Dog Parks in San Francisco
52 dog parks, dog play areas and off-leash beaches in San Francisco and around the Bay, in 33 neighborhoods and towns. 20 are fenced, 8 have a separate area for small dogs, and 7 are beaches or shorelines where your dog can reach the water. Tap a place for its rules, hours, size and the dog-friendly cafés nearby.
52 dog parks33 neighborhoods8 small-dog areasUpdated October 2026
Inner Sunset & Golden Gate Park
West Side · 4 dog parks · See Inner Sunset & Golden Gate Park-
Golden Gate Park Dog Training Area
6335 Fulton St
A fenced off-leash area in the northwest corner of Golden Gate Park, mostly sand, with separate sections for big and small dogs. It reopened in 2021 after a $2.4 million renovation that added dog drinking fountains, benches and natural climbing features like logs and boulders.
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Golden Gate Park Northeast Dog Play Area
Golden Gate Park
One of four official dog play areas in Golden Gate Park, in the northeast corner just off Stanyan Street. Rec and Park gives no exact boundary, size or fencing details.
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Golden Gate Park Southeast Dog Play Area
Golden Gate Park
One of four official dog play areas in Golden Gate Park, in the park's southeast corner near Kezar Stadium. Rec and Park does not publish an exact boundary, size or fencing details for it.
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Golden Gate Park Southwest Dog Play Area
Golden Gate Park
The fourth official dog play area in Golden Gate Park, in the park's southwest quadrant. Older guides place it near Middle Drive and MLK Jr. Drive by the Polo Field; Rec and Park gives no exact boundary.
Excelsior & McLaren Park
Southern Neighborhoods · 3 dog parks · See Excelsior & McLaren Park-
Balboa Park Dog Play Area
Balboa Park
An unfenced grass field west of Balboa Pool, along San Jose Avenue near Havelock Street. Playgrounds, the pool and athletic fields are nearby.
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McLaren Park Geneva Dog Play Area
McLaren Park
The smaller of McLaren Park's two off-leash areas, an open field near the community garden and the Crocker Amazon athletic fields.
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McLaren Park Shelley Dog Play Area
100 John F Shelley Dr
The main off-leash area in McLaren Park covers fields and trails inside the John F. Shelley Drive loop and along Mansell Street, south of the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. Dogs must be leashed at the amphitheater during events and near play and picnic areas.
Parkside, West Portal & Lake Merced
West Side · 3 dog parks · See Parkside, West Portal & Lake Merced-
Fort Funston
Fort Funston
Coastal bluffs, dunes, trails and beach in the national park where dogs under voice and sight control can go off leash in the designated zones. Park in the lot off Skyline Boulevard, and do not follow a dog that gets stuck on the cliffs.
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Pine Lake Park Dog Play Area
Pine Lake Park
A grassy, unfenced off-leash area beside Pine Lake at Sloat Boulevard and Vale Street, next to Stern Grove.
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Stern Grove Dog Play Areas
Stern Grove
Off-leash dog play area in Sigmund Stern Grove, along Wawona Street. Dogs must be leashed outside the designated area.
Presidio
North Side · 3 dog parks · See Presidio-
Baker Beach
Baker Beach
A sandy Pacific beach below the Presidio bluffs where the park's pet map includes voice-control zones as well as leash-required sections. Lobos Creek, its outlet and the creekside habitat at the south end are closed to dogs, so follow the posted signs.
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Crissy Field
Crissy Field
The bayfront at Crissy Field has voice-control zones where well-behaved dogs can run off leash, with Golden Gate Bridge views. From July 1 to May 15 the west end of the beach, from Torpedo Wharf to about 700 feet east of the old Coast Guard station, is leash-only to protect shorebirds.
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Presidio Off-Leash Area on West Pacific Avenue
West Pacific Ave
The only part of the Presidio Trust's area where well-trained dogs may walk off leash is a limited zone on and near West Pacific Avenue, on the Presidio's southern edge. Everywhere else in the Trust's area, dogs need a leash no longer than six feet.
Bernal Heights
Southern Neighborhoods · 2 dog parks-
Bernal Heights Dog Play Areas
3450 Folsom St
Much of Bernal Hill is an off-leash area, with hilly trails and grassy slopes that open onto views across the city and bay. Parking near the top is limited.
