BUFFALO, N.Y. — Spring is officially here, and with the weather getting warmer, many people are looking to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. But they're not the only ones. Their furry companions are looking to enjoy some fresh air as well.
If you're looking for a new place to take your dog or you want to explore somewhere you haven't been to before, look no further than one of the many dog parks in Western New York.
Click here to view 2 On Your Side's Dog Park Map.
Want to roam a free, off-leash park in the City of Buffalo? Look no further than the Barkyard Dog Park.
Located at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, the Barkyard offers a safe space for dogs to run free. Like most dog parks in the area, the Barkyard offers cooling stations for dogs when they get hot and thirsty.
The Barkyard can be found on D A R Drive, off Porter Avenue, and it is open until dusk.
If you want to stick closer to the Southtowns, check out Knox Farm State Park. Located at 437 Buffalo Road in East Aurora, the dog park at Knox Farm is only a few miles away from NY Route 400.
The Knox Dog Park is one of the biggest dog parks in the area, which consists of a small dog area and two large dog areas. All three areas combined offer 6 acres for dogs to run around off-leash.
For the safety of both people and pets, Knox Farm asks that dogs remain on a leash until they are in the dog park area.
The park is open daily from dawn until dusk.
Another local dog park can be found tucked away on Ellicott Island. Located at 10 Creekside Drive in Amherst, the environmentally-sensitive dog park gives visitors a safe space to run off-leash.
To maintain the turf, the Bark Park temporarily closed for the season in February. Due to a delay with the restroom renovations, the park's opening date for the 2022 season was pushed back a few days. The park is scheduled to open to the public on Friday, May 6.
When the park reopens, it will be accessible daily from dawn until dusk.
After years of planning, the Como Lake Bark Park officially opened to the public in October 2021.
Located at Como Lake Park in Lancaster, the off-leash dog park sits on 1.5 acres of land. The dog park is on Quincy Avenue and sits near Como Lake Park's maintenance buildings close to the Bowen Road entrance to the park.
The park was closed in February to protect the grass and is scheduled to reopen in early May. An exact date hasn't been provided at this time. However, you can view its hours of operation below for when it reopens.
Hours of operation:
- 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day)
- 7 a.m. to dusk (Labor Day through Memorial Day)
- The park is closed Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. for park maintenance
Any closure updates will be posted on the Lancaster Unleashed Facebook page, which can be viewed here.
Located in the City of Buffalo, Black Rock Canal Park's Bark Park offers Western New Yorkers another spot to let their dogs roam off-leash.
The dog park is located at 16 Black Rock Harbor in Buffalo and is divided into two areas — one for small dogs and the other for large dogs. The park notes that dogs over 30 pounds will not be allowed in the small dog area, and dogs under 30 pounds will not be allowed in the large dog area.
For the safety of both people and pets, the Bark Park asks that all dogs remain on a leash until they are in the dog park area.
Hours of operation:
- 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day)
- 7 a.m. to dusk during the winter (Labor Day to Memorial Day)
Barkology, located in Cheektowaga, is Western New York's first and only indoor dog park and bar. Located at 4939 Genesee Street, Barkology offers a doggy daycare during the day and has a bar open on nights and weekends.
Unlike the other dog parks in Western New York, it is not free to bring your pet. According to Barkology's website, it's $10 per visit, or you can purchase a one month or one year pass. Barkology says all passes are limited to two dogs per person.
Hours of operation:
- Monday – Closed
- Tuesday – 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Wednesday – Small dogs only (25 pounds or less)
- Thursday – 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday – 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday – 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday – 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Located in Amherst, the Paw Park offers another safe space for dogs to socialize and run off-leash. The dog park is located at 550 Smith Road in Amherst and is divided into two areas — one for small dogs and the other for large dogs.
According to the park, water is available onsite for pets, except during the winter months. However, for health reasons, pet owners are asked to bring their own water dish (preferably one that is not made of glass).
All dogs must be off-leash when in the dog park area. Pet owners are able to leash and unleash their dogs within the triple-gated sally port.
The park is open daily from dawn until dusk.
If you're looking for a place to let your dog run off-leash in Niagara County, this might just be the spot for you.
The Lewiston Dog Park, located on the Lewiston plateau at Artpark, is a 1.3 acre facility for dogs to run around off-leash. The dog park is located at 400 South 4th Street in Lewiston and is accessible through Artpark's Portage Road entrance.
The park is divided into two separate fenced-in areas — one for small dogs and the other for large dogs. The small dog area is intended for dogs 30 pounds and under, while the large dog area is for dogs that are over 30 pounds.
According to the dog park's Facebook page, both the small dog area and the large dog area feature newly installed exercise equipment.
The park is open daily from dawn until dusk.
Looking for a place to take your dog off-leash in Niagara Falls? We've got just the spot for you.
The first dog park in Niagara Falls opened back in 2019 in the DeVeaux Woods State Park, located at 3100 Lewiston Road. Federal funds were used to purchase and install fencing and other furnishings at the park.
The park is double-gated for safety and is accessible to all dogs. According to Destination Niagara USA, the dog park also features private tracks for dogs who like to run laps.
If you're looking for a spot to take your dog in the Southtowns, Hamburg's off-leash dog park might be the spot for you.
Also called "Rootie's Run," the Hamburg dog park, located at 2900 Lakeview Road, is open year-round from dawn to dusk. Much like other dog parks in the area, the park has a fenced in area to allow dogs to run off-leash in a safe environment.