This park has been rebuilt

This park re-opened recently, having been rebuilt like the rest of Valley Park.

Pros: The (larger) park itself is pretty nice, so even if you don't like the dog park itself there is still a lot of space to explore with your dog in the main park. Everything in the dog park is new. It's fenced in and has some fun obstacle stuff for the dogs.

Cons: Too much of the surface is dirt, which means it will be muddy quite often. Also, I don't think this fence was a very good idea. Most dog parks have chain link fences, which works well because dogs love being able to see and sniff the other dogs before a new dog enters.

This fence is wooden, though, which prevents them from being able to do that. Because of the steep grade, part of the fence is also low enough for large/agile dogs to jump over if they feel the urge to. This seems ill-advised. Also, there is no separate area for small dogs.

I applaud the effort here, but a couple different choices could've made a big difference in the park.

Aug. 10, 2018

Good park that needs more traffic

The only real issue with this park is the lack of dogs. A lot of local dog owners don't even know it exists.

It has an OK-sized lot, a covered picnic area for humans, a separate fence for small dogs, etc. Maintenance is usually pretty good.
Be sure to bring your own bags, as the park does not provide them.

Aug. 22, 2018

Great park!

We stopped in on a road trip yesterday and enjoyed this park. It was clean, sizeable, and there were friendly dogs & people there ready to play.

It could use a tad more shade, but it looks like they're working on that with some young trees that will continue to grow.

Aug. 13, 2018

Decent park, but where are the dogs?

Pros: It's in a nice location. The park handles rainfall better than any other park in the area. It has lots of shade. It's well maintained.

Cons: I don't know why this is, but I hardly ever run into other dog owners there. Other people clearly use the dog park because it's kept up nicely and stocked with random jugs of water. Yet there's hardly ever anyone there when I go.

Aug. 10, 2018

Busiest dog park in the area

While the park is small and the location can be a little sketchy at times, if you're looking to socialize your dog with other dogs this is your best bet in Charleston. You're more likely to encounter other playful dogs here than you are anywhere else, since it's surrounded by apartment dwellers who don't have many other options. In that sense, the location is the park's best feature.

As others have said, I wouldn't recommend this park for the tiniest of dogs. It would be easy for them to escape the fence and get hit by traffic. There is also nowhere for them to be separated from large dogs.

Aug. 10, 2018

Good park, needs better maintenance

I frequent this dog park. There are several great regulars you'll run into. The park has two separate fenced-in areas, which is helpful for small dogs (or aggressive dogs if need be). There are two benches for humans and a wooden shelter for dogs.

There are only two real issues with this dog park: The town could do a better job of maintaining the park (for example, as of this writing the water fountain has been shut off for repairs for a month), and it also retains a LOT of water when it rains. It takes days for it to dry out properly, and in that time it is a muddy mess.

Overall it's a good park, just in need of some TLC now and then.

Aug. 10, 2018