Cool place to relax with your pooch! Lively scenery and sounds of nature. Lovely water and birds everywhere

This dog park has definitely seen better days, but we still enjoyed it. There was nothing dangerous, it could just use some updating/love. Contrary to what others have noted, there is not free parking here but there is a lot right next to the park. You still have to go through the gate at the front parking lot to get there and it's Metropolis so they charge how long you parked there by your license plate. We were there less than an hour and it was $4. There were only a few other dogs and owners during our visit and everyone was nice/respectful. My dog and I have done an agility class before, so we had fun trying some of the different obstacles set up. Its a nice idea to have everything in the park made up of recycled materials too - very unique. I wish there was an easy way to donate since I think it's a community-run park - maybe add a Venmo QR code sign? Seems like the park could use some help but maybe it just hasn't been refreshed yet for the upcoming summer season. Either way, love the location right in Jackson Park so we were able to also walk around some of the trails. read more

Jackson Bark - One side of the park - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Jackson Bark is a great place for your dogs! They are one of the only free parks maintained by people like you and I. They have a ton of recycled materials and things that others have donated to make this park one that is welcoming to all dogs, dog lovers and parents. read more

First time here! We have a very fetch motivated lab so mostly we play chuck-it in the park, but we realized that our dog might get something different out of socialization. A dog owner maintained property; all are supposed to clean up after their pets. The site looked very clean when we visited, so people must respect this rule. Lots of tennis balls (I'm sure from the tennis court next door), plenty of plastic pools filled with water, agility structures and chairs for the people. There are also (again owner provided) poop bags and cardboard cards (scoopers) located around the park, as well as a stocked first aid kit. With that being said, my experience with dog parks (albeit on the west coast - Seattle specifically) there is an online form to fill out; referencing your dogs' immunizations, vet info etc. And there is usually stipulations on bringing your unaltered dog to the park. This park had none of those. There were 2 unaltered dogs that we ran into, and I have to only assume that none of these dogs had parvo or any other viral (or god forbid, parasite) infection. All were well behaved though and other owners who were there at the same time seemed to be the responsible vet-going humans. Just like anything else, make sure to read the reviews to determine if this is the place for you and your dog. Might make this a habit! read more

Jackson Bark - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Has run down significantly. I notice the pictures posted are all from five or more years ago. The equipment is weathered and broken. It felt very sad and neglected. read more

I see why the most recent review is over a year ago- this place has gone to the dumps! If I could give zero stars I would! With the initial opening of the park- I'd have given 5 stars, & for about 3-4 years it held up to that rating. I haven't visited in about 2 years due to moving out of the area, but I took my sweet girl there yesterday (7/23/24) and we won't be back until some maintenance & repairs are done. #1 concern is safety- nothing has been maintained so there are safety hazards, trash, scrap wood, and broken toys and objects everywhere (see video). #2 Accessibility- getting there is more trouble than it's worth! I busted my cars radiator going over one of the crater-sized potholes that are unavoidable when trying to access this park- if curiosity takes over and you just must go here in person: park by the boathouse/museum/pay to park- & walk up to the dog park. #3- no working water. In 90+ degreee weather. With active dogs and no shade on a concrete/ converted tennis court playground. NOPE! The CPD's audacity to petition for votes for "best dog park" is what prompted me to write this review and contact anyone I can about the deplorable condition of this park. The nerve! read more

This is the best dog park in the city! It is truly a playground for pups. It is spacious, interactive and there was obvious consideration given to every single detail. It is community-owned and managed, and people from all over the south side love to have a place to visit with their dogs (and there is shade)! As the owner of a small breed dog, I feel very safe here. The entry has cordoned off spaces to ease the transition of incoming/exiting dogs, separate spaces to place a potentially anxious dog who may need a timeout, and a full safety kit. read more

Jackson Bark - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

"Such an amazing park! First aid kits, poop bags, and toys everywhere! So easy to find. Super friendly people and dogs. HUGE! 2 full tennis courts. Door to separate off if you have a shy or less social dog. I can't wait to come back!" -Becki the human "I played at @jacksonbark tooday! It's a community run dog park and I met so many furends! So many toys! So many fun things to smell! So many things to learn how too do! I can't wait two come bark again!!" -Grace Kelly the dog read more

Jackson Bark - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Big area for biking, running, walking. There are multiple fields such as soccer and baseball. Swimming with a beach area. Big parking lots. Plenty of parks. Walk paths and they have a cultural center. Background history and public bathrooms. Offers summer activities for kids. Lots and lots here. read more

It was a good place to take your dogs but now since the are working in the area and due to the weather it is currently closed.

