations for areas within parkland.

No dogs allowed: Dogs are not permitted in these areas at any time. These areas include playgrounds, zoos, swimming pools/facilities, bathing areas/beaches*, fountains, ballfields, or on basketball/handball/tennis courts.

Dogs must be on leash at all times: Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times when in these areas.

Dog Runs: Dog runs are large, fenced-in areas for dogs to exercise unleashed. Created with the expertise of a Parks Department landscape architect and volunteers, the runs encourage play while supplying good drainage, safe lighting, and healthy plantings.

Designated Off-Leash Areas: Certain park areas allow dogs to be off-leash from the time the park opens until 9 a.m. AND from 9 p.m. until the park closes. Dog owners/attendants with dogs off-leash in these designated areas must obey all general rules, including having their dog under control at all times, licensing the dog, and carrying proof of the dog's rabies vaccination. Parks that contain designated off-leash areas are listed by borough below. Reminder: Off-leash rules do not apply to park areas where dogs are strictly prohibited (e.g. playgrounds, tennis courts, athletic fields, and basketball/handball courts).

 

Alley Pond Park

Address: Grand Central Parkway/Winchester Boulevard/Kingsbury Avenue
Type: Off-Leash

Astoria Park

Type: Off-Leash

Baisley Pond Park

Address: Between119th and 123rd avenues
Type: Off-Leash

Baisley Pond Park

Address: Lakevien Lane between Foch Boulevard and Lakeview Lane East
Type: Off-Leash

Bayswater Park

Type: Off-Leash

Crocheron Park

Address: By gazebos, west of 35 Avenue & Cross Island Parkway
Type: Off-Leash

Cunningham Park

Address: 193rd Street between Aberdeen Road & Radnor Road
Type: Run

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Type: Off-Leash

Forest Park

Address: 85 Street and 84 Street and Park Lane South
Type: Off-Leash

Forest Park Dog Run

Address: Park Lane South & 85th Street
Type: Run

Juniper Valley Park

Type: Off-Leash

La Guardia Landing Lights

Type: Off-Leash

Landing Lights

Address: Grand Central Parkway, 81 Street & 82 Street & Astoria Boulevard, 23 Avenue 84, 24 thru 30 Avenues, 77 Street through 81 Street
Type: Off-Leash

Little Bay Dog Run

Address: North side of the Cross Island Parkway & Utopia Parkway
Type: Run

MacNeil Park

Address: Mainly zone #1
Type: Off-Leash

Murray Playground

Address: 21st Street & 45th Road (southeastern side of the park)
Type: Run

Queensbridge Park

Type: Off-Leash

Rainey Park

Type: Off-Leash

Ralph DeMarco Park

Type: Off-Leash

Rockaway Comm Park

Address: Almeda Avenue between Beach 51st Street and Beach 54th Street
Type: Off-Leash

Rockaway Freeway Dog Park

Address: Rockaway Freeway and Beach 84th Street
Type: Run

Sherry Park

Address: Queens Boulevard, 65 Place, and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Type: Run

Springfield Park

Type: Off-Leash

Underbridge Playground

Address: 64th Avenue/64th Road on Grand Central Parkway service road
Type: Run

Veteran's Grove

Address: Judge Street & Whitney Avenue (south side of Park)
Type: Run

Windmuller Park (Doughboy Plaza)

Address: Woodside Avenue, 54-56 streets
Type: Run

Yellowstone Park

Address: Sitting area located at 68 Road and Yellowstone Boulevard.
Type: Off-Leash
Notes: Hours: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. only

Allison Park

Address: Field at the end of the trail bordered by Prospect Avenue, Sailors Snug Harbor Cemetery, and the pond.
Type: Off-Leash

Arthur Von Briesen Park

Address: Lawn area, mid-park right side
Type: Off-Leash

Clove Lakes Park

Address: Royal Oak Road & Rice Avenue (lawn oval above the picnic area)
Type: Off-Leash

Clove Lakes Park

Address: Brookside Avenue between Alpine Court & Kingsley Avenue (lawn area)
Type: Off-Leash

Clove’s Tail Park

Address: Lawn area, corner of Victory Boulevard & Little Clove Road
Type: Off-Leash

