🐾 Kids at the Dog Park: Real Stories, Safety Risks & Smarter Solutions
If you’ve spent time at an off-leash park, you’ve probably seen it:A parent strolls in with a stroller 🚼 or […]
Idlewild Dog Park in Burlington, Kentucky is a spacious, thoughtfully designed park offering multiple fenced areas for dogs to run, play, and socialize off-leash. Conveniently located at 5310 Idlewild Rd, this pet-friendly spot features three dedicated small dog sections (under 30 lbs) and five large dog sections (over 30 lbs), each equipped with covered picnic tables on concrete pads, mesh shade, and water stations. The park’s design includes double-gated entries for improved safety and accessibility for all visitors, including those with mobility needs, thanks to wheelchair-accessible entrances and parking.
What sets Idlewild Dog Park apart is its generous space and flexibility: the various sections can be combined by opening gates, accommodating large groups or allowing dogs to join bigger play areas. There are portable restrooms available near parking, and the grounds are well-maintained by both the community and visitors. While the park is praised for its cleanliness and amenities, some visitors note the lack of natural shade and recommend caution with gravel surfaces for sensitive paw pads. If you’re searching for a dog-friendly place with plenty of room for your pet to exercise, Idlewild Dog Park is a top destination among dog parks in Burlington, KY.
Positives-multiple large areas for dogs to run. Water Stations throughout. Clean, people are picking up after their pets. When other dogs there (rarely), owners and pets friendly.
Negatives- no shade at all. Dogs huddle under the picnic table. Rarely any other dogs there. Location seems barren.
Not impressed. Makes me reminiscent of the old days when it was located where the shelter is currently. Plenty of trees, little sitting areas with roofs, big open area with benches throughout. Oh the old days….
So happy our community got this new dog park. They were very thoughtful with many aspects of it, like the entrance is a long hallway with multiple gates, and gates open both ways. Each section has a water fountain dog bowl which is lovely, and theres a waterbottle refill outside the park. They currently have a large portable restroom by the parking lot. Each section has a picnic table on a concrete pad (no more mud pits!!) with a mesh shade overhead.
It has some room for improvement still.
It has lots of moderately large sized sections, which are divided by gates. So you can open them if you want more room or want to join dog-parties, but smaller dogs CAN slip under the gates when theyre closed. Some sections have gates to the outside which would be concerning for little dogs or escapees. If you’re training or have a reactive dog, be wary of surprise guests. You have to secure all three gates, so double check. You pretty much HAVE to parade past every section if youre trying to get to the back, which can cause a big todo. I do hope they might put some trees in. Dogs love trees, and itd be pretty.
My biggest caution is pay attention to paw pads! Both our dogs tore their paw pads on separate occasions, in different sections, from running around on the gravel and packed dirt. Im not sure whats different about the old park vs this one, but maybe over time the dirt will soften up for their feet.
Overall I appreciate how thoughtful they were with a lot of things, theres sooo much space and different sized sections. Definitely an upgrade.
Great space!!! My 4 huskies had a ball
So much room! This park has 3 small dog sections (under 30lbs) and 5 large dog sections (over 30 lbs) each section has a covered picnic table.
Fenced in but unfortunately not very securely. Easy for dogs to slip under the gates. Also unfortunately never any other dogs here when we come. The 3 dogs in the photo are mine. So it’s a dead dog park.