Best dog park in the city...2 large tennis court just for the babies. I wish I took pictures

I love visiting this park with my little Maltipoo! There are always lots of fun dogs for my little guy to play with and everyone is usually courteous. I'm always amazed at how clean the park is each time I visit; and everyone does their part to pick up after their dogs. The Southside definitely need more dog parks, but Jackson bark is definitely the best. read more

The Best Dog Park in Chicago!!! This is a great community dog park and there are no workers only those that bring their dogs who help keep it the best in Chicago. Please check this dog park out for yourself by using Google maps, Jackson Bark, Chicago, IL 60637. Parking is free. This park is for all dogs and does not have a bias toward any dog's size or breed. There are 2 areas but each side is for everyone. Only separate yourself from one side if you are not happy with a dog on the other side. They have first aid kits, water hoses and bowls in every corner, pooper scoopers, poop bags, dog toys, time-out areas & many agility exercises. The best part is the dogs can roam & play off leash to get much needed exercise and energy out. So, please join us with your lovely dogs and be a good pet owner by cleaning up behind your pet and volunteering while your there a few minutes to keep this the best dog park Chicago has ever seen. read more

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Great service, good location. Confirm your dog bath appointment by phone, as the online scheduling feature is not quite accurate. Wonderful employees and reasonable prices.. Recommended! read more

Our absolute favorite dog park in Chicago. It is the largest fully enclosed dog park & second largest dog park in Chicago. We found this hidden gem by simply driving by the park, but they also have a great website & directions can be found via google maps. This dog park is great for the usual run around & play time, but also includes amazing agility equipment. The park also includes plenty of dog toys, baby pools, running water, first aid, and anything else you could possibly need or want for your time with your dog. This park has quickly felt like a second home to us & we couldn't love it more than we do. read more

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Interesting concept. When I came there was just my dog and one other. Cement dog area with a lot of things for dogs to mess around with.

My friend found this place on Yelp and suggested we go with our dogs and I'm glad she did. This place is awesome! It is just a regular dog park run by the community that gets no funding from Chicago, with a bunch of agility courses that your dog can try out. It is quite impressive how much work the volunteers have done to put together this space. It is a huge space, with a gate in the middle that you can keep open (to provide more space for the dogs to run) or close (if you are trying to separate your dog from another dog or to prevent your dog from getting too distracted). My dog had a great time (probably because she got so many treats while doing each obstacle) and was completely worn out by the time we got home that afternoon. The hazard theme was also very cute. Great amenities such as poop bags and dog toys that you can use. read more

I give it a five star bc I went there with my 4 dogs and it was fun for them they was running around and haveing fun so I'm giving jackson bark a 5 star review have a good life and I'll be comeing back soon probably?. read more

I visited a few weeks ago with my dog in the early morning and was able to meet the owner, who gave us the history of the park. This park came highly recommended by our friends in the neighborhood and it didn't dissappoint. Lots of fun toys and our dog had a wonderful time running around with a new friend. This is a community treasure and I hope it stays here for years to come. read more

Jackson Bark - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The best and most amazing dog park. It's a must see/bring your dog. Todd is cool and straightforward maybe that's too much for someone. Todd is putting lots of work there and we all appreciates it. Everyone I see at dog park is nice, polite (and they all take care of park) and my dog loves it. Beat dog park read more

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This park is a whole care package!! It has a secure fence so your pet is able to run and roam free. There's also an option to close the gate fence for the social and anti social fur babies. There's so many obstacles to run around and play with and a couple toys and balls. I'm so amazed how there's a first aid kit, this park really cares for their guest and companions. I admire that a lot. I've been to this park two years and trust me it made a lot of wonderful improvements that are accessible to everyone. Very excited for the water to open up!! Can't wait for the many years coming up because I'll have plenty of memories here from now on! read more

I got my first dog, a 9 year old Shiba Inu rescue, about a year ago and suddenly I became obsessed with finding as many dog-friendly parks/restaurants/events/stores as possible. I had been recommended some dog parks, but they were all on the Northside. If you live in HP, you know that it's such a pain and incredibly time consuming to try to go anywhere on the Northside. After doing some google searches, I found Jackson Bark, and it was only a 5 minute drive from my apt (!!!). At first, I parked in the lot behind MSI, which is paid parking. But then I found out about the free parking beside the dog park, so I've parked there ever since and never had an issue. It's literally right beside the park, so you can always keep an eye on your car. The park is lit at night. The dog park itself is a pups dream. There are obstacle courses, toys, poop bags, water bowls, a kiddie pool in the summer, and seats for the parents. It's great for all dog sizes, activity, and skill level. There are also two sections, so if you're dog is shy, skiddish, or doesn't feel comfortable socializing with the rest of the dogs, you can close the gate and have the other section to yourself or with other like-minded pups. This is really great for my dog, since he is very skiddish and feels uncomfortable around a large group. We start him out isolated, and once he interacts with other pups behind a fence, he feels much better about actually joining them. Jackson Bark is such a great asset to the Southside, and I would hate for anything to happen to it since it's not technically an official Chicago park. The city needs to recognize the importance of this park and the love that the community has for it. Todd and volunteers build it and keep it clean. Everyone that visits is friendly and responsible in looking after their dogs. I truly love this place. read more

