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As one of the many cities located around Puget Sound, Gig Harbor benefits from forested shorelines, wildlife, and bustling city life. It’s surrounded by a variety of wooded walking trails, lakes, and open parks for you to enjoy a weekend picnic or a morning stroll with your dog.
While there aren’t many off-leash areas for you and your dog to visit within Gig Harbor itself, there is easy access to several off-leash areas in adjacent cities. Along with the three off-leash parks in Gig Harbor, you can consider seven nearby parks for your next day trip.
Dog Parks in Gig Harbor
1. McCormick Forest Off-Leash Dog Park
Natural wooded areas, open grassland, and a creek to explore.
Peaceful with plenty of space to socialize or keep to yourself, with beautiful scenery.
Can get muddy after rain, so remember to wear suitable shoes.
The fully fenced off-leash area is a 5-minute walk from the parking lot and offers plenty of space for your dog to run around in.
Amenities include water, public restrooms, and doggy waste bags.
2. Tubby’s Trail Dog Park
Separate, fully fenced areas for big or small and quieter dogs.
Named after a Cocker Spaniel called Tubby, who died when the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed in 1940.
The wooded hiking trails aren’t fenced, and you should keep your dog leashed while walking along them.
Can get muddy after the rain and dusty in summer.
There is an on-site water station and sheltered seating areas, and dog waste bags are provided.
3. Rotary Bark Park
Fully fenced, off-leash walking trails and an open area for playing fetch.
A huge park with plenty of space to prevent overcrowding.
Dogs must be kept on a leash throughout the rest of the park.
Amenities include waste disposal and on-site water stations.
Remember to take water during the winter months.
Can get muddy when it rains.
Dog Parks Near Gig Harbor
4. Bandix Dog Park
Rarely gets crowded and provides 30 acres of open areas and wooded walking trails.
Separate areas for big and small dogs — the small dog area is fully fenced.
On-site waste bags, trash receptacles, and water bowls, but there’s no drinking water, so bring your own.
Some of the trails aren’t fully fenced, so make sure your dog is supervised at all times.
7 a.m. – 9 p.m. (6:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. on Fridays), all year
💲 Cost:
Free
🐕 Off-Leash:
Yes, but only in the designated area of the main park
Outside the off-leash area, dogs need to be kept on a leash.
There are separate areas for big and small dogs, with the small dog area being completely fenced.
Make sure you supervise your dog at all times because the large dog area isn’t completely fenced and provides access to hiking trails and unstable cliffs.
Plenty of shaded seating areas for taking breaks from the sun.
The dog water station is filled with rainwater, and you might need to bring your own water in dry seasons.
6. Chambers Bay Dog Park
Fully fenced, 1-acre, off-leash area for playing fetch and socializing with other dogs.
No shady areas to take shelter in during visits on hot summer days.
You need to keep your dog leashed on the walking trails and beach in the rest of the park.
Offers a great view of the ocean.
There is a separate area for small, quiet, or senior dogs.
Yes, but only in the fenced off-leash area within the main park
The off-leash area is a 7-acre space within the main park.
Dogs need to be leashed outside of the designated areas to respect fellow park guests.
The main park has over 26 acres of grassy hills, playgrounds, hiking, running trails, and beautiful scenery.
Wheelchair-accessible entrance.
Popular but rarely crowded.
Conclusion
Gig Harbor is surrounded by hiking trails, lakes, and parks for you and your dog to explore. While you’ll need to keep your dog leashed in most of the parks in the area, there are many places in and around Gig Harbor where you can let your dog run free as long as they’re under voice control.
Although there are only three off-leash dog parks in Gig Harbor, its proximity to other cities allows for easy access to more dog-friendly parks. Always remember to respect your fellow dog park guests by keeping your dog under voice control and picking up after them before you leave.
Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts’ knowledge with pet lovers across the globe.…Read more