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St. Mary's Dog Play Area
St. Mary's Park
A Rec and Park dog play area in St. Mary's Park near the Alemany exit of I-280, known for its well-kept lawn.
Castro
Central · 2 dog parks-
Corona Heights Dog Play Area
Corona Heights Park
A city dog play area next to the Randall Museum on Corona Heights, between the Castro and Cole Valley. Rec and Park calls it heavily used and rustic, with restrooms and limited wheelchair access.
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Eureka Valley Dog Play Area
Eureka Valley Recreation Center
A city dog play area at the Eureka Valley Recreation Center in the Castro. K9 of Mine describes a sand run behind a tall chain-link fence, with little shade.
Mission Bay
Downtown · 2 dog parks-
Berry Street Dog Park
451 Berry St
An enclosed dog park on the north side of Mission Creek Park with a gravel play area and a small patch of artificial turf. There are water fountains for people and dogs, and restrooms past the tennis courts.
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Channel Street Dog Park
Channel St
A Rec and Park dog park along Mission Bay's Channel Street, where neighborhood dogs meet up to play.
Noe Valley
Central · 2 dog parks-
Upper Douglass Dog Play Area
Douglass Playground
The official city dog play area at Douglass Playground, at 26th and Douglass streets. It is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and closed on Wednesdays.
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Upper Noe Dog Play Area (Joby's Run)
295 Day St
A fenced, flat dog run at Upper Noe Recreation Center, renamed Joby's Run after a 2008 renovation. It has two long alleys suited to ball chasing, and restrooms are on site.
NoPa & Western Addition
Central · 2 dog parks-
Alamo Square Dog Play Area
Alamo Square Park
An unfenced off-leash zone on the grassy western slope of Alamo Square, on the side away from the Painted Ladies. Because there is no fence, your dog needs a reliable recall.
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Jefferson Square Dog Play Area
Jefferson Square Park
A Rec and Park dog play area in Jefferson Square, a green space on the edge of the Western Addition close to Hayes Valley and Civic Center.
Pacific Heights & Japantown
North Side · 2 dog parks-
Alta Plaza Dog Play Areas
Alta Plaza Park
The dog play area sits in the southeast corner of hilltop Alta Plaza Park, on sloped grass with paved paths and wide views of the bay. The park has restrooms and limited wheelchair access.
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Lafayette Park Dog Play Area
Lafayette Park
A hilltop dog play area in Lafayette Park in Pacific Heights, with artificial turf, a water fountain and seating. It is only partly fenced, and parking is on the street.
Palo Alto
Peninsula · 2 dog parks-
Hoover Park Dog Park
Hoover Park
A small 0.14-acre dog park in Palo Alto's Hoover Park with grass and mulch, seating and some shade.
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Mitchell Park Dog Park
Mitchell Park
A 0.56-acre dog park in Palo Alto's Mitchell Park with grass and decomposed granite, benches and a water hose bib. Dogs may be off leash only inside the dog park.
Potrero Hill
Southern Neighborhoods · 2 dog parks-
McKinley Square Dog Play Area
McKinley Square
A Rec and Park dog play area at McKinley Square on Potrero Hill. The city publishes no details on its size or fencing.
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Potrero Hill Recreation Center Dog Play Areas
Potrero Hill Recreation Center
Rec and Park lists dog play areas at the Potrero Hill Recreation Center. The city gives no further details on layout or fencing.
Sausalito & Marin Headlands
Marin · 2 dog parks-
Rodeo Beach
Rodeo Beach
A Pacific beach in the Marin Headlands, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, where dogs may be off leash if they respond instantly to voice commands. Parking lots and paved roads around it are on-leash.
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Sausalito Dog Park
100 Ebbtide Ave
A fenced off-leash dog park beside Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Sausalito's Marinship area, run by the volunteer Friends of Sausalito Dog Parks with city support. It has a separate area for small dogs and a parking lot next door.
SoMa & South Beach
Downtown · 2 dog parks-
Rincon Hill Dog Park
486 Beale St
A fenced off-leash dog park at Beale and Bryant streets, near the Bay Bridge approach, with separate areas for large and small dogs. It sits on state-owned land that the city leases and maintains.
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SOMA West Dog Play Area
Under the Central Freeway at Valencia St
A 7,000-square-foot dog park under the Central Freeway between Stevenson and Valencia streets, near Otis and Duboce, next to the SoMa West skate park. It has separate areas for large and small dogs on synthetic turf.
