Do you have a dog whose listening ears are not on point?
Does your dog run after other dogs playing and leave you running after them?
Your doggy’s recall is not amazing yet…
You want your dog to socialise with other friendly dogs but you don’t know where to go.
Max is my first doggy in Auckland, and besides our local dog park, I weren’t sure where else to take him. He is 6 months old, and we haven’t perfected our recall yet. When we went to an off lead area, he’d follow the other dogs home. So I asked my doggy friends on Facebook for their favourite fenced, best off-leash dog walks in Auckland and have compiled this list.
As we visit the other parks, I’ll update this blog and add my new photos to best off leash dog trails near me.
I’m YELLOW LAB dog & family photographer, all photos are my own. If you’d like amazing portraits of your own doggy having an absolute blast in his favourite place, get in touch or see my homepage for the kind of dog and family portraits I create for my clients in West, North and Central Auckland. My studio is in Hobsonville Point but I do a lot of work on location.
Auckland best off-leash dog walks
1. Kakamatua Inlet off leash dog beach in West Auckland
Our favourite so far!!!! It is a big open beach where dogs can run free. To get to the off lead area, you’ll need to walk through a forest, once you reach the lagoon, it is off lead. Max is not a water baby, but he played so hard with the other dogs, he was drenched. I honestly didnt recognise him. I arrived with a cute fluffy dog, and went home with a drained, shivering from the cold rat bag ;-). What is life though, if we cant have fun getting dirty sometimes? I suggest going here if you have time afterwards to wash your furbaby. It was such a fun time out for our family, it’s a spot we’ll use over weekends. Quite a drive to get to, but it’s an absolutely beautiful beach and an overall happy place.
Note: This will be such a great place for a family photoshoot! But only if your dog is super well behaved so we can keep him dry while we take the family portraits, and if you’re happy to have a wet dog in most (or all) of the other photographs.
Facilities:
Fenced - no, but I didn’t feel uneasy
The stream of water is fresh so you don’t need to take water for your dog
A compost toilet
Bins for #2s: yes
2. Hobsonville Point off leash dog park West Auckland
Our local. This dog park is on the 5km Coastal Walkway around Hobsonville Point. The walk itself is on lead and really long. If you have kids with you, look out for the fairy tree houses on the way to the dog park. Fastest way to get to the dog park, is to park at the Rifle Range Amphitheatre, walk towards the big green clearing and follow signs to the Bomb Point dog park.
There is A LOT of bunny poo, Max loves to eat it ……🤢 so if that’s something you hate your doggy doing, maybe keep away. There’s a few dusty parts in the park that doesn’t have grass on it, probably because it’s under a huge tree and also because the dogs keep running there. Max’s dashing around after new buddies always kick up a big dust cloud, paired with some drinking water, I usually need to rinse off his bottom part / legs after visiting.
I’d totally recommend you go on a Saturday/ Sunday morning to the Catalina Bay Farmer’s Market (dog friendly!) and then walk to the dog park via Boundary Road. Little Creatures is a must for drinks/ lunch/ dinner after your doggy had a run around.
This park has a dedicated Facebook group for local dogs who like to hang out. The Dog Squad - Bomb Point if you want to make sure there is someone to play with at the park.
Facilities:
Fully fenced.
No taps, so please take a long a big bottle of water to fill the dog water bowls.
Closest toilet to the dog park is Rifle Range Amphitheatre
Bins for #2s: yes
Nearby:
There’s a bunch of dog friendly cafes in Hobsonville (West Auckland) if you’re feeling hungry after watching your dog play for an hour. You’re spoilt for choice between Little Creatures, 160 Cafe, if the weather is poorly, go to Catalina Cafe for under cover sheltered area or 25ml where they allow dogs inside. I highly rate 25ml’s food, ask about their chef special but anything off the menu will have your eyes rolling back into your head from delight. Plus 25ml always gives your doggy a treat too.
If you visit on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, stop at the dog friendly Catalina Bay Farmer’s Market between 8:30am and 2:00pm. Your dog will LOVE Waggamuffin’s dog treat stall where they get spoilt with free treats. But be warned, you won’t be able to come here again without visiting Waggamuffin first. Dogs know where the goods are ;-)
3. Corban Reserve, Henderson - off leash dog agility course in West Auckland
Nice quiet area for Max to run free. Take some treats with you to coax your doggy over some of the obstacles. Feel like the rockstar of your own Dog Almighty New Zealand show without any of the pressure or anyone else watching ;-D Just fun for you and your doggy best friend.
Facilities:
Fully fenced.
No taps, so please take a big bottle of water to fill the dog water bowl.
No toilets
Bins: yes
Easy & fun photoshoot with your dog in Hobsonville, Auckland. Yellow Lab Dog photographer for award winning art of your favourite!
4. Meola Reef off leash dog park, Western Springs central Auckland
We met up with a small dog meetup group to explore this park.
Our little dogs had the best time hopping after each other in the long grass. SO much so they looked like bunnies chasing each other. The pathways are mowed and the grass on the footpaths kept short. The off lead area is really big. Much larger than any I’ve seen.