Conference House Park

Address: Saterlee Street and Hylan Boulevard
Type: Off-Leash

Cozzens Woods Park

Address: Page Avenue between Hylan Boulevard & Amboy Road
Type: Off-Leash

Crescent Beach Park

Address: Armstrong Avenue off Hylan Boulevard
Type: Off-Leash

Evergreen Park

Address: Greaves Avenue & Evergreen Street
Type: Off-Leash

Father Macris Park

Type: Off-Leash

Last Chance Pond Park

Type: Off-Leash

Lemon Creek Park

Address: Seguine Avenue, off Hylan Boulevard
Type: Off-Leash

Midland Beach Park

Type: Off-Leash

Ocean Breeze Park

Type: Off-Leash

Silver Lake Park

Address: Victory Boulevard below the pavilion, across from the Parkview Apartments
Type: Run

South Beach Park

Type: Off-Leash

Willowbrook Park

Type: Off-Leash

Wolfe's Pond Park Dog Run

Address: End of Huguenot & Chester avenues
Type: Run

Asser Levy Park

Address: Surf Avenue, Sea Breeze Avenue, West 5th Street, Ocean Parkway
Type: Off-Leash

Breukelen Park

Address: All areas excluding the playground and ballfields
Type: Off-Leash

Brooklyn Bridge Park

Address: Adams Street and N/S Plymouth Street
Type: Run

Brooklyn War Memorial

Address: Cadman Plaza Park, Cadman Plaza West & East & Prospect Street
Type: Off-Leash

Canarsie Park

Address: All areas excluding the playground, ballfields, and Natural Areas.
Type: Off-Leash

Cooper Park

Address: Olive Street and Maspeth Avenue
Type: Run

DiMattina Park

Address: Hicks & Woodhull streets
Type: Run

Dyker Beach Park

Address: 7th Avenue and 86th Street
Type: Run

Dyker Beach Park

Address: Cropsey Avenue, Bay 8th Street, and Poly Place
Type: Off-Leash

Fort Greene Park

Address: DeKalb Avenue & Washington Park
Type: Off-Leash

Friends Field Park

Address: East 4th Street, Avenue L, and McDonald Avenue
Type: Off-Leash

Fulton Park

Type: Off-Leash

Grand Ferry Park

Type: Off-Leash

Herbert Von King Park

Address: Marcy Avenue & Lafayette Avenue
Type: Off-Leash

Herbert Von King Park

Address: Marcy Avenue & Lafayette Avenue
Type: Run

Hillside Park

Address: Columbia Heights & Middagh Street
Type: Run

J.J. Byrne Memorial Park

Address: 3rd to 4th streets, 4th to 5th avenues
Type: Run

John Paul Jones Park

Address: 4th Avenue and 101st Street
Type: Off-Leash

Kaiser Park

Address: Neptune Avenue between West 24th Street & Bayview Avenue, Coney Island Creek
Type: Off-Leash

Leif Ericson Park

Address: 67th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue
Type: Off-Leash

Lincoln Terrace Park

Address: Eastern Parkway between Buffalo and Rochester avenues
Type: Off-Leash

Macri Square Park

Address: Union Turnpike and Metropolitan Avenue
Type: Off-Leash
Notes: Off-leash dogs are permitted throughout this small park.

Manhattan Beach

Address: East of Ocean Avenue, North Shore Rockaway inlet
Type: Run

Marine Park

Address: All areas excluding the playgrounds, ballfields, and Natural Areas.
Type: Off-Leash

McCarren Park

Address: North 12th Street, Driggs Avenue and Union Avenue
Type: Run

McGolrick Park

Address: North Henry Street and Driggs Avenue
Type: Run

McKinley Park

Address: Fort Hamilton Parkway, 7th Avenue, 73rd Street to 75th Street
Type: Off-Leash

Mount Prospect Park

Address: Eastern Parkway between Washington and Underhill avenues
Type: Off-Leash

Owls Head Park

Address: 68th Street and Shore Road
Type: Run

Palmetto Playground

Address: Columbia Place & State Street
Type: Run

Prospect Park

Address: Middle & Upper Long Meadow (excludes ballfield area in the Lower Long Meadow), Nethermead, Peninsula.
Type: Off-Leash

