The off-leash area will be closed for four days in the middle of October for some much-needed upkeep and attention.

The Cherry Creek Dog Off-Leash Area (DOLA) is well known among dog families in the Denver area, with its fenced 107 acres of trails, open space, and water access to Cherry Creek—a popular destination for canine and human’s alike. Cherry Creek State Park estimates it gets close to a million visits to the off-leash dog area a year, and the numbers are only expected to grow. With all the interest and traffic through the park, the area needs some attention every now and then to keep it sustainable and open to visitors for years to come.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is having to spend more money to keep up with the use and demand. Doggie bags, in particular, can be very pricey—CPW spent close to $20,000 on dog waste bags in 2018 alone. The park is beginning to need more upkeep as increased traffic speeds erosion, affects vegetation, and presents traffic flow and parking issues.

In order to give the off-leash area some required attention, the park will be closing for four days, from October 14–17, and possibly again in the spring of 2020. Park staff will work to do upkeep and improvements, including controlling the overgrowth of invasive weeds, trail work, maintenance throughout the park, and work on areas that are eroding quickly. New gates and road striping are included in the plans for the four-day project.

Courtesy of Cherry Creek State Park, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Facebook)

Some tips to know before visiting the Cherry Creek Dog Off-Leash Area park:

• Cherry Creek’s DOLA requires a special pass, one that allows one handler to bring up to three dogs to the park. Visitors will need a Cherry Creek State Park Pass as well.  
• Dogs should be vaccinated and licensed, and dogs in heat or that are aggressive are not permitted. Picking up after your dog is required, and a leash and waste bag must be carried by the handler for each dog.  
• The park is open from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily, has no restrictions on dog breeds allowed in, and owners must carry all leash passes with them.
• Dogs must not chase or harass wildlife.

We can all do our part to help keep the DOLA area at Cherry Creek State Park clean and well kept so that everyone can continue to enjoy it. Dogs really enjoy that outdoor free time, getting to splash around, explore and feel unrestricted, and this is one of the few places in the area that dogs can be let off the leash with so much space to roam. While it's a bummer the park will be closed during some of the best times to see fall colors, we can understand why they need time without dogs or people around to get this important work done.

What's your favorite way to enjoy Cherry Creek's off-leash area? Let us know in the comments.