Cambridge Park - Grand Rapids,
Cambridge Park Dog-Friendly Guide – Grand Rapids, MI
Cambridge Park is a locally beloved green space in Grand Rapids, MI, perfect for families and dog owners alike. Featuring a large, mostly fenced field suitable for various sports, a baseball diamond, and a paved trail in its upper section, the park is a favorite spot for pet-friendly outings. While not an official off-leash dog park, Cambridge Park has served as a popular, informal community gathering place for dogs and their owners for over 20 years—expect a vibrant dog social scene especially near sunset.
This spacious dog park in Grand Rapids provides amenities like picnic tables, a covered pavilion, water fountains for both people and pups, and accessible paved paths. The park is 96% fenced with open corners, so attentive pet supervision is highly recommended. With wheelchair-accessible entrances and parking, plus a welcoming local dog-loving community, Cambridge Park is an outstanding spot for dog-friendly hiking, play, and relaxation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dogs allowed off-leash at this park? Informally, yes. The park is used as an unofficial off-leash area, and most dogs are off-leash, though it is not officially designated as such.
- Is there a fenced area for dogs? The park is about 96% fenced, but the corners have open entrances, so it is not fully enclosed.
- What are the park’s leash requirements? Officially, leash requirements are present because it is not a designated off-leash dog park, but most visitors let their dogs off-leash in the main area.
- Are aggressive dogs allowed at the park? No, owners are expected to bring only well-behaved and socialized dogs. Aggressive dogs create issues for other visitors.
- Are puppies allowed at the park? Yes, puppies are welcome and the community is generally respectful about safe play for young dogs.
- Are there water fountains or bowls for dogs? Yes, there is a water fountain available for both humans and dogs.
- Is there shade or shelter available? Yes, there is a covered pavilion and some shade in the park.
- Are benches or seating areas for owners? Yes, seating and picnic tables are available.
- Is the park wheelchair accessible? Yes, there is wheelchair accessible entrance and parking.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? There is a paved trail around the upper portion of the park and a large field for exploring.
- How busy does the park get on weekends? The park becomes a popular spot for dog owners and families, especially near sunset.
- Is there winter maintenance (snow removal, etc.)? The park is regularly used for sledding in the snow, but no explicit snow removal for trails or fields is mentioned.
Reviews
Park itself is nice, but people bring mean dogs here. If your dog doesn’t do well playing with others Don’t bring him! My 9 minth old puppy was attacked by people letting their mean dog off leash
Small park has a flat field big enough for just about any common sport as well as a baseball diamond. Decent sledding hill between the upper and lower sections of the park. Great for dogs as it is almost entirely fenced. Good social scene for dogs and their owners starts just before sunset pretty much every day. Responsible dog owners bring their well-behaved dogs.
Our favorite spot in GR to take our well-trained dogs! Upper part of park has a baseball diamond, expansive outfield, and a paved trail that goes around the entire upper part. Lower part of park looks like it used to be a soccer field, no paved trail down there. Big hill between the two levels and the paved trail from the upper does lead down to the lower part. This park is 96% fenced in, the corners have entrances that are completely open. One covered pavilion with a couple picnic tables, drinking fountain for humans and dogs, and overall very large and well cared for park. Continue to be respectful and this will continue to be an amazing community park! We’ve been going multiple times a week for almost a year and have never had any issues with other dogs, people, kids, etc. It does seem like people are (and you kind of have to be) more attentive at this park compared to the other dog parks in the city.
Perfect for sledding! I’ve gone here every winter for the past few years with my dad and brother. It’s around 3 degrees out (as I’m writing this) so I’ll be back this weekend to sled again!
Recently discovered this hidden gem near our house, and it’s great! Everyone is nice, and most all dogs here are well-behaved. The dog water fountain is my Daisy’s personal day spa. We also came here when she was a 4-month-old puppy, and still everyone was respectful and made sure their dogs kept a safe distance. Note that this has been used an an unofficial off-leash park for well over 20 years, so expect 90% of dogs to be off-leash here when you arrive.
Keep in mind, though, that this is NOT an official off-leash dog park. It is not fully fenced in, and it’s used for ultimate frisbee and other sports as well, so be considerate of others. If you have a dog who may bolt or bother people without dogs, it’s best to keep them leashed up.
We love this place! We’ve been going almost daily since we found it.