Play With Your Pup In Pasadena’s Parks

The dog days of summer are upon us. If you’re looking to have some fun in the sun with your pooch, consider heading over to these fun, canine-friendly outdoor parks.

Eaton Canyon Nature Center

Located at 1750 N Altadena Dr in Pasadena, this 190-acre park features a nature center and hiking trails. Admire wildlife, plants, rocks and minerals as you pass through the trails. Dogs must be leashed and cleaned up after. For more information, call 626-398-5420 or visit www.ecnca.org/.

Lower Arroyo Seco Recreation Area

Jump into nature at this recreation area, located at Arroyo Blvd and Norwood St in Pasadena. South of the Devil’s Gate Dam, the trails here are family-friendly and lead south to Arroyo Seco Park or north to Brookside Park. Dogs must be kept on leash. For more information, call 805-495-6471.

Upper Arroyo

Find the Gabrielino Trail near Windsor Ave and Venture St in Pasadena to hike the approximately 28-mile trail in the Upper Arroyo. The east trailhead begins near the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and travels west to Chantry Flat. While keeping your pup on leash, enjoy nature’s beauty. Hikers can expect to see wildflowers, streams and a waterfall.

Hahamonga Watershed

Formerly Oak Grove Park, the Hahamonga Watershed Park allows leashed dogs on its trails and disc golf course. The park is located on Oak Grove Dr and Foothill Blvd in Pasadena. This 1,300-acre park offers spectacular views of the San Gabriel Mountains. The western end contains the Oak Grove area, which is divided into the Upper Oak Grove and the Lower Oak Grove. You’ll find picnic areas, an equestrian area and restrooms in the Upper Oak Grove, and picnicking, a multi-purpose field, rest rooms and the disc golf course at the Lower Oak Grove facilities. For more information, call 626-744-7275.

Brookside Park

Adjacent to the Rose Bowl, this park is located at 360 N Arroyo Blvd. The park is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekends. Pasadena’s largest park, Brookside also boasts facilities for biking, volleyball, casting, archery, softball and picnicking. For more information, call 626-744-7275.

Alice Frost Kennedy Park

Let your dog run off-leash over the 2.5 acres in Alice’s Park, located at 3026 E Orange Grove Blvd. Open from 7 a.m. to dusk, the park, situated within the Vina Vieja Park, has fenced-in runs for both small and large dogs. For more information, call 626-744-4321.

And if your pooch loves to ride in the car, consider taking the drive over to these parks near Pasadena.

Whittier Narrows Nature Center

Boasting more than 200 acres of woodland, the Whittier Narrows Nature Center is a natural wonderland to take your pooch to. Located at 1000 N Durfee Ave in South El Monte, the park contains four lakes which are a pleasure to gaze upon. Dogs must be leashed on the trails and are not allowed in the water. For more information, call 626-575-5523.

Deukemjian Wilderness Park

Perfect for pups on the trail for the first time and experienced four-legged friends alike, this park, located at 5142 Dunsmore Ave in Glendale, offers a variety of multi-use trails. Spanning 700 acres of the city’s northernmost chaparral-covered slopes, Deukemjian Wilderness Park allows dogs on the trails on leash. For more information, call 818-548-2000.

Arcadia Dog Park

Located at Second Avenue and Colorado Blvd in Eisenhower Park in Arcadia, this fenced dog park is a great place to bring your pup for some exercise. If you have a small dog, come on an even numbered day; if your pooch is large, come on an odd numbered day. The park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, call 626-574-5400.

Henninger Flats Trail

Located on the 200 block of Pinecrest Dr in Altadena, the trail will take you 2.7 miles uphill to Henninger Flats. You will gain 1,400 feet in elevation as you continue to hike up the old Mount Wilson toll road; the route follows this road for 9 miles, all the way up to Mount Wilson. Although there is little shade and the trail can get quite hot, it offers fantastic views of the city and the mountains. For more information, call 626-794-0675.