Chicago's dog-friendly areas

Map of 12 locations in Chicago, Illinois

Chicago's off-leash network is a patchwork: some runs are paved rectangles with a fountain, one is a converted tennis court run by volunteers on a temporary permit, two charge a few dollars a year, and one keeps hours that close before dinner. What decides a trip is usually the small print, so each place here is listed with its surface, its water, its hours where they differ from the standard 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and whether you pay or ask first. Also included are the on-leash walks downtown where a dog can sit at a table instead of waiting outside.

Places in this collection

  • Navy Pier — Dogs on leash are allowed along the pier, and many of the outdoor patios take them, Harry Caray's Tavern included, with water bowls and tre…
  • Chicago Riverwalk — A flat, continuous on-leash walk along the south bank of the Chicago River, at water level and below street traffic. Several of the restaur…
  • Ohio Place Dog Park — Temporarily closed at last listing, with improvement works scheduled from the week of 25 September, so confirm before walking over from Riv…
  • Puptown — A 0.38-acre enclosed run inside Margate Park at Lawrence and Sheridan, surfaced in asphalt and gravel, with a doggie drinking fountain, wat…
  • Wicker Park — The run is 0.14 acres at the intersection of Wicker Park Avenue and Evergreen, inside the park's southwest corner rather than on the Damen…
  • Portage Park — A dog-friendly area that was expanded rather than built from scratch, open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. with a doggie drinking fountain on site. It si…
  • Norwood Park — Hours here are 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., not the 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. that most Chicago dog areas keep, so an early walk will find it shut. Inside…
  • Montrose — The lakefront dog-friendly area at the north end of Montrose Beach, 3.83 acres, where dogs can swim in Lake Michigan rather than stand at a…
  • Jackson Bark — Built into a section of seldom-used tennis courts by the 59th Street courts near Lake Shore Drive and the 59th Street Marina, with benches,…
  • Hamlin Park — The dog-friendly area is a 0.16-acre patch at the northeast corner of Wellington and Hoyne, with a water supply on site and park hours of 6…
  • Grant Park — The off-leash run here, known locally as Grant Bark Park, is a large paved rectangle rather than grass, with a doggie drinking fountain at…
  • Coliseum Park — A Chicago Park District dog-friendly area sharing the block with sports fields on the near South Side, open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. like most cit…

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