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    Cat Rock Park

    4.2 (53 reviews)

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    By the pond
    Kristen C.

    Everyone must be trying to keep this place to themselves but now that the temperatures are rising there are a lot of hairy friends of the 4 legged variety whose owners need to know there's a place for dogs to swim in the area! Cat Rock Park is a nice secluded little park with several trails (which are unmarked but cleared so clearly trails) and a decent sized pond for dogs to swim in. We weren't entirely sure our puppy could swim but she had so much fun in some low lying swampish water at the Middlesex Fells Reservation (not the reservoir water so don't get your panties in a bunch!) that we had to find someplace to take her. Unfortunately all the beaches we looked up were only dog friendly Oct-May (if at all), the place way out in Framingham was kind of blah, and you have to be a Cambridge resident to let your dog off leash in Fresh Pond (boo!). Our searches led us to Cat Rock Park and we couldn't be happier. There have apparently been some dog walker overcrowding issues (says the internet) but we haven't seen the apparent messes they leave behind and have only seen a dog walker once in our travels (we usually only go on the weekend though) so that might have been resolved. Anyway- this is our favorite place to take our dog. It's a beautiful areas and she's loving the water in the summer and frolicking in the woods.

    Laresa M.

    Desmond and I have been here a few times now; a couple of times in the early Spring and just yesterday, mid August. It's been great every time. There are tons of trails, open areas for playing fetch, and even water for the pups to cool off in. The trails are marked really well to keep you on track. There aren't any poop stations so bring a bag and plan to carry it with you until you leave where you'll find trash cans. The trails are well maintained so don't ruin it for every one by forgetting a bag or being lazy! No one likes to walk in, smell, or see random dog poop. My favorite part are the trails covered by trees that are as tall as you can imagine. It's just gorgeous and provides so much shade. Parking can be a bit of a situation on a gorgeous day when everyone wants to be there as there are only so many parking spaces and street/grass parking is not allowed. I came once and only had to wait a little bit before getting a spot, but I can imagine it could take much longer on other days. Otherwise, Dezzie and I will definitely make the 25 min trek from Brighton many more times to enjoy this beautiful park.

    Steven R.

    5 stars. We were really blown away. This is a secret gem, so I hope not too many people read this review! This off-leash park is really large, with beautiful scenery. There's also descent parking (free). The only negative aspect was that some people didn't pick up after their pups, and those that did sometimes left the bags on the side. It wasn't a lot, but it was noticeable. No way does that detract from its overall awesomeness though. 5 stars!

    Emily C.

    This park is nice and so much fun with all the friendly dog visitors :) great to run off some energy for you or mostly your dog hehe

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    5 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Had a great time here with my pup and toddler. Great way to get everyone out and about and get some exercise!

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    15 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Very pretty but lots of bugs and also teenagers may sneak in to smoke "clove cigarettes" so be wary.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Cat Rock Park

    Is this not fenced in?

    No not that I'm aware of. It's a large area though where you can walk/hike with your dog off leash.

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    Review Highlights - Cat Rock Park

    That is only part true on weekends at the Drabbington entrance.

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    Waltham Dog Ranch

    Waltham Dog Ranch

    3.3(7 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    The actual dog park is not even really a dog park in my opinion. The space is limited for both big…read moreand small dogs but gated. Dogs are allowed to be off leash. There's no water fountain for your pups to have fresh water after playing. Parking lot is available upon entering and is decent size for multiple vehicles. More than anything I love that they have few trails and makes it fun to walk your pup with abundance grass for them to smell and play on. My dodo loves playing on the grass and we have walked on the short trails while he sniffs everything on his way. I personally feel it's a great park for a brisk walk with your dodo. My rating is exclusively based on the trials overall and taking 1 star away for the dog ranch area.

