Are you looking for a fun place for you and your dog to get outside in Charlotte, NC? Look no further than the Reedy Creek Dog Park in the city’s northeastern corner. The spacious park offers plenty of room to roam and is well-kept.
There are plenty of things to do in Charlotte, but Reedy Creek Dog Park is at the top of the list for man’s best friend.
Reedy Creek Dog Park: What You Need To Know
Every dog park is different. Some dog parks are great for big dogs but too much for little dogs. The opposite is true too. You never really know until you show up. In this article, we will share everything you need to know about Reedy Creek Dog Park.
We hope to provide insight that you might not otherwise have.
About Reedy Creek Dog Park
Here is a fun fact for you: The dog park at Reedy Creek is also known as Barkingham Park, which we love. As big fans of the Netflix series, Go Dog Go, where the dogs live in Pawston, we love the Barkingham Park name.
But to clear up any confusion, you might hear this dog park referred to as Barkingham Park or Reedy Creek Dog Park.
Location and Size
Barkingham Park is located in the broader Reedy Creek Park, which can be found at 2900 Reedy Creek Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28202.
Reedy Creek Park is situated in Charlotte’s northeastern corner. You will find the park about 10 minutes from Charlotte’s University City neighborhood. Even so, many dog owners will make an extended drive to Reedy Creek. Why? Because their pup friends love Barkingham so much.
Barkingham Park offers an area for larger dogs and an area for smaller dogs. In all, you will find about 4 acres of space fenced in for your doggie friends.
Many people love that a mature tree canopy provides shade for half the park. And still, the other half of the park is in the sun. The shade offers variety on sunny days when you or your dog start to get a little hot.
The only downside to the ample shade is that not much grass grows. As a result, your dog will get muddy when it is wet and dusty when it is dry. Prepare accordingly.
Facilities and Amenities
You will find benches and picnic tables for the humans, plus a walking path where you can get some exercise while your dog plays off-leash. To change it up, you can put the leash back on your furry friend and explore 10 miles of hiking trails in the 700+ acre nature preserve.
For pets, you will find water stations and toys to keep your dog entertained and happy. There are also doggie waste bags and trash cans that facilitate easy cleanup.
Reasons To Visit Reedy Creek Dog Park
There are plenty of reasons to visit the Reedy Creek Dog Park, including four acres for your pet to roam, a shaded area to keep you cool, and nearby walking and hiking pathways.
Dog parks also offer health and social benefits, both for dogs and their owners. So let’s consider all the reasons you should visit soon.
Health and Social Benefits
To state the obvious, spending time at the dog park provides an excellent opportunity for dogs to exercise. They can run freely, explore independently, or chase other dogs. And if your dog likes to play fetch, a dog park offers the perfect place to play in a controlled setting where you don’t have to worry about cars or other hazards.
Aside from the health benefits, dogs are naturally social animals, and they need regular interaction to stay mentally and emotionally healthy. Interacting with other dogs will help your furry friend learn how better socialize, and this may reduce overall anxiety and promote healthy behaviors.
And let’s be honest. In a world of working from home, many of us need more human interaction. Many people enjoy visiting dog parks because it offers an opportunity to interact with like-minded pet owners. I’ve often seen groups of people regularly meet at dog parks to hang out.
Training Opportunity for Dogs
Training your dog can feel like an insurmountable challenge to some. Still, the benefits of training your dog are tremendous.
You likely want to avoid the dog park when you first start training because there will be too many distractions for your pup to be successful.
Nonetheless, a dog park is a great place to take your training to the next level. The high level of distractions is the perfect opportunity for your dog to hone their focus. And once you have the obedience commands down pat, the dog park is the perfect place for your dog to practice interacting with other dogs.
Your Pup Will Love Reedy Creek Dog Park
In short, your dog will love Barkingham Park. The park offers multiple acres to roam free, water stations, opportunities to interact with other dogs, shaded areas, and much more.
There is a reason that Barkingham Park is one of the most popular dog parks in all of Charlotte. Even so, there are other dog parks you might consider when you are ready to mix things up.
Other Dog Parks in The Charlotte Metro Area
There are other great dog parks in the Charlotte metro, including the McAlpine Creek Dog Park and the Frazier Place Dog Park. In fact, in our review of the best parks in Charlotte, McAlpine Creek stands tall as a great park for humans and their furry friends.
McAlpine Creek Dog Park
The McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte features a cross-country course and two small lakes, one of which you can fish in. You won’t find soccer fields and baseball fields at McAlpine Creek, but that’s ok.
It stands very differently from most of the most prominent parks in Charlotte. McAlpine Creek Park is attached to a greenway and offers serenity in a way that few other parks in the metro area offer.
And it also has one of the premier off-leash dog parks in Charlotte. In fact, there are multiple dog parks. There is a smaller park for dogs under 20 lbs. and a mid-sized area park for dogs over 20 lbs. Further up the hill, there is an absolutely massive fenced field that serves another dog park where they can roam freely.
The smaller dog parks sometimes turn into a mud pits, but the larger field is so big that this shouldn’t be as much of a problem.
Frazier Place Dog Park
The Frazier Place Dog Park is also very popular. It is a 1.3-acre dog park that also has sections for small dogs and large dogs. The park features a public water supply for doggie drinks, which is very important on hot days.
Frazier Place is so popular that sometimes people have trouble with parking. The good news is that it is also connected to a greenway, so many nearby residents simply walk to the park.
The Verdict: Reedy Creek Dog Park
So what is our verdict on the Reedy Creek Dog Park?
Four paws up!
Barkingham Park features four acres of fenced area for your dog to roam freely. There are separate areas for large dogs and small dogs, and water stations as well. You will also appreciate the shaded area during the summer, as well as the multiple benches and picnic tables.