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Best dog park ever! We've now driven there from the north side several times just because we love it so much! Our pup teemu isn't an agility dog yet, but he loves playing on the structures and slowly getting used to the equipment. It's a truly amazing place and it's so cool that it's free and open to the public. Definitely a gem. read more

Jackson Bark - Teemu surveys the equipment - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Today was the first time we visited a dog park with our pupp. We live in the loop unfortunately there aren't any big doggy parks here. I did some research to see which ones are close by and fun, this one had a lot of great reviews so we decided to check it out. As we arrived the guy running it was super friendly gave us a quick rundown of the place. There are a ton of things for dog to do, plenty of water baths and a doggy Obstacle course. They ppl that were there were very nice. It felt like a very welcoming community. I can only recommend this place even my 2yr old that we brought a long had a ton of fun. Please go check it out you won't regret it I promise. No We will definitely be back!!! read more

Jackson Bark - Just one of the fun things they had at the park. And Our pup making friends. - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is incredible! I am so happy to have such a high quality dog park on the South Side. The obstacles / agility aspect are really unique. The park is fully fenced (a necessity for my dog to run off leash) and even has double gates for the entrance/exit areas. There are two sections, separated by a gate, which are both part of the park but can be separated if dogs need some alone time / less interaction. It is community-created and maintained, to boot. The space alone is worthy of the trip, but the organizer also stocks it with fresh water, toys, and cleanup bags. Seriously, you should go. read more

Jackson Bark - taking on the big one. will he make it? :) - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Huge park. Two separate sections. Lots of agility equipment. This would probably be worth a return if we lived on the south side, but we don't, so I don't see us coming back anytime soon. There was one aggressive unneutered dog when we came that was just following my dog around barking at her. Owner didn't care at all, so we took her to another section. Tried to do the agility with her but dogs just want to play. Because dogs just want to play, BRING TREATS! Not all dog owners pay attention to their dogs, so your dog WILL need a distraction from the distractions. I did talk to the park's non-owner for a bit and wasn't really into his condescending tone. He is one of those people that talks at you, instead of with you, and assumes that you're ignorant within 10 seconds of meeting. I've owned dogs for more than 10 years and have been to many a dog park, so I don't need a lecture on how to be at a dog park. I also don't need a lecture on picking up the feces of other people's dogs. I pick up after my dog. The people that need to have discussions about proper dog park etiquette are those who don't pick up after theirs. In addition, we had a brief discussion about the fact that this dog park isn't owned by anyone nor is it city sanctioned. I really don't care one way or the other, but after having said, "that's good," to the fact that it has been around for a year and the city hasn't removed it, I got another lecture on why my response was not constructive (he doesn't want people getting too comfortable). I'm a lawyer, so I tend to see things from a legal perspective and that was my lens. Not that it cant get shut down at any moment, but I thought it was a good direction that it has lasted that long. I was NOT giving legal advice or having a full blown legal discussion, just made a simple observation. I got schooled again and totally lost interest in the "conversation" at that point. Perhaps someone else should do the PR type work at this park. I admire what the non-owner has done with the space and the work he's put into it, but if he wants community support, he shouldn't treat adults like children. read more

Jackson Bark - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We're so lucky to have a place like this in a Chicago, especially since there aren't other dog parks on the south side. Jackson Bark has a great variety of things to do, including some agility obstacles, a dog bath, spots for water, and lots of photo opportunities. The agility obstacles are all made from repurposed materials like street signs, traffic cones, and tires, which is really cool. The park has a gate in the middle to create separation if you need to. There's even a little free library. This place is currently under threat of closing down because of the golf course to the south of it so be sure to visit and write a review to show support! read more

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We just moved to the neighborhood from super dog-friendly Denver, CO and we are so thankful to have this resource for our pup. The entrepreneurial founder took unused tennis courts and converted them into the most entertaining dog park in Chicago. There are two sides of the court which caters to smaller and larger dogs if there's a crowd. Tons of accessible "agility" activities for the pups to play with. More importantly, the only enclosed area for dogs to run around in on the south side. Beautiful area right across from the lake and plenty of parking. read more

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Jackson Bark is an amazing community owned dog park. There are community supplies for first aid kit and activities for dogs to engage in. The person who started the park converted it abandoned tennis courts into a park where dogs can play with other dogs. He's done a great job maintaining the park and allowing the community to use it for free! It's the best community dog park I've been to. read more

