Portland Parks & Recreation runs 36 dog off-leash areas (DOLAs) in 35 parks, a mix of fenced dog parks and open, signed areas inside regular parks. Two things set Portland apart: seven of them close on school days from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Gabriel Park swaps between a summer and a winter off-leash area. Everywhere else, dogs must be leashed — and the city says it isn't planning to add new off-leash areas for now.
In this guide
This guide covers every DOLA and its hours, which ones are fenced, the rules the city adopted in July 2025, and how Portland's long wet season changes where you should go.
Fenced or open: know before you go
Portland's parks finder lists these off-leash areas as fenced:
| Fenced DOLA | Worth knowing |
|---|---|
| Chimney Park | One of the largest fenced areas, about 4.7 acres in North Portland |
| Normandale Park | Three fenced areas, about 1.8 acres in total |
| Sacajawea Park | About 1.5 acres, Northeast Portland |
| Luuwit View Park | About 1.1 acres, Argay Terrace area |
| Brentwood Park | Southeast Portland |
| Cully Park | Northeast Portland |
| Gabriel Park | Southwest Portland — seasonal summer and winter areas |
| Lynchwood Park | East Portland |
| Parklane Park | East Portland |
| The Fields Park | Pearl District |
| Wallace Park | Northwest Portland |
| Willamette Park | Southwest Portland, on the river |
| Darcelle XV Plaza | Downtown |
Sizes come from OpenStreetMap outlines of each off-leash area. Every other DOLA is an unfenced, signed area — sometimes an open field, sometimes just a path. At Alberta Park, for example, the off-leash area is only the unpaved path along NE 22nd Avenue. Unfenced areas are great for dogs with solid recall and a gamble for dogs without it.
Every Portland off-leash area and its hours
This is the full list from the city's administrative rule on dog off-leash areas (PRK-1.22), effective July 13, 2025. "Posted hours" means the hours on the sign at that park.
| Park | Hours |
|---|---|
| Alberta Park | Posted hours |
| Arbor Lodge Park | Posted hours; closed school days 8am–4pm |
| Argay Park | Posted hours |
| Brentwood Park | Posted hours |
| Cathedral Park | Posted hours |
| Cherry Park | Posted hours; closed school days 8am–4pm |
| Chimney Park | Posted hours |
| Couch Park | Posted hours; closed school days 8am–4pm |
| Council Crest Park | Posted hours |
| Creston Park | Posted hours; closed school days 8am–4pm |
| Cully Park | Posted hours |
| East Holladay Park | Posted hours |
| Fernhill Park | Posted hours |
| Frazer Park | Posted hours; closed school days 8am–4pm |
| Gabriel Park — North (summer) | Posted hours; closed in winter as signed |
| Gabriel Park — South (winter) | Posted hours; closed seasonally as signed |
| Grant Park | Posted hours; closed school days 8am–4pm and when the field has permitted sports |
| Hillsdale Park | Posted hours; closed school days 8am–4pm |
| Irving Park | Posted hours |
| Laurelhurst Park | Posted hours |
| Lents Park | Posted hours |
| Luuwit View Park | Posted hours |
| Lynchwood Park | Posted hours |
| Mt. Tabor Park | 7am–9pm |
| Normandale Park | Posted hours |
| Overlook Park | Posted hours |
| Parklane Park | Posted hours |
| Portland International Raceway — Broadacre Gate | Posted hours |
| Sacajawea Park | Posted hours |
| Sellwood Riverfront Park | Posted hours |
| Sewallcrest Park | Posted hours; closed when the field has permitted sports |
| The Fields | Posted hours |
| Wallace Park | Posted hours |
| Willamette Park | Posted hours |
| Wilshire Park | Posted hours |
| Woodstock Park | Posted hours |
The school-day rule
Arbor Lodge, Cherry, Couch, Creston, Frazer, Grant and Hillsdale all share space with schools, so their off-leash areas close from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on school days. On weekends, holidays and during summer break, they follow the normal posted hours. If you work from home and want a midday dog walk, pick a park that isn't on this list.
Gabriel Park's two seasons
Gabriel Park in Southwest Portland has a North (summer) off-leash area and a South (winter) off-leash area, and each closes seasonally as marked by signs. The idea is to rest the turf in one area while the other takes the traffic. Check the signs when you arrive — using the closed one is using a non-off-leash area.
The rules, from Portland's 2025 policy
- Voice control and sight. You must keep an unobstructed view of your dog and it must respond to voice commands.
- Always carry a leash, even inside the off-leash area, and leash your dog promptly if a Park Officer asks.
- Maximum three dogs per person.
- Stop digging promptly. Holes are one of the main reasons turf areas get closed for repair.
- Small-dog areas mean small dogs: in fenced areas signed for small dogs, dogs 19 inches tall or taller are not allowed.
- Leave for the day if your dog menaces a person, injures a dog or person, or is a public nuisance under Oregon law. Oregon defines "menacing" as lunging, growling or snarling in a way that would make a reasonable person fear for their safety.
- Leash outside the designated area. The rest of the park is leash-required.
Altercations and leash or scoop violations can be reported to Portland Park Rangers, and injuries to Multnomah County Animal Services. In an emergency, call 911.
Where to go for space
By OpenStreetMap's outlines, Portland's largest off-leash areas are:
- Fernhill Park in Northeast Portland, about 5.6 acres — a large, popular open area.
- Chimney Park in North Portland, about 4.7 acres and fenced.
- Mt. Tabor, about 4.5 acres on the slopes of the city's in-town volcano, with fixed hours of 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Council Crest, about 3 acres near the highest point in the city, with views to match.
Sellwood Riverfront Park, about 1.6 acres and unfenced, is the classic riverfront choice in Southeast Portland.
Portland's rainy season
Portland's wet months, roughly October through spring, shape the off-leash experience:
- Turf closures are real. The city can close any off-leash area for maintenance or to protect the health of dogs and visitors — and waterlogged grass is the usual reason. The Gabriel Park rotation exists for the same reason.
- Fenced areas with firmer surfaces hold up better in winter than open grass fields.
- Towel in the car. Unfenced grass DOLAs turn into mud after a week of rain.
- Short days. In December, it's dark before 5 p.m. Many DOLAs follow posted park hours, so check the sign for closing time.
No new off-leash areas planned
Portland Parks & Recreation says it is not currently considering changes or new off-leash areas, because planning, designing, building and maintaining them is beyond its current capacity. New off-leash areas will be considered only as part of designing new parks. So the list above is likely to stay the same for a while.
Frequently asked questions
How many off-leash dog areas are in Portland?
Portland Parks & Recreation lists 36 dog off-leash areas in 35 parks, under its July 2025 rules. Gabriel Park has two seasonal areas.
Which Portland dog parks are fenced?
The city lists Brentwood, Chimney, Cully, Darcelle XV Plaza, Gabriel, Luuwit View, Lynchwood, Normandale, Parklane, Sacajawea, The Fields, Wallace and Willamette parks as having fenced off-leash areas.
Why is my dog park closed during the day?
Seven off-leash areas — Arbor Lodge, Cherry, Couch, Creston, Frazer, Grant and Hillsdale — close from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on school days.
How many dogs can I bring to a Portland off-leash area?
No more than three.
What counts as a small dog in Portland's small-dog areas?
Dogs under 19 inches tall. Dogs 19 inches or taller aren't allowed in fenced areas signed for small dogs.
Sources: Portland Parks & Recreation administrative rule PRK-1.22, Dog Off-Leash Area Rules (effective July 13, 2025); Portland.gov "Find a dog off-leash area". Sizes: map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Rules and hours change — check the sign at the park.