Bayview & Hunters Point
Southern Neighborhoods · 1 dog park-
ButcherTown Dog Run at Heron's Head Park
32 Jennings St
A fenced dog run at the entrance to Heron's Head Park, the Port of San Francisco's shoreline park at Cargo Way and Jennings Street. Dogs can play off leash in the run, and leashed dogs are welcome on the park trail.
Berkeley
East Bay · 1 dog park-
César Chávez Park Off-Leash Area
11 Spinnaker Way
A large unfenced off-leash area inside a 90-acre park on the Berkeley Marina. Dogs must be under voice and sight control and leashed on the way in and out.
Burlingame
Peninsula · 1 dog park-
Bayside Dog Exercise Park
1125 Airport Blvd
A fenced three-quarter-acre dog park near the Burlingame shoreline with separate areas for large and small dogs. There is no grass and little shade, but there are benches and a small pergola.
Dogpatch
Southern Neighborhoods · 1 dog park-
Esprit Park Dog Play Area
Esprit Park
Esprit Park, a two-acre park at 19th and Minnesota streets, reopened after renovation in February 2025 with a new off-leash dog play area in its north meadow.
Glen Park & Diamond Heights
Southern Neighborhoods · 1 dog park-
Walter Haas Dog Play Areas
Walter Haas Playground
An enclosed dog play area at the top of a hill in Diamond Heights, popular with dog walkers. Rec and Park mentions boulders for dogs to climb and room for bigger dogs to run.
Haight-Ashbury & Cole Valley
Central · 1 dog park-
Buena Vista Dog Play Area
Buena Vista Park
A designated off-leash dog play area inside Buena Vista Park, near Haight Street. Dogs must be leashed in the rest of the park.
Hayes Valley & Civic Center
Central · 1 dog park-
U.N. Plaza Dog Park
UN Plaza
The only fully fenced dog play area in Civic Center, with shade, turf and agility features. It opened in 2022.
Lower Haight & Duboce Triangle
Central · 1 dog park-
Duboce Park Dog Play Area
Duboce Park
A large, unfenced grassy off-leash area in Duboce Park between Duboce Triangle and the Lower Haight. Dogs must be on leash outside the marked area.
Marina, Cow Hollow & Fort Mason
North Side · 1 dog park-
Moscone Dog Play Area
Moscone Recreation Center
A small, fully fenced dog play area at Moscone Recreation Center in the Marina, with a sunny turf section and some grass. Rec and Park notes it is heavily used.
Menlo Park
Peninsula · 1 dog park-
Willow Oaks Dog Park
490 Willow Rd
A fully enclosed dog park with artificial turf inside Menlo Park's Willow Oaks Park. It has water fountains for people and dogs, but you need to bring your own bowl.
Mission District
Southern Neighborhoods · 1 dog park-
Mission Dolores Park Dog Play Areas
Dolores Park
Dogs may run off leash in the central part of Dolores Park, which has two unfenced play areas. Near the athletic fields, playground and tennis courts, dogs must stay leashed.
Muir Beach
Marin · 1 dog park-
Muir Beach
Muir Beach
A small cove beach in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area where dogs may be on leash or under voice control on the beach itself. Kaashi Way and the Coastal Trail are leash-only, and the Redwood Creek lagoon is closed.
Outer Sunset & Ocean Beach
West Side · 1 dog park-
Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach
The northern stretch of Ocean Beach is one of the few places in the national park where dogs under voice and sight control may run off leash. South of Stairwell 21 to Sloat Boulevard, dogs must be leashed from July 1 to May 15 to protect wintering snowy plovers, and leashes are required on all beach stairwells.
Redwood City
Peninsula · 1 dog park-
Shore Dogs Park
1393 Radio Rd
A fully fenced off-leash park in Redwood Shores with a double-gated entry and separate sections for large and small dogs. Handlers may bring up to three dogs, and the park can close without notice in the rainy season.
Richmond
East Bay · 1 dog park-
Point Isabel Regional Shoreline
2701 Isabel St
A 23-acre bayfront shoreline in Richmond where dogs may run off leash as long as they stay under voice control and within sight. A dog wash, Mudpuppy's Tub & Scrub, sits beside the park.
