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I recently moved to Westchester - Scarsdale / Edgemont area.
I have spent a lot of time ploughing through the internet trying to find places where I can walk my dog off leash.
So far, I have only been able to find fenced-in dog areas.
That's not really what I'm looking for. Plus all the towns seem to have their own permit systems. Not that I mind paying for a permit but I'd like to find out what's worth it and what isn't.
My dog is a bit on the shy side - he's not one for rough and tumble with other dogs - he tends to keep his distance - but he's a very fit dog and needs to run in open space.
I also like walking myself, so I'm looking for places I can walk with my dog and where he has a bit more freedom than being permanently being leashed 12ft from me.
Off-leash places seem surprisingly hard to come by in Westchester. Where I came from previously, there were dog parks everywhere, so I'm having hard time working out where to go.
I'd really appreciate any recommendations of any kind - even fenced in dog parks if you know of a particularly good one.
I'm also looking for areas where dogs are allowed to swim?
Thanks so much in advance.
Last edited by Cruithne; 03-24-2015 at 09:25 AM..
Reason: typo
On most hiking trails, although off-leash is technically not allowed, you will still find plenty of people walking their dogs off leash. Hardscrabble Wilderness is very popular for dog walking in Briarcliff. Rockefeller Preserve has way too many people on the main loop, but if you go off on the lesser used trails you will be fine off-leash their too. Use your judgment...this is much better with a dog that is going stay close by and you should be able to grab them easily when passing other people/dogs/kids especially. If you don't bother anyone I doubt you will have a problem.
Closer to you maybe look at Saxon Woods, but I don't know from experience.
Gedney Park has some off-leash hours if you are willing to come up that far.
On most hiking trails, although off-leash is technically not allowed, you will still find plenty of people walking their dogs off leash. Hardscrabble Wilderness is very popular for dog walking in Briarcliff. Rockefeller Preserve has way too many people on the main loop, but if you go off on the lesser used trails you will be fine off-leash their too. Use your judgment...this is much better with a dog that is going stay close by and you should be able to grab them easily when passing other people/dogs/kids especially. If you don't bother anyone I doubt you will have a problem.
Closer to you maybe look at Saxon Woods, but I don't know from experience.
Gedney Park has some off-leash hours if you are willing to come up that far.
Thanks!
I have actually tried out Saxon Woods - I'd heard it was one of the places that wasn't really enforced. It was awesome and exactly the type of thing I mean - we only encountered one other person - also with a dog off leash - but this was in the depths of snow so not surprising not many people around.
My dog is really well behaved - I'm more kind of worried about getting a fine? I don't know how common that is here?
Thanks so much for the Gedney Park recommendation. I'd definitely be okay to travel that far. Will I need a special permit for that do you know?
Nice trail. Relatively well marked. Not very scenic however. Pretty brooks, a good variety of trees. Typical westchester fauna - chipmunks, etc. A good amount of hiking up and down, some parts might be slippery after rain. The entire park is unfortunately close to the highways, so you can hear the sounds of cars, trucks, construction from many places in the park. On the other hand the good part is most of the park has good cell phone reception. Suggest you take a map with you (you can snap a picture of it with your phone at the entrance). Seems to be popular with dogs and people who walk them. Unfortunately some people ignore the dogs on a leash only signs.
That just makes me think - yes because there's not much of an alternative provided. I'm sure if Westchester provided off leash spaces people would use them.
Thanks again.
Any other recommendations from others appreciated also....
Ward Acres in New Ro is huge and for $100 as a non resident you can join. Everyone there has their dog off leash it's a bit of a free for all....but there are also small and large dog areas with in it that are fenced in for those who are sure if their dog should interact with all the dogs.
Also Mianus River Park starting somewhere around Greenwich and Stamford is a secluded kind of large rambling park that owners have taken their dogs off leash if you want to feel more alone...both of these places are Huge...Mianus is really huge.
off season at Todds point...Rye Oakland Beach and compo beach in Westport...dogs can go off leash...the Rye one has a small and big dog area...the Todds point is more what you are looking for usually all are Oct 1-End of March dogs can go on these beaches off leash and Todds point is Huge.
I have a dog and I am a realtor so I have to know these things ;-)Hope this helps.
Kathy
I have a question wrt this .. do people who walk their dogs in the woody areas of lower Westchester commonly find ticks on them? I have pretty much kept our dog out of the woods the last year (except the winter) as I don't want to comb her rather excessive amount of fur looking for insect stowaways. Does the urban nature of lower Westchester mean there are less/none? Or are they the fearsome problem they are up north?
Dogs can swim and go off leash at Larchmont Dog Beach, at the end of Beach Ave in Larchmont Manor.
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Dogs off leash