Shore Road Park

Address: Shore Road, 4th Avenue to 69th Street
Type: Off-Leash

Sunset Park

Address: Sunset Park Oval lawn area only, center of park 44th Street, 41st Street, 6th Avenue
Type: Off-Leash

Bronx Park

Address: Unionport & Sagamore on Bronx Park East to 233rd Street 
Type: Off-Leash

Claremont Park

Type: Off-Leash

Crotona Park

Address: Except for playgrounds and other areas where dogs are expressly prohibited via signage, all areas of the park are off-leash during designated hours.
Type: Off-Leash

DeVoe Park

Address: 192nd & Jerome Avenue
Type: Off-Leash

Ewen Park

Address: Riverdale to Johnson avenues, south of West 232nd Street
Type: Run

Frank S. Hackett Park

Address: Riverdale Avenue at Henry Hudson Parkway
Type: Run

Franz Sigel Park

Address: Center of the park, just north of the ballfields which would line up with around 155th Street.
Type: Run

Henry Hudson Park

Address: Kappock Street and Independence Avenue
Type: Off-Leash

Hylan Park

Address: Except for playgrounds and other areas where dogs are expressly prohibited via signage, all areas of the park are off-leash during designated hours.
Type: Off-Leash

Joseph Rodham Drake

Type: Off-Leash

Macombs Dam Park

Type: Off-Leash

Mullaly Park

Type: Off-Leash

Pelham Bay Park

Address: Middletown Road & Stadium Avenue, northwest of parking lot.
Type: Run
Notes: The dog run at Pelham Bay Park is closed to Watt Avenue and Middletown Road. Both streets merge at the entrance to the parking lot on Middletown Road. The dog run is about 100 yards east of that point.

Richman (Echo) Park

Type: Off-Leash

Riverdale Park

Address: Palisade Avenue from West 232 Street to West 254 Street
Type: Off-Leash

Seton Park

Address: West 232nd Street & Independence Avenue
Type: Run

Siren Slope Park

Address: Bailey Avenue and West 230 Street
Type: Off-Leash

Spuyten Duyvil Park

Address: Palisade Avenue and Independence Avenue
Type: Off-Leash

St. James Park

Address: 92nd & Jerome Avenue
Type: Off-Leash
Notes: St. James closes at 9:00 p.m. and opens at 7:00 a.m. Therefore, the off-leash policy only applies between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.

Tremont Park

Address: Except for playgrounds and other areas where dogs are expressly prohibited via signage, all areas of the park are off-leash during designated hours.
Type: Off-Leash

University Woods Park

Type: Off-Leash

Van Cortlandt Park

Address: Broadway and 252 Street
Type: Run

Wallenberg Forest Park

Address: Palisade Avenue, Douglas Avenue, West 235 Street
Type: Off-Leash

Williamsbridge Oval

Address: 3225 Reservoir Oval East
Type: Run

Carl Schurz Park (2 runs)

Address: East End Avenue to East River from Gracie Square (East 84th Street) to 89th Street
Type: Run

Central Park

Address: See brochure.
Type: Off-Leash

Chelsea Waterside Park

Address: 11th Ave and 22nd Street
Type: Run
Notes: *Please note: this dog run is administered by the Hudson River Park Trust.
More information.

Coleman Oval Park

Address: Pike and Monroe streets
Type: Run

DeWitt Clinton Park (2 runs)

Address: West 52nd Street & West 54th Street, between 10th & 11th avenues
Type: Run

East River Park

Address: Next to tennis courts between Delancey and Houston
Type: Off-Leash

Fish Bridge Park

Address: Dover Street, between Pearl & Water Street
Type: Run

Fort Tryon Park

Address: Margaret Corbin Drive
Type: Run

Ft. Washington Park

Address: 165th Street & Riverside Drive
Type: Off-Leash

Highbridge Park

Address: Amsterdam and Fort George avenues
Type: Run

Hudson River Park (Greenwich Village)

Address: Leroy Street at the northeast corner of Pier 40
Type: Run
Notes: More information.

Hudson River Park (North Chelsea)

Address: Pier 84 at West 44th Street
Type: Run
Notes: More information.

