This public county park in Gainesville has a nice playground for the children. It also has exercise areas and a picnic table. It is probably more popular as an active dog park with big open grass areas and also a separate fenced area. It is well maintained but there are no bathrooms. read more

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My mom and I were wandering around town, going to different parks as part of our exercise routine. We both need the exercise, so going out to a park that we have never been to simply to walk around the park and see what it has to offer is a good thing. Situated on the South side of Gainesville, Squirrel Ridge Park has a long history dating back to the 1850's when it was a plantation for cotton, sugar cane, and corn. After slavery was abolished the owner started selling off the land, some to Andrew Carnegie and at least 250 acres worth to former slaves. Today, the area is memorialized by Squirrel Ridge Park, which is best known for its open area dog park and the only city park that holds rugby games. Walking around the park, we were also impressed by the children's play area, which is substantial and has a lot of features for kids to enjoy. read more

Only GOD forgives you faster than your DOG! #ReflectDogs Love & Forgiveness Wow!! What a hidden gym and by hidden I mean back in here behind the hospital and a little bitty playground! The small dog park would be an enormous large dog park in most areas. The large dog park is not only extremely large it has multiple Gates and passageways so the dogs think they're going into all kinds of new areas! They actually have a gated-off facility to rent your dog off in after they've had done playing. They have multiple places to sit all around the park with quite a few of them having shade structures or shelter over them. There is an agility item area and one little part of the dog park. But mostly there's just wide open spaces for the dogs to run. Oh and I forgot to mention they have a nice concrete pad when you first come in with two bone-shaped pools sitting on it full of water for the dogs to play in!! May explain the need for the rinse off station read more

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One of my favorite parks in Gainesville. It's always very clean and well kept. There is a wide variety of agility equipment. There is a small pool for the dogs to cool off. I love the amount of trees and shaded areas. read more

My dogs love coming here! Excellent place to bring your furry friends. Open space,plenty of places to sit and very peaceful. read more

Squirrel Ridge Park - Open Parks, fun dogs - Parks Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Squirrel Ridge Park is the first Gainesville exit coming from 75 South. Great Location and usually a lot college age kids there. Medium sized Dog Park with Plenty of area to roam. Lots of obstacles and playground area for dogs! Lots of large trees with Spanish moss hanging on them for SHADE is it is too Hot or Rainy... Free Park and fresh water is always available for the Dogs. read more

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More of an open space by a hospital, it is still an enjoyable place to get out and stretch your legs. Parks are an integral part of the city, a respite from the modern world and the asphalt and steel that dominates our urban terrains. read more

Squirrel Ridge is a decent free dog park to bring the family to. There is a huge area to run and play in. If you are looking for other dogs to play with be sure to bring them during the weekend. The rules are pretty typical to other parks in Gainesville. Be sure to clean up after your dog and everyone can enjoy it. read more

Squirrel Ridge Park - With dogs like this at the park why not stop by? She's cute. - Parks Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Fantastic huge park with a lot of shade perfect for both doggos and humans! There is also ample parking! I love that there's a lot of space to spend quality time with your doggo or let them roam free and be as social as they want to be! I will definitely be returning soon! read more

Squirrel Ridge Park - Parks Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Great please let your dogs run wild and jump in the pond! What's the best is the little bathtubs they have to spray your dogs off

A great park with lots of space and a good atmosphere. I came to this park after trying the complete disaster that is Haisley Lynch Park. Squirrel Ridge Park is a couple miles down the road in a relatively nice area (though being by a mental health facility was a little concerning). There is a good deal of parking. Ipso and I got out of the car and went towards the park. The regular park is very pretty and well-maintained, but you actually need to go down a small long path to get to the enclosed dog park area. Once we reached the park, I unhooked my dog and let him race into the big open (yet enclosed) field. There were about 5-10 other people there with their dogs, so Ipso was able to play and have lots of fun. A big positive is there weren't any stray or dropped off dogs, which is a pet peeve of mine (pun not intended). Unfortunately, an aggressive dog came and caused a ruckus for a bit and scared off some of the other dogs and their owners, but everyone there was quick to act and keep the fights contained. The dogs were able to keep playing, so Ipso was able to burn off energy for more than an hour. While there isn't much in terms of things to do, there is a hose and containers for water, some fun chairs where you can sit and relax, and some old tennis balls. The people going to the park were all students or young professionals, so it was easy to have some good conversations while the dogs romped around. I will warn though that it had rained the day before, so while most of it had dried, there were still some mud patches that a couple of dogs (luckily not mine) jumped into and ensured car seats would soon be destroyed. Overall, this was an excellent dog park. While there weren't many squirrels as the name implies, the well-kept areas and nice people make this an excellent place to take your dog if you are visiting Gainesville. read more

Squirrel Ridge Park - Ipso about to enter the dog park! - Parks Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Its a memorial park for those that have lost their lives to senseless acts of violence. It is maintained by volunteers that have respect for what the park represents. The dog park is actually behind the memorial garden, although small dogs are allowed in the park,however,,,most people appear to think that great Danes and bull dogs are small. ;) When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Help keep this park clean...pick up when you leave. Thanks for doing your part. :) read more