We went on a Thursday morning and it was really busy. Full of other friendly dogs and I counted 2 packs of dog walkers, which if the dog walkers frequent it, it must be a good spot.
I love that there is so many trees and tons of shady spots to be able to cool down if you go at a time that’s too hot for a walk.
It’s a definite favourite.
Facilities:
Fully fenced.
There’s a tap and dog water bowl at one of the entrances of the off lead area so no need to lug water along.
Toilets at the beginning at the walk.
Bins: yes
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5. Taipari Strand off leash dog exercise area, Te Atatu Peninsula in West Auckland
When we went here I thought it was a beach, it’s right next to water, but not a beach you can walk on. If your dog loves to jump in to the mangroves & get muddy, you can take them for a proper swim at the Taikata Rd entrance. There is very cute little wharf where some people fish from. The park is a massive, flat, big grassy area with foot paths. There are bushes and trees on either side if you’re after shade. This is an incredible space for doggies who like to zoom around.
This is a favourite and we’ll go back.
Facilities:
Not fenced, but contained area between the mangroves and back of houses, feels perfectly safe.
Take water to fill up the doggy water bowls by one of the benches or keep some in the car for when you return.
Toilets & kids playground at the one side of the walk.
Bins: I don’t remember seeing them at the Matipo Rd entrance, but there are some Taikata Rd entrance.
Get a good idea of what off lead park Taipari Strand looks like in this video.
How a dog and family photoshoot works, Auckland.
6. Kennedy Park, off leash dog beach in Castor Bay North Shore Auckland
Kennedy Park feature a kids playground, a massive grassy area for playing, and when you follow the path to the big staircase that leads to the beach, you’ll find old gun emplacement and tunnels that were used during WW2. It started raining when we got to the park, so we used the old tunnels as shelter till the weather cleared. I carried his royal highness Max down the stairs and he just about freaked when he saw the beach. The kids played in the waves and our family loved spending time on the beach walking and exploring. This Auckland beach is dog friendly all year round.
Will be back soon!
Facilities:
The beach is accessible only by a massive staircase. If you/ your dog is not comfortable with a ton of stairs, or you can’t carry your doggy back up if you need to, I don’t suggest you go. This would have been very hard if my kids were younger.
There is a tap for water and a water bowl at the start of the park.
Toilets & kids playground at the start of the walk.
Bins: yes
For more pictures of Kennedy Park’s dog friendly beach watch here.
Dog owner recommended dog friendly cafes in Auckland.
7. Waiake Beach, dog off lead area in Torbay
We explored this pretty spot with our friends Kirstie and Otis from Otiboaty Boutique who makes the cutest dog accessories. Waiake Beach is a small picturesque beach where you can walk your dog off lead & play fetch. There is a massive kid’s playground. Check the tide before you go. The beach is close to a very busy road. If your dog’s recall is not 100%, I won’t go here at high tide if you’re planning to walk them off leash.
Will be back at low tide. I think my kids will love to explore this beach.
It will be so stunning over December with all the Pohutukawas. I definitely want to do a family photo shoot here.
Facilities:
Not fenced. There is a small grassy area between the beach and the busy road. At high tide the beach area gets really small and I felt uncomfortable being that close to the road with Max.
There is a tap for water and a water bowl.
Not dog friendly all year round.
Toilets & kids playground.
Bins: yes
See what it looks like in this fun video we made about Torbay’s dog friendly beach.
8. Harbutt Reserve dog exercise area in Mt Albert (Alan Wood Reserve Park)
If you’re not local to Pt Chev, research this before you go.
We had two young kids in tow on their bicycles, our dog and typed “Harbutt Reserve” into Google Maps. The kids started cycling, and pretty soon, we realised that the eldest one just kept on going and going on his bike and didn’t wait for us. He was having such fun on the cycle path that we had lost him! It is a massive area. If you have a look at a map, you’ll see that the Waterview cycle path connects a bunch of parks and runs through the neighbourhood. The dog park we were looking for, was very far away from where we parked.
NOTE: to get to the off lead dog area, look for Alan Wood Reserve Park. Good place to park is about 6 Bollard Ave.
It’s a nice off lead dog area, but unless you live close to this park, there are other parks we’d rather visit.
Definitely keen to see Waterview cycle path when we’re all on our bikes and puppy on the bike carrier.
Facilities:
The park is not fenced at the front, but once you start walking on the cycle path it is mostly fenced and your doggy can run around.
Take water for the car.
Kids playground.
Toilets: no
Bins: don’t remember (will update)
9. Bethells Beach, off leash dog exercise area in Auckland’s West Coast
There is a small toilet/ shower block by the entrance to the walkway to the beach. There is usually an icecream/ coffee truck. It’s a long sandy walk toward the beach. You walk along a lagoon till you get to a vast open beach. The off lead exercise area for dogs is on the north side only. So if you’re facing the ocean, the dog off lead area is on your right, on the other side of the lagoon.
