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Palo Alto loves dogs, but it keeps them on a short leash. The city has four fenced dog parks where dogs can run free. Everywhere else, from city streets to the wildest corner of the foothills, the law says leash. Rules also vary a lot between the open space preserves around town. Some welcome dogs every day, one allows them only on weekdays and several ban them completely.
This guide sorts it all out. It covers the city dog parks and their rules, leash laws in parks and preserves and the best places nearby for a long walk with your dog.
The four city dog parks
Palo Alto runs fenced dog parks at four city parks. All are free. The details below come from the city's dog park page.
| Dog park | Address | Size | Surface and features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peers Park | 1899 Park Boulevard | 0.84 acre | Wood mulch; large open area, long ball retrieval area and separate small dog area |
| Mitchell Park | 600 East Meadow Drive | 0.56 acre | Grass and decomposed granite; expansion proposed |
| Hoover Park | 2901 Cowper Street | About 0.14 acre | Grass and mulch |
| Greer Park | 1098 Amarillo Avenue | 0.06 acre | Decomposed granite; seating and trash can |
Peers Park
Peers Park, near the California Avenue district, has the largest and newest dog park in the city. It opened in 2018. The long ball retrieval area is a favorite with fetch-obsessed dogs. The separate small dog section is a relief for owners of little dogs who get overwhelmed by big ones.
Mitchell Park
The run at Mitchell Park in south Palo Alto is the second largest at just over half an acre. The expanded run, about 0.82 acre with a separate small dog area, opened on January 28, 2025. The park also has the Magical Bridge Playground and a library, so it suits families with both kids and dogs.
Hoover and Greer parks
Hoover Park on Cowper Street and Greer Park off Amarillo Avenue have small runs. They work well for a quick play session close to home but are too small for a big dog to really stretch out. Greer's run is tiny at 0.06 acre.
Coming soon?
A dog area of about half an acre was part of the 2023 plan for Boulware Park on Fernando Avenue. Coverage of the park's full reopening on April 25, 2025 does not mention it, so it is unconfirmed whether the dog area was built. Check the city's dog park page before you go.
Dog park rules
The same rules apply at every city dog park:
- Open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Dogs must be licensed and vaccinated and wear a collar with ID and a license tag.
- No more than three dogs per person.
- Small dog sections, where they exist, are for dogs of 25 pounds or less.
- Owners must stay inside the fenced area and supervise their dogs.
- Remove any dog that behaves aggressively.
- Pick up after your dog.
- Supervise children closely. No food or alcohol.
The city states that it assumes no liability for users of the dog parks.
Leash laws in Palo Alto
Outside the fenced dog parks, Palo Alto requires a leash. The municipal code requires dogs to be leashed on public streets, sidewalks, parks and other public places. A violation is an infraction. Park regulations add that dogs must be leashed at all times in parks and city facilities.
In city open space preserves the leash can be no longer than six feet. Dogs may not disturb, chase or harm wildlife, even on a leash.
Dogs in local preserves
Each preserve has its own policy. Here is a quick summary for the places closest to town:
| Place | Dogs |
|---|---|
| Pearson-Arastradero Preserve | On leash, every day |
| Baylands Nature Preserve and Byxbee Park | On leash, but not on the Renzel Ponds trails |
| Foothills Nature Preserve | On leash, weekdays only |
| Esther Clark Park | On leash and under physical control |
| Stanford Dish | Not allowed except service animals |
Arastradero is the best all-round choice. Its grassy hills feel similar to the Dish, it is open every day and dogs are welcome. The Baylands are flat and breezy, with long levee walks that tire out even energetic dogs.
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Dog-friendly trails in the mountains
The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District runs most of the big preserves in the hills above Palo Alto. It lists 11 preserves that allow dogs. Some allow them on all trails and others only on certain ones:
- All trails: Coal Creek, El Sereno, Foothills, Fremont Older, St. Joseph's Hill and Thornewood. Note that Midpen's Foothills Open Space Preserve is a different place from Palo Alto's Foothills Nature Preserve.
- Pulgas Ridge: all trails plus a marked off-leash area, the one listed by the district. You must still carry a leash and keep your dog under voice control.
- Windy Hill: only on the Spring Ridge, Betsy Crowder, Sequoias, Eagle, Meadow, Hamms Gulch and Anniversary trails, plus part of the Lost Trail.
- Long Ridge: the Chestnut Trail only.
- La Honda Creek: the Grasshopper Loop, plus the Cielo and Coho Vista trails in the upper preserve with a free permit. It closes to dogs during calving season from August 1 to about mid-December.
- Sierra Azul: a few named trails only. Dogs are banned from the Mount Umunhum area.
Midpen rules for dogs: a leash no longer than six feet, no more than three dogs per person and no dogs in streams or ponds. Self-retracting leashes can extend to 25 feet but must be locked at six feet when other people are near. Bag and carry out waste. The full list is on Midpen's dog page.
Several popular hikes ban dogs entirely. These include Rancho San Antonio, Russian Ridge and Purisima Creek Redwoods. San Mateo County's Huddart Park also does not allow pets. Our hiking guide notes the dog rule for each hike.
Dogs on the Bay Trail
Along the shore the rules change with each city. Leashed dogs are welcome at the Palo Alto Baylands and at Bedwell Bayfront Park in Menlo Park. Shoreline Park in Mountain View does not allow dogs. There is a separate dog park at the corner of Shoreline Boulevard and North Road, just before the park entrance. Our Bay Trail guide covers each segment.
Tips for dog owners
Good to know
- Heat. Foothill trails get hot and shadeless in summer. Walk early and carry water for your dog.
- Foxtails. Dry grass seeds work into paws, ears and noses from late spring on. Check your dog after every walk.
- Wildlife. Rattlesnakes, coyotes and the occasional mountain lion live in the hills. Keep your dog close and on the trail.
- Ticks and poison oak. Dogs can carry poison oak oil onto you. Wash them after brushy hikes.
- Traveling with a dog. If you are visiting, you can search pet-friendly rentals near Palo Alto.
Frequently asked questions
Where can dogs go off leash in Palo Alto?
Only inside the city's fenced dog parks at Mitchell, Peers, Greer and Hoover parks. Everywhere else in the city, including parks, streets and open space preserves, dogs must be on a leash. The closest off-leash trail area outside the city is at Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve.
What are the Palo Alto dog park hours?
City dog parks are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Dogs must be licensed and vaccinated and wear a collar with ID and a license tag. Each person may bring no more than three dogs.
Which Palo Alto dog park is the biggest?
Peers Park has the largest dog park in the city at 0.84 acre. It has a large open area, a long ball retrieval area and a separate small dog area, all on wood mulch. Mitchell Park's run is the second largest at about half an acre.
Can I take my dog on the Stanford Dish?
No. Dogs are not allowed in the Dish area except trained service animals. Pearson-Arastradero Preserve is a good dog-friendly alternative with similar grassy hills and leashed dogs allowed every day.
Are dogs allowed at Foothills Nature Preserve?
Only on weekdays and only on a leash. Dogs are not allowed on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays and visitors with dogs on those days are turned away at the gate.