Richmond District
West Side · 1 dog park-
Mountain Lake Park Dog Play Area
Mountain Lake Park
A Rec and Park dog play area at Mountain Lake Park, next to nature trails on the Presidio's southern edge. It serves the Inner Richmond and Presidio Heights.
Russian Hill & Nob Hill
North Side · 1 dog park-
Pepi's Dog Park at Francisco Park
801 Bay St
Pepi's Dog Park is a fenced dog run on the Bay Street side of Francisco Park, the 4.5-acre Russian Hill park that opened in 2022 on a former reservoir site. It is about a block from the Hyde and Bay cable car stop.
San Mateo
Peninsula · 1 dog park-
Seal Point Park Dog Park
1901 J. Hart Clinton Dr
A fenced dog park of about 3 acres in Seal Point Park on the San Mateo shoreline, split into areas for small and large dogs. A water station with fountains and hoses sits just outside the fence.
South San Francisco
Peninsula · 1 dog park-
Centennial Way Dog Park
Centennial Way Trail
South San Francisco's first dog park, on the Centennial Way trail between Chestnut and Orange avenues at the end of Memorial Drive, with separate areas for small and large dogs. A large dog sculpture marks the entrance.
Nothing matches these filters.
Dog parks, neighborhood by neighborhood
- Inner Sunset & Golden Gate Park (4): Golden Gate Park Dog Training Area, Golden Gate Park Northeast Dog Play Area, Golden Gate Park Southeast Dog Play Area and more. All dog parks in the Inner Sunset & Golden Gate Park
- Excelsior & McLaren Park (3): McLaren Park Geneva Dog Play Area, Balboa Park Dog Play Area, and McLaren Park Shelley Dog Play Area. All dog parks in the Excelsior & McLaren Park
- Parkside, West Portal & Lake Merced (3): Fort Funston, Pine Lake Park Dog Play Area, and Stern Grove Dog Play Areas. All dog parks in Parkside, West Portal & Lake Merced
- Presidio (3): Baker Beach, Crissy Field, and Presidio Off-Leash Area on West Pacific Avenue. All dog parks in the Presidio
- Bernal Heights (2): Bernal Heights Dog Play Areas and St. Mary's Dog Play Area.
- Castro (2): Corona Heights Dog Play Area and Eureka Valley Dog Play Area.
- Mission Bay (2): Berry Street Dog Park and Channel Street Dog Park.
- Noe Valley (2): Upper Douglass Dog Play Area and Upper Noe Dog Play Area (Joby's Run).
- NoPa & Western Addition (2): Alamo Square Dog Play Area and Jefferson Square Dog Play Area.
- Pacific Heights & Japantown (2): Alta Plaza Dog Play Areas and Lafayette Park Dog Play Area.
- Palo Alto (2): Mitchell Park Dog Park and Hoover Park Dog Park.
- Potrero Hill (2): McKinley Square Dog Play Area and Potrero Hill Recreation Center Dog Play Areas.
- Sausalito & Marin Headlands (2): Sausalito Dog Park and Rodeo Beach.
- SoMa & South Beach (2): SOMA West Dog Play Area and Rincon Hill Dog Park.
- Bayview & Hunters Point (1): ButcherTown Dog Run at Heron's Head Park.
- Berkeley (1): César Chávez Park Off-Leash Area.
- Burlingame (1): Bayside Dog Exercise Park.
- Dogpatch (1): Esprit Park Dog Play Area.
- Glen Park & Diamond Heights (1): Walter Haas Dog Play Areas.
- Haight-Ashbury & Cole Valley (1): Buena Vista Dog Play Area.
- Hayes Valley & Civic Center (1): U.N. Plaza Dog Park.
- Lower Haight & Duboce Triangle (1): Duboce Park Dog Play Area.
- Marina, Cow Hollow & Fort Mason (1): Moscone Dog Play Area.
- Menlo Park (1): Willow Oaks Dog Park.
- Mission District (1): Mission Dolores Park Dog Play Areas.
- Muir Beach (1): Muir Beach.
- Outer Sunset & Ocean Beach (1): Ocean Beach.
- Redwood City (1): Shore Dogs Park.
- Richmond (1): Point Isabel Regional Shoreline.
- Richmond District (1): Mountain Lake Park Dog Play Area.
- Russian Hill & Nob Hill (1): Pepi's Dog Park at Francisco Park.
- San Mateo (1): Seal Point Park Dog Park.
- South San Francisco (1): Centennial Way Dog Park.
