Hiking trails with no dogs allowed (Denver, Boulder: transplants, apartment complex, living in)

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by pikabike

This one is not close to you, either, but I believe dogs are prohibited at Roxborough State Park. The trails are gorgeous. Also: Waterton Canyon, while essentially a wide dirt road, is dog-free and, yes, they do enforce it.

National parks do not allow dogs on hiking trails, although they still allow them inside the parks, which seems strange. There is ALWAYS a barker at the campgrounds. And whenever I see the doting doggie grandmas and grandpas walking their dog, I ALWAYS know it is to crap them.

It would still be good for your son to overcome his fear, as dogs are brought into so many places, legal or not.

Forgot about Roxborough. Good call!

[Good Red Road]

Originally Posted by Timmyy

I disagree that many dog owners are lazy out here. I think you just notice the ones that are.

.

Unfortunately there are too many lazy dog owners out there, and it's the responsible dog owners that get penalized. The park service closed Elk Meadows dog park earlier this year because people simply weren't picking up after their animals. I can only imagine more closures and increasing restrictions as the population continues to grow, and that's a shame for the folks who have been responsible with their pets all along.


Evergreen dog park will likely close over health, safety and hundreds of pounds of dog poop – The Denver Post

[Vision67]

OP: I live next to a park and I enjoy going there for morning walks. Although this city does have a leash law, it's not enforced. While doing the 1 mile walk on the path around the park at 7 AM, I usually encounter about 3-4 people who are walking with their dogs but the dogs are always off leash.

I am not afraid of dogs; heck I prefer most dogs to people. Usually, the dog will just come up to me to say hello but I could see how a child might become scared if they were not familiar with dogs.

I'd encourage you to help your child overcome their fear. I don't think you will be able to get everybody to put their dogs on a leash.

[N610DL]

Originally Posted by pikabike

I agree with you about owners needing to take full responsibility for their dogs' behavior. But bad dog owners exist in many other places besides CO. I'm so fed up with them that it is making me become not so fond of dogs. I can see how people turn into dog haters.

I agree - in suburban New Jersey where I grew up, some folks would be too dependent on the collar electric "fence" on their properties. Those sort of systems can't really exist in apartment complexes, not to mention most owners probably won't want to pay for one.

Regarding the pro-dog thing in CO: I'm not going to pretend that my love for dogs hasn't decreased a bit since I've been here and it's only because of the bad dog owners.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by N610DL

I agree - in suburban New Jersey where I grew up, some folks would be too dependent on the collar electric "fence" on their properties. Those sort of systems can't really exist in apartment complexes, not to mention most owners probably won't want to pay for one.

Regarding the pro-dog thing in CO: I'm not going to pretend that my love for dogs hasn't decreased a bit since I've been here and it's only because of the bad dog owners.

Funny, but my love of dogs went down after observing the dog-fanatic bad owners in the Puget Sound region. The good ones were wonderful; it's just that they can't compensate for the bad ones. And the good ones don't want to "get the others in trouble" because they are afraid all dogs will be restricted. Yet if they do not speak up, that's exactly what could happen. This really should be bad owner vs good owner, not owner vs nonowner.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Funny, but my love of dogs went down after observing the dog-fanatic bad owners in the Puget Sound region. The good ones were wonderful; it's just that they can't compensate for the bad ones. And the good ones don't want to "get the others in trouble" because they are afraid all dogs will be restricted. Yet if they do not speak up, that's exactly what could happen. This really should be bad owner vs good owner, not owner vs nonowner.

My wife and I don't hesitate calling out other dog owners that don't pick up after their dogs. It benefits all of us owners and keeps everything clean and healthy. I think a lot of people that take their dogs on the trails have the mentality that since they are on trails there is no need to pick up after them. These dog owners are the minority. I agree, they will eventually ruin it for all of us.

[N610DL]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Funny, but my love of dogs went down after observing the dog-fanatic bad owners in the Puget Sound region. The good ones were wonderful; it's just that they can't compensate for the bad ones. And the good ones don't want to "get the others in trouble" because they are afraid all dogs will be restricted. Yet if they do not speak up, that's exactly what could happen. This really should be bad owner vs good owner, not owner vs nonowner.

I kind of wonder: Has there ever been a large city in the U.S. in recent times that has put strong restrictions on dogs?

Naturally in other places I've lived like the NYC area or L.A. the owners seem to be more responsible because they are concerned about getting run over by cars and whatnot. But I haven't seen that at all around here.

I kind of think that eventually there will be harsher fines on leash violations and dog poop, but I can't see Denver really "cracking down."

[pikabike]

When I was a young adult in Boston, every spring the thaws would result in the most gawdawful stench. All those heaps of repeatedly shoveled/plowed/melted/refrozen snow mixed with dog poop didn't magically vanish or decompose. They turned into gigantic poop parfaits.

That was BEFORE so many people kept dogs in the city. I hate to think what it is like now.

[hikernut]

Heil Vally Ranch, just north of Boulder. Pets are not allowed on trails. I've never been, as we have dogs, so I can't say if it's well enforced.




Edit: Also Hall Ranch, and Caribou Ranch : https://www.bouldercounty.org/open-s...ks-and-trails/

[LostSailor4326]

OP, check out McClintock Trail lower and upper trail. There's no dogs allowed on this small stretch.

https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/dog...ations-by-area