Boise dog parks and off-leash areas
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Four picks for the four reasons people usually go, because the biggest space in town is not the one you want on a 98-degree afternoon.
Most room to run
Military Reserve
4.5/10734 acres, far and away the largest off-leash space in the city. It is a foothills preserve rather than a park, so expect trails and open hillside, almost no shade and no restroom. Bring water for both of you.
Full details →Best for a water dog
Ann Morrison Park
7.8/10148 acres backing onto the Greenbelt and the river, so there is somewhere for a dog to actually get wet and a long flat walk attached to the visit.
Full details →Best on a hot afternoon
Winstead Park
6.2/10Mature tree cover over most of the park, which on a July afternoon matters more to a dog than acreage does. 11 acres in West Bench.
Full details →Easiest quick trip
Morris Hill Park
5.3/10A restroom that stays open through the winter and a dedicated lot to park in, which is the whole game on a dark weekday evening in January. 8 acres in Central Bench.
Full details →Big open space and trails
5 off-leash areas of 25 acres or more. These are the ones worth driving to for a real outing rather than a quick loop.
| # | Park | Size | Area | Shade | Restrooms | Dog score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Morrison Park | 148.1 acres | North River | Some shade | Year-round | 7.8 |
| 2 | Optimist Youth Sports Complex | 52.5 acres | North River | Some shade | Seasonal + portable | 6.7 |
| 3 | Charles F. McDevitt Youth Sports Complex | 38.7 acres | West Bench | Some shade | Seasonal + portable | 6.7 |
| 4 | Military Reserve | 734.1 acres | North River | Full sun | None | 4.5 |
| 5 | Simplot Sports Complex | 157.7 acres | Southeast | Full sun | Seasonal only | 4.5 |
Neighborhood off-leash areas
13 smaller off-leash areas inside regular city parks. These are the everyday stops: shorter walks, closer to home, usually easier parking.
| # | Park | Size | Area | Shade | Restrooms | Dog score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winstead Park | 11.1 acres | West Bench | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 6.2 |
| 2 | Sunset Park | 10.1 acres | North River | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 6.2 |
| 3 | Molenaar Park | 19.6 acres | West Bench | Some shade | Seasonal + portable | 5.9 |
| 4 | Manitou Park | 9.1 acres | Southeast | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 5.4 |
| 5 | Phillippi Park | 8.8 acres | Central Bench | Leafy | Seasonal only | 5.3 |
| 6 | Morris Hill Park | 7.9 acres | Central Bench | Leafy | Year-round | 5.3 |
| 7 | Mariposa Park | 8.1 acres | West Bench | Some shade | Seasonal + portable | 5.2 |
| 8 | Redwood Park | 6.8 acres | West Bench | Some shade | Year-round | 5 |
| 9 | Williams Park | 7.8 acres | Southeast | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 4.9 |
| 10 | Castle Hills Park | 7.1 acres | North River | Leafy | Seasonal + portable | 4.9 |
| 11 | Cypress Park | 7.3 acres | Southeast | Leafy | Seasonal only | 4.8 |
| 12 | Bowler Park | 24.6 acres | Southeast | Full sun | Year-round | |
| 13 | Pine Grove Park | 4.5 acres | West Bench | Some shade | Seasonal only |
How the dog score works
Every park on this site also carries a Parent Score, but that one is built around playground equipment, so it is the wrong ruler for a dog. Ranked by Parent Score, Military Reserve, the largest off-leash space in Boise, finishes last of 18, purely for having no swing set.
So the dog score is its own thing, out of 10, computed only from the city amenity data:
- · Room to run counts most (up to 4 points), scaled by the size of the park.
- · Shade is next (up to 2.5), because open ground in August is hard on a dog and hot on paws.
- · Water to drink or swim in (up to 1.5). River frontage scores above a pond. Splash pads do not count, they are for kids and dogs are not allowed in them.
- · A restroom for you (up to 1), plus small bonuses for a parking lot and open grass.
Practical notes
- · These are designated off-leash areas inside city parks, not separate fenced dog parks in every case. Fencing is not recorded in the city data, so check the park before letting a dog off leash, especially with a dog that bolts.
- · Shade and size ratings are for the whole park, not specifically the off-leash area inside it.
- · Dogs are expected to be leashed everywhere else in the park system, and a few parks (Esther Simplot Park among them) do not allow pets at all.
- · Rules, hours and any closures are on the Boise Parks and Recreation site.
Common questions
How many Boise parks have off-leash dog areas?
18 City of Boise parks have a designated off-leash area. 5 of them are 25 acres or larger; the other 13 are smaller neighborhood areas. The full ranked list is above.
What is the biggest off-leash area in Boise?
Military Reserve, at 734 acres, is by far the largest off-leash space in the Boise park system. It is foothills terrain with trails rather than a maintained park, and it has no restroom and very little shade, so take water.
Are Boise dog parks fenced?
The city's open data does not record fencing for off-leash areas, so this site does not state it either way. Check the specific park before relying on it, particularly with a dog that does not recall reliably.
Do Boise dog parks cost anything?
No. Off-leash areas in city parks are free and open to the public.
Which Boise dog parks have restrooms open in winter?
4 of the 18 parks with off-leash areas have restrooms open year-round: Ann Morrison Park, Bowler Park, Morris Hill Park, Redwood Park. The rest are seasonal or portable only.
Can dogs go off leash in other Boise parks?
No. Off-leash use is limited to the designated areas listed above; dogs are expected to be leashed elsewhere in the park system. Some parks, such as Esther Simplot Park, do not allow pets at all.