Lead Dog Park - Lead, SD
Lead Dog Park – Dog-Friendly Fun in Lead, South Dakota
Lead Dog Park is a dog park in Lead, South Dakota, offering a scenic, fenced hillside area for your canine companions. This park is known for its beautiful views overlooking the old Homestake Mine, and offers a peaceful atmosphere that is rarely crowded. While it is a relatively small park located on a steep hill, it offers a unique experience with a perimeter loop for walking and pockets of flat land—perfect spots for owners to relax at the provided picnic table near the entrance.
Easy parking is available, and you can access an adjacent dog-friendly hiking trail—the Homestake Trail—which extends several miles for on-leash adventures. While the park is fenced and allows dogs off-leash within the enclosure, visitors should be aware that there are no trash bins or waste bag dispensers inside the park; cleanup stations are located at the parking lot. The park does not feature separate areas for large or small dogs, and water fountains and agility equipment are not available, so plan accordingly. The hillside and overgrown areas may not be ideal for very small dogs or those with mobility issues, but the expansive views and quiet setting make it a local gem for pet owners in the Lead-Deadwood area!
Frequently Asked Questions about Lead Dog Park
- Are dogs allowed off-leash at this park? Yes, dogs are allowed off-leash within the fenced area.
- Is there a fenced area for dogs? Yes, the park is fenced to keep dogs contained.
- Are there benches or seating areas for owners? There is a picnic table at the entrance, providing some seating.
- Is there a separate area for small and large dogs? No, the park does not have separate areas for small and large dogs.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, the Homestake Trail connects to the park for leashed walks and hikes.
- Where is the best place to park? There is a parking lot at the bottom of the hill, just below the park entrance.
- Are there trash bins or poop bag dispensers? Trash bins are located at the parking lot, but not within the dog park itself, and there are no poop bag dispensers.
- Is there water available for dogs? No, there are no water fountains or bowls inside the park, so bring your own water for your pet.
- Is the park busy? The park is typically quiet and not very busy, even during peak times.
Reviews
This is barely a dog park, maybe because it’s fenced and that’s it. Not work a visit unless maybe you live right beside it. It’s tiny, on a hillside, and not kept well at all.
Great little dog park: never busy, easy to get to and easy parking. In a full week we only met one other dog/person. There’s a perimeter loop to walk, but it’s fairly narrow and steep. Flat land exists in a few pockets. It’s a nice view at the top. I like keeping our dog in sight at all times, and there were only a couple overgrown areas that broke my line of sight. Clean-up lagged behind what we’re used to, but it was still easy enough to avoid missteps.
We had such a fantastic time at this dog park. Park in the lot and walk up the steep incline to get to the park. It’s enclosed but you can leave the park at the far end and walk the mile long trail with your dog leashed. There are no trash cans inside the dog park so you have to carry your dog waste back down to the parking lot to the trash can there. Beautiful views. There are some deep brush hazards which may cause concern for small dog owners towards the upper part of the dog park. The park itself is on the side of a hill. The only flat area is where the picnic table is located at the park entrance.
Very uphills. It’s on a crazy hill, but you can walk thr entire dog park. Beautiful view. There is another gate that leads to a 3 mile (I think) trail.
Nice dog park located on a hill overlooking the old Homestake Mine. Careful pulling in to and out of the parking lot because it’s a little narrow. It seems some visitors aren’t the best at cleaning up after their dogs which is a shame – please be responsible and take care of public spaces – If you continue along the parking lot side fence you will come to a gate that leads to a ~4.5 mile trail (Homestake Trail) you can take all the way to Deadwood or just do an out and back length of your choice. It is a rough hiking trail so wear appropriate footwear/clothes for a hike. The trail switchbacks up and down hillsides so it isn’t too steep.