Inwood Hill Park

Address: Dyckman Street and Payson Avenue
Type: Run
Notes: Because Inwood is designated a Forever Wild site, dogs are permitted off leash ONLY in the dog run AND at Dyckman Street & Hudson River (on the south end of the ballfields).

J. Hood Wright

Address: Fort Washington & Haven avenues, West 173rd Street
Type: Run

Madison Square Park

Address: Madison Avenue to 5th Avenue between East 23rd Street & East 26th Street
Type: Run

Marcus Garvey Park

Address: Madison Avenue and East 120th Street
Type: Run

Morningside Park

Address: Morningside Avenue between 114th and 119th streets
Type: Run

Peter Detmold Park

Address: West of FDR Drive, between East 49th & East 51st streets
Type: Run

Randalls Island Park

Address: Except for areas where dogs are expressly prohibited via signage, all areas of the park are off-leash during designated hours.
Type: Off-Leash
Notes: Off-leash hours for the island are 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Riverside Park (3 runs)

Address: Riverside Drive at West 72nd, West 87th, West 105th
Type: Run
Notes: Dog Owners' Guide to Riverside Park

Robert Moses Park

Address: 41st & 42nd streets at 1st Avenue
Type: Run

St. Nicholas Park

Address: St Nicholas Avenue to St. Nicholas Terrace, West 128th to West 141 streets
Type: Run

Theodore Roosevelt Park

Address: Central Park West at West 81st Street
Type: Run

Thomas Jefferson Park

Address: East 112th Street and FDR Drive
Type: Run

Tompkins Square Park

Address: 1st Avenue to Avenue B, from East 7th to East 10th streets
Type: Run
Accessible

Union Square Dog Run

Address: 15th Street & Union Square West
Type: Run

Washington Square Park

Address: 5th Avenue, Waverly Place, West 4th Street, between McDougal & Thompson streets, south side of the park (behind building)
Type: Run
 
 

Obey the Rules and Regulations

  • Dogs must be on a leash (no more than six feet long) at all times, except in dog runs and designated off-leash areas at prescribed times.

    •  

  • You must pick up after your dog and dispose of the waste in containers provided throughout the park.
  • You must prevent your dog from chasing birds, squirrels, and other animals.
  • Dogs are never allowed in playgrounds, zoos, swimming pools/facilities, bathing areas/beaches*, fountains, ballfields, or on basketball/handball/tennis courts.

    • *In the off-season, the Commissioner may use his discretion to permit dogs in bathing areas/beaches.

From May 1 to October 1: Pursuant to Park Rules and Regulations, dogs are not allowed to enter any bathing facilities, including New York City beaches. However, as a courtesy, leashed dogs are allowed on the sand and boardwalk at Rockaway Beach, Coney Island & Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Midland Beach, and South Beach from October 1 until May 1.

No dogs are allowed on the sand at all New York City beaches. Leashed dogs are allowed on the boardwalk/promenade at Coney Island, Brighton, Midland, South, and Manhattan Beaches.

See complete rules and regulations

Respect the Park and Others

Keep an eye on your dog at all times. Only you are responsible for your dog’s actions. Please remember that other park visitors may be afraid of your dog. Do not allow your dog to run and jump on other people or dogs without an invitation.

Do not allow your dog to drink from Park fountains, unless a special dog fountain is provided.

Be good to the grass. Heavy use in a given area compacts soil and damages the turf. Keep walking – you’ll see more and do less damage.

Please keep off wet grass. During and after a rainfall, topsoil is 20 times more vulnerable to compaction.

Rabies Vaccination and Dog Licensing

IT’S THE LAW. New York State law requires that dogs be vaccinated against rabies, and the New York City Health Code requires every dog owner/attendant carry with them proof of current dog license and rabies vaccination while in public. Dog owners may be fined for violation of these laws. To obtain an application for a dog license, contact the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene or call 311. You may also obtain an application from a veterinarian, animal shelter, or pet shop.

 

Resources

Keep your dog healthy and happy. Take your dog to a veterinarian for annual physical exams and innoculations against rabies and other diseases.

• Contact Animal Care and Control at (212) 788-4000 for information about spaying or neutering, or visit them at www.nycacc.org.
• To report a problem or make suggestions, call 311.

 

 

City Dog Groups

 

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