City dog play areas
San Francisco Recreation and Parks sets aside dog play areas in more than 30 city parks, where dogs may be off leash. Some are fenced runs, like Sausalito Dog Park, Bayside Dog Exercise Park, Golden Gate Park Dog Training Area, Rincon Hill Dog Park and more. Others are open fields or hillsides inside a park, such as Dolores Park, Alamo Square and Bernal Hill, where your dog needs a reliable recall. Everywhere else in the city's parks, dogs must be on a leash and stay off the athletic fields (SF Recreation and Parks).
Golden Gate Park has four dog play areas. The fenced Dog Training Area in the northwest corner of the park, on Fulton Street, has separate sections for big and small dogs.
Off-leash beaches in the national park
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is the one national park that lets dogs off leash, and only in designated voice-control areas where your dog comes when called and stays in sight (National Park Service). In San Francisco that means:
- Fort Funston, with dunes, bluff trails and a long beach.
- Ocean Beach north of Stairwell 21. South of it, to Sloat Boulevard, dogs must be leashed from July 1 to May 15 to protect the western snowy plover.
- Crissy Field, with the Golden Gate Bridge in view. The west end of the beach is leash-only from July 1 to May 15.
- Baker Beach, in its signed voice-control zone. Lobos Creek at the south end is closed to dogs.
Across the bridge, Rodeo Beach and Muir Beach in Marin follow the same rules. Parking lots, paved roads and stairwells are on-leash everywhere in the national park.
Leash rules in the Presidio
The Presidio is split between two agencies. The National Park Service runs the coast, including Crissy Field and Baker Beach. The Presidio Trust runs the rest, where dogs must be on a leash no longer than six feet, except in one voice-control zone along West Pacific Avenue (Presidio Trust).
Around the Bay
Point Isabel in Richmond is a 23-acre bayfront shoreline where dogs can be off leash under voice control (East Bay Regional Park District). On the Peninsula, fenced dog parks in Burlingame, San Mateo, Redwood City, Menlo Park and Palo Alto are on the list, and in Marin the Sausalito Dog Park. Rules and licenses differ from city to city, and each park page says what applies.
Dog walkers
City dog walkers in San Francisco's parks may handle up to eight dogs. In the national park and the Presidio the limit is six, and walking four to six dogs for pay needs a permit from the National Park Service.
After the park, find a dog-friendly café or a restaurant with a dog-friendly patio.
Frequently asked questions
How many dog parks are there in San Francisco?
Our list has 52 dog parks, dog play areas and off-leash beaches in San Francisco and nearby. Rec and Park runs more than 30 dog play areas in the city's own parks.
Where can dogs run off leash on the beach in San Francisco?
At Fort Funston, on Ocean Beach north of Stairwell 21, at Crissy Field and in the voice-control zone at Baker Beach. Parts of Ocean Beach and Crissy Field are leash-only from July 1 to May 15.
Which San Francisco dog parks are fenced?
Sausalito Dog Park, Bayside Dog Exercise Park, Golden Gate Park Dog Training Area, Rincon Hill Dog Park, Seal Point Park Dog Park, Shore Dogs Park, Mitchell Park Dog Park, Hoover Park Dog Park, Berry Street Dog Park, Buena Vista Dog Play Area, ButcherTown Dog Run at Heron's Head Park, Channel Street Dog Park, Corona Heights Dog Play Area, Eureka Valley Dog Play Area, Moscone Dog Play Area, Pepi's Dog Park at Francisco Park, U.N. Plaza Dog Park, Upper Noe Dog Play Area (Joby's Run), Walter Haas Dog Play Areas, and Willow Oaks Dog Park.
Which dog parks have a small-dog area?
Centennial Way Dog Park, Sausalito Dog Park, SOMA West Dog Play Area, Bayside Dog Exercise Park, Golden Gate Park Dog Training Area, Rincon Hill Dog Park, Seal Point Park Dog Park, and Shore Dogs Park.
Can my dog be off leash in Golden Gate Park?
Only in the park's dog play areas, such as the fenced Dog Training Area. Everywhere else in Golden Gate Park, dogs must be on a leash.
Do I need a permit to walk dogs in San Francisco parks?
City dog walkers may bring up to eight dogs to Rec and Park areas. In the national park and the Presidio, walking four to six dogs for pay needs a permit, and six is the limit.