A look at the Bark Park at Heritage Park in Henderson Saturday, June 18, 2011. The 5-acre park features size appropriate dog areas, and agility course, walking trails, and dog bone-themed benches.
Thursday, June 30, 2011 | 1:55 a.m.
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- Henderson’s Heritage Park goes to the dogs (6-30-2011)
Dog parks are becoming a more common sight around the Las Vegas Valley as pet owners seek places to unleash their dogs and socialize with other animal lovers.
More than two dozen are scattered across the valley in parks managed by Henderson, Las Vegas and Clark County, and several more are planned.
The parks often engender fierce loyalty among friends of pets, who often drive distances to visit their favorite park.
“There’s a real camaraderie between dog owners,” said Jim Foreman of the Clark County Parks and Recreation Department. “If they hit it off at one park, they’ll always go to the same one, even if they have to drive.”
Here’s a list of some of the largest and most popular dog parks:
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/Submitted Photo1 - See Spot Run Dog Park
Boulder City residents previously had to journey to Henderson or Las Vegas to interact with other dog owners, which drove a group of local residents to build their own.
See Spot Run took more than five years of fundraising and planning by community members before opening in April near Veterans’ Memorial Park at the corner of Buchanan Boulevard and Commons Way.
The 3 1/2-acre park features dedicated spaces for small and large dogs, as well as room for events such as private parties and obedience training classes.
Seating and shade are widely available, and fundraising is ongoing to add a clubhouse with restrooms and storage.
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/Submitted Photo2 - Dog Fanciers Park
The 20-acre park at 5800 E. Flamingo Road in Las Vegas is paradise for dogs who love to run. With both fenced and unfenced areas, the dog park is the largest in the valley with lots of grassy open spaces.
“It’s a marquee place. It’s one of the first large ones to be built in town,” said Foreman, an analyst with Clark County Parks and Recreation, which manages the park.
“We have a lot of grass. The smaller the area, the more the grass takes a beating from the dogs … That’s not a problem here,” Foreman said.
Open until 11 p.m. daily, the park features standard dog park amenities like water spigots and plenty of shade, and also hosts regular dog etiquette classes.
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/Submitted Photo3 - Sunset Dog Park
One of the newest in the valley, the dog park at Sunset Regional Park opened this year, replacing an older, smaller park at the site. At 3.5 acres, it is one of the busiest in the Clark County system, featuring separate runs for smaller and larger dogs. Trees and boulders decorate the grassy fields, which sit off Eastern Avenue just north of Warm Springs Road and are open daily until 11 p.m.
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Photo by Conor Shine4 - Barkin’ Basin Dog Park
In the middle of several dusty developments in northwest Las Vegas, the 8-acre Barkin’ Basin Dog Park stands out as a grassy green oasis. One of the largest in the valley, the park features three long, rectangular dog runs that cater to small and large dogs alike. The park is next to Wayne Bunker Park at the intersection of Alexander Road and Tenaya Way, and offers several shaded pavilions with seating for owners and drinking fountains for dogs. Open daily until 9 p.m., the planned installation of lighting throughout the park will allow it to stay open later.
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Photo by Conor Shine5 - Kellogg-Zaher Sports Complex Dog Park
Nestled between the soccer fields and playgrounds at the Charlie Kellogg and Joe Zaher Sports Complex are three expansive dog runs. The park’s gentle grassy swells provide a more varied terrain than many others in the valley. The park, on Washington Avenue near Durango Road, has separate areas for large and small dogs and is open until 9 p.m. daily.
For more information about the dog park at the Kellogg-Zaher Sports Complex, click here.
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Photo by Justin M. Bowen6 - Bark Park at Heritage Park
Designed with dogs and their owners in mind, the award-winning Henderson Bark Park is attached to the new Heritage Park. The site features three dog runs spread over five acres, complete with dog drinking fountains, shaded dog bone-shaped benches and a mix of drought resistant grass and gravel. The park’s designers described the aesthetic as “fun and whimsical,” and an 18-foot-long dog statue dubbed “Barkules” by community members greets visitors in the park’s central plaza.
Additional details on the Bark Park at Heritage Park are available here.
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/Submitted Photo7 - Esselmont Dog Park
The valley’s southernmost dog park, Esselmont is also on the smaller side, occupying less than an acre off Anthem Highlands Drive in Henderson. The lighted park is open until 10 p.m. daily, and has two grassy dog runs with gravel walking paths around the outside.
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/Submitted Photo8 - Cactus Wren Dog Park
Near several other dog parks in Henderson near St. Rose Parkway, Cactus Wren is popular with dog owners for its lighted dog runs and dedicated space for smaller pets. Located at 2900 Ivanpah Drive, the quarter-acre park is open until 10 p.m. daily and features benches and dog drinking fountains.
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