You need to cross the lagoon to get to the area where dogs can play. So be prepared to get wet! But be safe and see if other people are crossing too to make sure it’s safe. The current can be very strong. We carried Max over.
This is beach with black sand, so don’t go at the hottest part of the day. Your dog’s paws will burn.
Check the summer dog rules.
NOTE: The main parking lot can get crowded and you have to park far and walk. If you put 247 Bethells Road into GPS there’s alternate parking with a back entrance to the parking lot. We have always gotten lucky and found parking right in front.
Facilities:
Take water for yourself and your dog. It’s a bit of walk to the beach and back to the car. It’s not far, but tiring if you’re carrying a wet dog, umbrella, tired kids in tow in the hot sun.
Toilets: yes
Shower off area: yes
Bins: yes
10. Orewa dog friendly beach on Auckland’s North Shore
This is a stunning beach without driving to the outskirts of West Auckland. It’s an expansive beach, great for a long walk or to let doggies run loose for a run-around during off-leash times.
A lovely spot you can go to with minimal prep. Remember a towel for your wet dog ;-)
We had a dog walk meetup on the beach here and everybody simply loved it. The sun, the sea, the fresh air is refreshing! Especially when you can share it with friends.
Off leash rules: all times during winter; 5pm - 10am in summer 1 December to 1 March.
Facilities:
The carpark is close to the beach so it’s easily accessible. There is a coffee shop for drinks and snacks.
Toilets: yes
Tap for water: yes
Bins: yes
11. Waiatarua Reserve off lead dog park, Remuera in central Auckland
This is a huge park where you can let your dog off lead away from the road. There is a lot of off lead dogs. It’s not fenced so make sure your dog’s recall is good or you might lose him/ her. There is a little pond where the dogs can swim and there is lots of drenched areas along the walkway where dogs love to roll in, so be prepared to have a muddy dog afterwards.
You can walk around the entire park in about in hour.
Facilities:
There’s a couple of different carparks so if you’re meeting friends, specify which entrance to meet them at.
Toilets: yes
Tap for water: yes
Bins: yes
See the video I made about Waiatarua’s dog friendly off leash park in Auckland.
12. Browns Bay dog friendly off leash beach in Auckland North Shore
Make sure you follow the dog access rules. NOT OFF LEASH YEAR ROUND.
Winter: beach & reserve off leash at all times
Summer: beach off leash from 5pm to 10am
When I got here it looked like I arrived at dog heaven. It’s not fenced, but the beach seems far enough away from the road not to be a concern. (Unless your dog’s recall is not good.) There are tons of people walking their dogs here, dogs running into the water chasing sticks. It is SO fun! There’s a couple of benches to enjoy the scenery too.
Facilities:
Toilets: yes
Tap for water: yes
Bins: yes
Check out the video I made about Browns Bay’s dog beach in Auckland.
Nearby:
There is a dog friendly art cafe across the road called Stoned Cow that is worth visiting after you’ve been to the beach. They also serve puppuccino’s for dogs!
I’ve been told that Deep Creek Brews & Eats is a great dog friendly eatery if you’re after some craft beer.
13. Auckland Botanic Garden off leash dog exercise area, Botanical Gardens Off Leash Area, South Auckland
This is a huge park where you can let your dog off lead away from the road. There is a lot of off lead dogs. It’s not fenced so make sure your dog’s recall is good. There is a stream and muddy puddles where your dog can get drenched in, so be prepared to have a dirty dog ;-)
This is a massive area. It connects to the Auckland Botanic Garden and Totara Park which will take you hours on foot so plan where you’re going & where you park the car.
Facilities:
The dog park has it’s own parking area, which is much closer to the Auckland Botanic Garden park, so use the dog park parking.
Toilets: far walk at the Auckland Botanic Garden or Totara playground.
Tap for water: not sure
Bins: yes
My friend Remi had a doggy birthday party here and it was such a fun event. See the dog birthday party video at the Botanical gardens off leash area I made.
How to find Auckland’s best dog walk locations for beautiful photographs
More best off leash dog trails near me
These dog friendly off leash parks have also been recommended, but Max and I haven’t visited yet. I’ll update as we visit and take photographs too.
If there is an off lead park in Auckland you love that you think should be on this list, please comment on this post below👇 or let me know by email to salome@yellowlab.co.nz
Onehunga dog park: fully fenced
Mt Albert Summit
Mellons Bay Reserve: dog beach
St Leonards Beach, Takapuna. There is a steep staircase to get to the beach, but it’s highly rated.
Kauri Point Centennial Park, Chatswood North Shore. The walk down to the beach is reasonably steep in places. The off-leash exercise area at the beach offers plenty of space for dogs. VERY IMPORTANT: Be on the look out for toxic sea slugs on the North Shore beaches.
Sanders Reserve, Riverhead (Very important: I read on a community page that some dogs got very sick after being at Sanders, so we’re staying away for now. I know our family will have a blast here with the bicycle tracks and dog park, so I’d love to go one day. Not sure. Original post here.)
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