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This is the most amazing dog park! It's "unofficial" meaning it isn't sponsored by the city and is run/taken care of by a really small group of amazing volunteers. It is by far the largest park in the city and one of the only ones on the south side. There is tons of agility equipment, toys/balls to play with, water, and little seating areas. The "decor" is hilarious and cute, made of old upcycled city signs - so it's very photo friendly. Definitely the most instagramable dog park! It has everything you could want. Just make sure not to hurt your pup's paws if they aren't used to running on cement. My dog paws at the window when we turn onto Science drive, she loves this place so much. It's her second favorite Chicago Dog Park next to Montrose Dog Beach. Don't forget to tag your photos #JacksonBark :) read more

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This was my first time at a dog park. My dog is a bit antisocial so I wanted to take her somewhere where she could roam and try to get comfortable around dogs. Unfortunately, she wasn't as comfortable as I would've wished but I thought the space was great. There's two sections if you want a separation from social/antisocial dogs as well as obstacle courses, toys, poop bags and even a little library section where you can take and leave dog books! Todd, who helped create the place is very nice and informative. He gave us some history on the place and guidelines which I thought were very reasonable. I plan to continue coming here so I really hope it doesn't get shut down! read more

Jackson Bark - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When I first brought my dogs to Jackson Bark, I loved it...and so did my dogs. Although my dogs didn't use the agility equipment, they did get exercise by running around with the other dogs. This all changed yesterday when one of my dogs was mauled by another dog that was in the park. In my concern about my dog, I failed to get the other dog owner's information; however, I thought I could follow up with the Jackson Bark "owner", since there were several witnesses to the incident. After returning from the vet, with a hefty bill, I inboxed the park owner to call me and he did. As I was trying to explain what happened at the park and ask his assistance in identifying the other dog's owner, he started lecturing me on proper dog etiquette and the importance of waiting until the other owners grabbed their dogs before entering the park. I told him that no one had attempted to do that and asked if that was posted in the park and he said that should just be "common sense". Since I know that he is usually at the park most days, I asked if he could ask some of the regulars if they had witnessed the incident or if he would be willing to post a sign to the same effect. He told me that he had enough to do working in the park and it didn't include being my secretary! I asked if he was concerned and if other patrons would be concerned about dogs attacking other dogs and he informed me that another dog had been mauled a few weeks ago! But obviously he did nothing about it then and has decided to do nothing about it now! Needless to say, neither I or my dogs will be returning to Jackson Bark!!! read more

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Very nice place to take your dog. Very relaxing for the pet owner and plenty to do for the dogs. Hope it's still here when all the construction is over. read more

This is a great community owned dog park that is in danger of being taken over by the nearby golf range. If this were to happen it would be a great loss as this dog park is one of the best dog parks In Chicago. I was impressed how well maintained the park is, as well as the variety of agility obstacles available should your dog be adventurous enough to try. Please visit, hashtag, and write reviews because I would hate to see this park disappear! read more

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This could be a great places with the exception to those who don't understand the Rules of Engagement for their dogs and also the law as it requires you to have control over your dog at all times regardless if this is a social setting for dogs. You are required by law to maintain control of your dog either on or off leash. An educated owner would have a brief conversation with the other owner with the dogs still leashed to see if it's okay if your dogs engages in play. This dog agility course has two sections with one being for less social dogs but Chicago ordinance still applies, and as the signs outside of Jackson bark clearly states you enter at your own risk. Some of the workers of this Jackson bark agility Park seem to be biased against larger dogs, and are pacifist with ignorant dog owners. With the combination of these factors make this a potentially dangerous place for educated dog owners. read more

We love Jackson Bark!!! It's the perfect space to take our pup outside and know she's safe to run around and be herself. It's a great place to meet other dogs, from all over Chicago, and dog parents too. Its such a unique dog park, unlike any others I've been to. It's a great asset to the area that's free for all to use. What's not to love? read more

My dog had a great time at this park! Lots of obstacles and toys to play with. I've never seen a park like it! read more

Jackson Bark - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Favorite dog park in Chicago! Huge fenced area full of fun things for dogs to play with and on. My dog is always super excited when we come here! read more

Jackson Bark - Yuna is so happy here! - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We walked in with little expectation and was immediately blown away. This place is like an amusement park for dogs with lots of fun facilities. Our dogs had so much fun playing around. Also, this place is free and open to everyone. Can't say enough about the community efforts to create this great place for dogs!! read more

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Great park with a lot of fun obstacles for your pup to play.:) First timers get an orientation from Todd the founder so you don't feel lost when you first arrive. Plenty of poop bags, water & toys were also readily available. read more

Jackson Bark - Dog Parks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois