It’s no secret that all dogs need mental stimulation. One of the best ways is to incorporate a friendly stroll into your pet’s daily schedule. By choosing dog-friendly walking trails in Chicago, your “Fido” will get to see, smell, and hear beyond the comfort of their own backyard.
The dedicated pet care professionals at Green Paws strongly believe in dog owners giving their furry companions lots of exercise to keep them healthy, strong, and alert.
Did you know the Windy City offers amazing, dog-friendly paths in Chicago?
You and your pooch will have fun exploring the community at a dog-friendly park in Chicago and meeting new pet owners and other Fidos along the way. Check out four favorite Green Paws dog walking locations; this is just “scratching the surface.”
Also, note that while we never take our clients’ pups to dog parks for safety and liability reasons, we do often go to dog-friendly parks. We also encourage our clients, if they feel comfortable doing so, to take their pup to a dog park in their neighborhood after evaluating the group dynamics and pet parent involvement before entering the enclosure. Make sure all pet parents are actively engaged with their pet (not distracted on their phones or socializing, etc.) and that the group dynamics of the other pups already in the dog park enclosure feels like the right mix of personalities and play styles to you based upon your own pup’s demeanor towards other dogs. Lastly, always remember that group dynamics can change suddenly and without notice, especially when new humans and pups enter the dog park’s enclosure. Not all dogs are suited for the City’s dog parks and not all pawrents feel comfortable bringing their dogs to dog parks for the reasons just given, which is why we are presenting these dog-friendly park alternatives to dedicated dog parks.
Peggy Notebaert Museum’s Nature Trail
Imagine the wonderful adventures you and your dog will have when you visit the beautiful Nature Trail surrounding the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The building is located in the heart of Lincoln Park and delights visitors of all ages and dog breeds with 1/3 of a mile of trail of paved and loose stone sections surrounding the park’s pond.
The scenic Nature Trail is free and open to the public year-round and features some of Chicago’s greatest wildlife and native plants, including a butterfly and bird garden. This one could become one of your favorite, dog friendly paths in Chicago!
Horner Park Dog Park
Here’s another option for taking your furry friend for a walk into “dog heaven.” Horner Park on Irving Park Road contains a special, dog-friendly area within this large park on the city’s North Side. In addition to the dog-friendly sections of the park, the Horner Park Dog Park includes about an acre of land with some of the area covered in wood chips. This type of surface is beneficial in protecting dog paws from the heat.
The dog park section has benches for pet owners to relax, and there are designated areas for small and large dogs to run free. There’s a water fountain nearby, so owners can fill their dog bowls.
Next to the park, there’s also a nice field for off-leash trained dogs and a walking path that you and your pup can explore. Who doesn’t enjoy dog-friendly trails in Chicago?
LaBagh Woods (North Park)
Your pooch will have a blast taking a stroll through Labagh Woods (North Park), another superb choice in dog-friendly walking trails in Chicago. This dog-friendly park in Chicago is located at the southern start of the famous North Branch Trail. There are several fun things to do for recreation there, and dogs love it, too, as long as your furry companion is on a leash.
LaBagh Woods encompasses some 70,000 acres in Cook County with large open fields, wetlands, sedge meadows, and a whole lot more!
You could also purchase a membership for LaBagh Woods’ three Off-Leash Dog Areas, and let Fido loose. The Forest Preserves allows a maximum of three dogs per member in the off-leash areas.
Lincoln Park Cricket Hill
Green Paws’ fourth on the list of recommended dog-friendly trails in Chicago can be found at Lincoln Park Cricket Hill. This is a fun, action-filled park on the city’s North Side with tons to do. Cricket Hill is famous for kite-flying festivals and sledding in the wintertime.
There’s so much green space and outdoor stimulation to keep your dog excited to navigate through nature’s bounty. It’s a wide, open hill near Montrose Beach with spectacular scenery. You and your dog will never want to leave!