    This new dog park is tucked away on the site of the old Metropolitan State Hospital site in Waltham…read moreoff Trapelo Road, next to one of the remaining old buildings. There is parking and nearby bike paths. While there are lots of open fields nearby, the fenced in areas of the dog park itself are small. There is an area for small dogs, separate from that of big dogs, but they are both small areas. The big dog area could stand to be much larger. The ground is gravel/packed dirt... pebbles would be better. I can see this being muddy and have heard some owners complain the gravel is too sharp for paws. The entry/exit points of the enclosures are not the usual "airlock" system with two gates, but a separate entry/exit which did not keep other dogs from trying to escape with us when we left. There is one bench for people to sit on, more benches would be nice. There is a trash can. There is currently no water, but I have heard that there are plans to add that in the spring. There are fun things for dogs to run over and around, and someone has stocked the pens with tennis balls, but the best things dogs like to play with is the other dogs. Our dog was very happy to play with everyone! This new park was already very busy with dogs on a Sunday afternoon. If we really want our dog to get some exercise, we would probably still go to Beaver Brook or Cat Rock Pak where there is more space to run, but this is a good option for play time! I hope Waltham listens and continues to make this park even better!

    Photos
    Waltham Dog Ranch - Parking lot

    Parking lot

    Waltham Dog Ranch - Dog ranch

    Dog ranch

    Waltham Dog Ranch

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    Needham Dog Park

    Needham Dog Park

    3.3(3 reviews)
    8.2 mi

    This dog park is a muddy mess. It's not maintained, and the perimeter becomes a tick-fest during…read morethe summer. There's also no water supply, so bring your own.

    This is the fourth dog park I've visited lately. Recently,…read moreI've been around more dogs, and therefore have been going to more dog parks. Now, technically I probably could've gotten in trouble for coming here as it's supposed to be for Needham residents only, but I live in a nearby town, so didn't think it would be too big of a deal (and what, they're going to check an ID at a dog park?). This is a cool place off of Pine Street in the rural section of southern Needham close to the Dover line. It's accessible only via Central Avenue as Pine Street is a one way. Off Pine St, there are two signs, one white and one brown (as in the one of the pictures I uploaded), where you will turn onto a long, dirt road, filled with potholes, leading to the park as well as the Needham Community Farm at the end of the long road. There are two large fenced in areas for dogs. They are both good size and they both are extremely clean. There wasn't anyone else their when I arrived and left for that matter... so it's on the slow side, which can be a plus and a minus. Not much parking, but a small amount at the entrance and I think you can park a bit farther down the road in a large paved area. Overall, 4 star dog park. Better than some of the others I've visited, and in comparison, not as good as others. 4 stars.

    Photos
    Needham Dog Park
    Needham Dog Park
    Needham Dog Park

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    The Western Greenway - Rough map of the entire Greenway.

    The Western Greenway

    4.5(2 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    The Western Greenway is located almost entirely inside the triangle bounded on the northeast by…read moreConcord Avenue in Lexington and Belmont, on the southeast by the MBTA commuter rail and the now-abandoned Mass Central Rail line, and to the west by Lexington Street in Waltham. To be sure, there has been a significant amount of development inside this triangle. But there are also significant swaths of green space. The green space comprises various parcels, some of which are publicly-owned and have been designated as parks or conservation land. There are other publicly-owned parcels whose future is still undetermined, and there are some undeveloped parcels along the Greenway that are privately-owned. Most of the blazed segments of the Greenway are in Belmont and Waltham extending from the Beaver Brook area all the way around past the YMCA on Lexington St. toward the Lyman Estate. I usually like to park in the lower section of the YMCA driveway, or the lot over at the Robert Treat Paine Estate off of Beaver street. There are a couple trail heads in the lot, and they are all well marked. It is a great place to walk the dogs or take a light hike. There are no serious steep uphill or challenging terrain, it's really just a great place to take a leisurely hike in the woods. We see deer and other wildlife out there all the time. It was really a shock to me when I first discovered it that there was this much undeveloped space in the heart of Waltham. There are many marked and blazed trails, but the Greenway is still under development in certain sections. It is worth a visit to the Waltham Land Trust website to see what areas are suitable for what your looking to do.

    Great trail network in the greater Boston area. I live just a mile from the trail and love going…read moreout for a trail run or mountain bike loop. Would recommend if you're looking for a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of Boston

    Cat Rock Park - dog_parks - Updated May 2026

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