About SF Dog Parks

Bella, the dog who started it all.

San Francisco is a great place to live... for humans. Our dogs aren't so sure. To them the City by the Bay can mean lots of concrete, car exhaust and walking around city blocks on a leash. Luckily, San Francisco has some great parks where dogs can run off-leash and their owners can enjoy the city's natural setting and skyline. The hard part is knowing where to go.

I started SF Dog Parks about 20 years ago, when I lived in San Francisco with my dog and spent a lot of time figuring out where in the city a dog could actually run. I hiked the parks, took the photos you'll see here, and wrote up what each one was like.

I still have a home in San Francisco and get back regularly, so I've brought the site back, rebuilt from the ground up. It covers every official city dog play area plus the big federal off-leash spots on the coast.

Every listing is checked against San Francisco Recreation & Park and National Park Service sources. Each page links to the official page so you can confirm hours and closures before you go.

This site is independent. It isn't affiliated with the city or the Park Service, and it's supported by advertising and affiliate links. Our park descriptions are never paid for.

Spotted something out of date, or know a park we should add? Let us know.