Willamette Park Off-Leash Dog Area

This dog park is about 20 yards from where you park to enjoy Willamette Park itself. The dog park is exposed and is dirt not grass. Frankly, it is much more fun to walk on the parkway itself. See the description of this walkway below. Wherever you walk your dog, be sure you pick up its poop. This is a remarkable park and walkway along the Willamette River close to downtown Portland. It is a lovely respite from busy streets. It offers an excellent place to stroll, run, and bike. It is also a fine place to walk your dog. There are periodic little beaches to take your dog down to the river itself.

This dog park is 100% sand/dirt mix, fully fenced with solid latching gates and plumbed water (July). In the summertime this park is quite dusty and hot. There is extreme minimal shading. Well manicured and watered lawns OUTSIDE the fenced-in dog park. The trails OUTSIDE the dog park are great. I'm giving 2 stars to the actual dog park. You can see from my photos (late summer afternoon) that my dog is running to the 18-24" of shade along the fence line where she could cool down. One picnic table in the space for humans. One larger shady area by the water. Parking is a paid lot until 5pm.

This is a nice enclosed park that appears well maintained. Overall it is really just a dirt corral where dogs run around together. Not ideal if you are looking for a more forested setting. I don’t think it deserves 5 stars as you have to pay for parking and there is but a lonely honey bucket for facilities.

Moving this to the top because I am finding a new wave of glass here.. Posting pictures of them now and I will keep adding more photos of the glass. About the dirt.. I have personally found no less than 40 pieces of glass in this park and counting(over the course of a year coming here since it opened). I believe they use a baseball park mix with ground glass in it. Meaning all this glass came from the city in the dirt they choose! Terrible terrible idea Portland parks!! Use sand like they have at Gabriel winter park. Far better choice! Aside from that, this dog park is one of the best in Portland! The dirt is a mix that doesn't get too muddy and the drainage is much better than most in the area. The park is fully fenced and there are even lights for after dark! There is water on site (turned off for the winter). Both gates are double gates. Almost everyone picks up after their dog. Most owners are attentive and actually watch their dogs. Dedicated parking lot, though it is pay to park. Then left when entering to find it.

Lovely flat park,with concrete pathways. Large fenced dog park, large boat launch, hidden kayak beaches & Huge Grassy fields with occasional benches, a few tables, flocks of geese and plenty of parking