This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Dog Parks and Dog-Friendly Destinations in Connecticut

Nobody likes to leave Fido home, which is good because virtually all dogs enjoy a good car ride! We wrote recently about how to travel safely with your dog  and what some great car accessories are for canine comfort. So now, where should you bring your dog? Connecticut offers some great dog parks and lots of dog-friendly destinations to enjoy with your pooch.

Simsbury/Avon Area Dog Parks

Just up the road from the Hoffman Auto Park (located on the Avon/Canton line) is Nod Brook, just off Route 10 on the Simsbury/Avon line. It’s not technically a “dog park,” it’s a multi-use Wildlife Management Area (WMA) with 137 unfenced acres. It’s a great place for dogs to romp as well as swim. Nod Brook is so dog-friendly that it is one of only four designated Dog Training Areas in Connecticut for field trial enthusiasts. The park is closed to the public when official trainings are in session so make sure to check the schedule.  It’s a great place for well-trained dogs who will come back when you call them! If that’s not your dog, consider driving a little further north to the Granby Dog Park on Salmon Brook Street. It’s fully fenced, has a mulch surface and sports a double safety gate – a great security option for dogs that like to bolt!


New Haven Area Dog Parks

If you live in the New Haven area, take a drive to Hamden for another fenced-in dog park option on Waite Street, just off of the Merritt Parkway.

A walking path around the Hamden Dog Park’s perimeter gives you a chance to exercise while your dog plays. A popular Connecticut dog hang-out, it offers picnic tables for humans and water bowls for canines.

The Cascades at Lake Mohigan is also a gorgeous place to drive to and hike with your dog. Wooded trails surrounding a lake lead to a waterfall called The Cascades.

Find out what's happening in Avonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

New London Area Dog Parks

Local dog owners seem pretty partial to Central Bark Dog Park at Copp Family Park in Groton. It’s an active dog park with a special spot for smaller dogs. There are chairs and tables for human companions, and decent shade trees which both people and pooches appreciate in the summertime!
In Norwich, there’s a great dog park known as Estelle Cohn Memorial Dog Park (also called Pawsitive Park), which was started with a gift of $10,000 from Estelle’s husband. This dog park has a full fenced in acre! It even has wading pools and a separate area for smaller dogs.  Estelle Cohn Memorial Dog Park is very pretty and is supported by PawsitivePark.com
Stenger Farm Dog Park at Clark Lane and Norman Street in Waterford is another great spot offering separate areas for small and large dogs. (But bring water, because shade is limited!) 
Just north of there is the Colchester Dog Park, a great mulched play park with a separate small dog play area. This is its second summer in existence, so go support this great new Connecticut dog park.


Central Connecticut Dog Parks

Another fairly new park opened a few summers ago in Middlefield, on the King Property at Lake Beseck; visitors simply rave about it. There are 75 acres of “rompability” with a separate small dog area and lots of wooded areas for shade. The park was a group success, launched by Middlefield Dog Owners Group and an ambitious Middlefield boy scout who reportedly enlisted the Middlefield Conservation Commission to help him achieve this amazing Eagle Scout project!
Bristol’s BARK Park (at Rockwell Park) offers your best friend a stream to romp through and a separate small dog play area. They don’t allow kids under 12, though.

If you’re closer to Hartford, check out theWethersfield Dog Park on Prospect Street, located in the Mill Woods Park. They loaded this dog park with amenities including running water, dog toys, clean up stations, benches and picnic tables. There’s even a message board.

For a full interactive listing of Connecticut dog parks near you, check out www.doggoes.com.  If we didn’t mention a dog park in Connecticut that you and your dog enjoy, please let us know about it so we can spread the word!

Find out what's happening in Avonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Through DrivenCT, Hoffman Auto Group's goal is to help educate motorists on how to get the most life out of their vehicles. We provide useful information on the newest models and how to care for them, fun destinations to drive them to, and what performance products are worth buying and which ones aren’t. All of our articles feature insight and knowledge from the experts in the automotive industry – our employees.  Many of our employees are direct contributors to our articles, and are featured sources.To read more from our blog visit 
www.drivenct.com
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?