Magnuson off leash dog park is about 10 to 15 min away from the University District by car, and your family dog can also get access to water if he or she likes to swim :). Although our Yuna and Yena loves taking a bath in our bathtub at home, they don't like to swim, so we usually skip any swimming area if we visit off leash dog parks like our usual go-to Marymoor dog park.
However, the weather became quite cloudy again last week, so we decided to take our border collies to Warren Magnuson off leash dog park as the park has more gravel than grass. Meaning, the ground doesn't get muddy, which is perfect for our dogs to get some fun even on rainy days without worrying about their paws getting too dirty.
The off leash park is fully fenced all along, and I really love the fact that there are plastic bags and rubbish bins here and there throughout the park, so even if you accidentally forget bringing pooch bags, you can still have an access to spare ones. In other words, the park by itself is quite well-maintained and clean.
Having said that, Spring is here and I just spotted some blackberries growing pretty big right in the middle of the main passage area which I was a little concerned about as some dogs might get hurt from the thorns and could be potentially be hazardous if you don't watch out. I really hope that they will work on this part as soon as possible since those blackberries are very stubborn to get rid of.
Nevertheless, the park has different sections of huge play areas including a specially fenced area for more shy dogs, which I to be a great idea as you have a more closed-off area for better sense of well-being for the shy ones.
There are also benches which you could sit and watch your dogs, so even the elderly could join as those benches are spaced out throughout the park. I love the fact that it gives different options, because you can choose which areas in the park you want to do activities with your dog. Even if you don't want to play with your dog, you can simply take a walk along the path, and it will still give your dog so much fun since there's a lot of traffic (both people and fellow dogs) daily. We always see dogs socialising and playing together, so it isn't necessary to bring your dog's favourite toy.
There's also a washing area at the front, so you can even give your dog a quick spot clean whether it's just his or her paws or from swimming. There's a shared water bowl too, but I don't personally let Yuna and Yena to have water from any shared water bowl just to be safe.
Regardless of the huge space that Warren G. Magnuson off leash park offers, if you are more of a fan of grass, then you wouldn't enjoy the park as much as it's mostly gravel. It has both pros and cons; the air can get very dusty if it's windy, but you won't need to worry about dirty paws when it rains. It's certainly a perfect place for dogs to socialise with both people and other dogs, but the ground may not be an ideal for any activities that has any sliding movements as it could hurt their paws.
And if your dog drools a lot, then the tiny gravels can stick to saliva and your dog can potentially ingest them, which can be hazardous if you don't pay attention carefully. Or what you could do during playing fetch with your dog, you could try to aim perfectly as possible for your dog to catch just like how my man does for Yuna and Yena to minimise the chance of any potential wound. Nevertheless, the park has so much more to give than any other dog parks in the Seattle area, and we would rather take Yuna and Yena to Warren G. Magnuson off leash dog park than to Marymoor off leash dog park especially when it rains.
The Magnuson off-leash area contains 8.6 acres. It is a place where city hounds can romp with buddies in Seattle’s biggest fully-fenced back yard for canines. This off-leash area is the only one inside city limits with water access (Lake Washington’s freshwater shoreline).
The site has a large, generally flat play area, a winding trail with several open areas and changes of scenery along the way, and it gives dog owners and their dogs of all ages plenty of space to “work out”. Most of the trail is compact gravel and is wheelchair accessible.
This off-leash area has a small and shy dog area within the larger dog park. Fencing and signs were installed in coordination with the Magnuson Off Leash Area Group (MOLG). The small/shy dog area is located just to the south of the main entrance kiosk, accessible from NE 74th street.
Magnuson Park’s off-leash area is by far the largest, most popular and most widely used off-leash area in Seattle.
Recommendations
- Majestic Pet Villa Bagel Dog Bed (52 inch/ X-Large/ Ft. Yena's 3rd birthday)
- West Paw Design Zogoflex Zisc Frisbee (Ft. Our Border Collie Yena's 2nd Birthday)
- Marymoor Off-Leash Dog Park & Bath/ Dog Wash (Redmond, WA)
- Willis Tucker Off-leash Dog Park (Snohomish, WA)
- Wilcox Park (Lynnwood, WA/ Ft. Flexi & Kong/ #LoveYourPetDay)
