At the city of Columbia, we strive to live up to our vision to make our community the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play. This vision carries over to our four-legged friends as well!
The Columbia Parks and Recreation Department offers many services for our canine friends and their owners, from leash-free areas to dog parks to programs designed specifically for dogs and their owners. The city has three fenced dog parks and two leash-free areas. To keep these areas clean and safe for everyone, we ask that owners follow the rules of etiquette posted at CoMo.gov and at the dog parks. Dogs that are off leash must be under the control of the owner and we ask residents to be respectful pet owners. City ordinance requires that handlers remove droppings from any area visited and dispose of any trash.
Except for these areas described below, dogs must be on a leash in all city parks and trails.
Dog Parks
Garth Nature Area, 2799 N. Garth Ave., offers dogs and their owners a three-acre fenced, leash-free area with a pond, picnic tables and restroom. Garth Nature Area serves as a trailhead for the Bear Creek Trail and is easily accessible to the public. The nature area provides an extensive set of trails that are great for exercising an active pup!
Trail users can travel west on the Bear Creek Trail from Garth Nature Area to Cosmo Park (2.5 miles) or travel east on the Bear Creek from Garth Nature Area to Albert-Oakland Park (2.3 miles).
Located in Northeast Columbia, Indian Hills Park, 5009 Aztec Blvd., boasts a 1.5-acre fenced dog park on the west side of the park off the parking lot. You can access the park from west of Aztec Boulevard and east from Sandrock Drive. The dog park does not include water access, which is beneficial for some pet owners and dogs.
Twin Lakes Recreation Area, 2500 Chapel Hill Rd. is designed to offer three areas for dogs. The Lakeside Dog Park is 3.9 acres and is open for dogs of all sizes in the spring, summer, and fall. It is fenced on three sides with the lake serving as the fourth boundary. The Paws Pond Dog Park is for smaller dogs no taller than eighteen inches at shoulder height. There is a small pond in this area.
The third area of the dog park is the only one that stays all year long. There is no water in this dog park, and it accommodates dogs of all sizes. This is the only dog park open during the winter season to help safeguard dogs from falling through lake ice in the other two areas.
Leash Free Areas
Cosmo Park, 1615 Business Loop 70 W., is Columbia’s largest municipal park. The north end of Cosmo Park includes approximately seventy acres where dogs can run leash free.
Grindstone Nature Area, 2011 Old Hwy. 63 S., is a leash-free area for dogs (except on the Hinkson Creek Trail), with more than five miles of nature trails to run, walk and explore!
City rules require that all owners keep their dogs within voice command as these areas are very busy with other hikers and bikers.
Events
Parks and Recreation offers two events in the fall designed just for dogs. The Pooch Plunge is traditionally held on the Tuesday after Labor Day and marks the end of the summer at Albert-Oakland Family Aquatic Center. After the pool closes for the summer, the dogs get to swim with their humans watching nearby.
Yappy Hour is an event held in October at Twin Lakes Recreation Area. The event includes dog-related booths, activities, contests, craft beer, food trucks and more. More details about both these events will be available in the fall edition of the Parks and Recreation Leisure Times activity guide set to come out Aug. 14.
For more details about Parks and Recreation programs, dog parks, off-leash areas and more, visit CoMo.gov.
Gabe Huffington is the director of Columbia’s Parks and Recreation Department.
