Austin is one of the most dog friendly cities in the country. We bring our pup to patio restaurants, festivals, parks and on hikes. But sometimes, a dog just needs to run around with other dogs and leave the leashes behind.

But letting her run off-leash in an unfenced area is just a little to scary for my taste especially with her favorite distraction, squirrels, everywhere!

So I was so happy when we found the Cedar Bark Park, just north of Austin in Veterans Memorial Park. This is a BIG dog park! Five entire acres of fenced in, off-leash fun.

Complete with separate play sections for big and little dogs…

And a lake for swimming and ball-chasing…

There’s even a bathing area to clean up muddy pups before they go back in the car. (Trust me, we NEED this part! My dog loves to get wet and then roll!)

The park is free to use, and doesn’t require membership or registration. Everyone is great about keep their dogs under control and heading out if their pet gets grumpy or nervous.

The space is really big, so there’s plenty of room for games of fetch or puppy Frisbee. Benches provide seating for those of us who aren’t four-legged and a few are covered for shade. But they can get muddy, so come dressed to get dirty.

Owners are responsible for cleaning up pet waste, and bags are provided. Puppies under age four months aren’t allowed in the park.

The Specs

Cedar Bark Park
Veteran’s Memorial Park
2525 W. New Hope Drive
Cedar Park, TX  78613

Dawn to dusk except Tuesday (closed 7 am to 4 pm Tuesday)