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My wife and I normally go to Possum Creek for our free-dog-park needs because it's closer to our house. Yesterday though, we were already in town and in the area so we decided to try Squirrel Ridge Park. They are both free and they both consist of double-gated dog entrances, but there aren't too many other similarities. Pros: -Free -Shaded bench areas -Huge field area for dogs to play -Decent grass to dirt/sand ratio... good for keeping the dogs slightly cleaner. -Water hose good for giving the dogs a drink. Also good for hosing them off if they are too hot or dirty. Cons: -No cleanup bags in the actual dog area. They have them way back at the parking area. We didn't realize this when going in so when the dogs had to go, I had to go back out to the entrance to get the bags. -Swampy, muddy area near the big dog entrance. The dogs would consider this a Pro based on how often they ran over there. Overall, it's a no frills park with the added bonus of having the dog area. Possum Creek has nicer scenery and a better play/party area for kids and dogs alike... plus the skate park... but if we lived near Squirrel Ridge I could settle for it. read more

Our pups really like this park. It usually has a couple of dogs to socialize with and enough space for down time if your pups need it. I highly recommend this park especially if you are staying in a hotel for the weekend. There are no fees, tons of room and water/hose stations with buckets and kiddie pools! Note: The entrance to the dog park is down the well traveled walking road and not in the "park" area where the big oaks are located. read more

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As an out of towner I thought this dog park had a lot to offer. Plenty of space for our dog to wind up to a full sprint, a good amount of water buckets, shade for us to hide from Florida's brutal rays. There is an adjacent small dog area for those with less rambunctious pups. There are pools near the entrance but it is hot in Florida- use the provided hose to rinse off your dog after playing and leave a towel in your car. read more

Nice park with a dirt parking lot behind a mental rehab facility. No Bathrooms In the back is a dog park frequented by primarily students who don't clean up after their pets so if you live north the of university check out Possum Creek dog park. Your pup will thank you. On weekends you can catch the Gainesville Hogs Rugby Club play for free http://www.gainesvillerugbyclub.com Theres also a larping group that meets here phew phew pew lightning bolt lighting bolt. read more

The dog park is massive, at least 3 acres for the big dog park and an acre for the small dog park. It is mostly grass that was mowed. There were some dirt patches that would probably get pretty muddy after a storm. There are lots of trees and shaded benches throughout. Dog poop bags are provided. Lots of water available. Overall, really nice park. read more

Watch out for the 'owners' who spend all their time on the cell, and not watching their animals. At least 2 to 4 aggressive dogs on the large side every time I visit. It is like the Wild West over there. I have small dogs and only go to the small dog side, but some owners are bringing their large dogs over because of the mean dogs on large side. Not working very well. A girl brought her female German Shepard to the small dog side on Monday, and while the Shepard was friendly, she was just too large to play and ended up stepping on a small dog and hurting him. Also, the Shepard owner was on the cell or prattling away THE ENTIRE TIME until I called her on it. yes we had words. Have control of your animal and pay attention. I wish the County would police this park better. read more

I am an avid dog lover and like nothing better then a day at the dog park. My dog just loves to play with the other dogs and get dirty and run around without a leash on which is not easy to do around where I live so she feels really fun and free. Squirrel ridge is a nice dog park as far as the placement of it in the country there however it could use a little bit better up to and the people don't seem to watch their dogs as well as I would expect in a dog park often fights they could be prevented but the people are busy writing their papers for school or just not paying attention reading a book whatever there's not much seating and not much in the shade at all which for me is at is a little bit of a problem but depending on the time of day you go I'm sure you find a different group of dogs we've been a few times I found the dogs for a little rough for mine but she didn't seem to mind we're used to going to a park that has a couple of lakes in it that are nice and clean and she likes to swim however squirrel ridge at best has a baby swimming pool and it becomes muddy and dirty after the first dog gets in it when it's filled up it is free which is a bonus and it has a small dog park also and every dog must be vaccinated so make sure you put the proof of vaccinations in your car in case someone asks you. I think most of us would want to know that the dogs in the park were all vaccinated anyways it's safer for everyone of course there are always accidents at the dog park but in general it's a very safe place for the dogs to play in specially if you keep attention pay attention to and don't allow them to get into it too rough of a pack of dogs running after another dog or something like that then sometimes it there's trouble happens and it happened so fast but in general it's just a good place to Rob and play for your dog and nice place for you to get some country air see some nice trees from the outside of the park. I prefer they were if there were more shade and and places to sit in the shade countries with in the park because then the squirrels come in and the dogs like to chase the squirrels big fun that they can't do in the neighborhood and then the squirrel seemed to interact and want to play their very playful animals. I've met some nice people there and enjoyed my day is there however I can only give it three stars because I do not believe it's kept up to the standard of many other public dog parks nor do I think that the owners of the dogs hey quite enough attention to picking up their dog's waste products which only makes for a better dog park for all of us including the dogs cleaner safer healthier sometimes of course you just don't see it happen but generally you should keep an eye on your dog for that too if you know how your dog is going to behave there how often is going to go you can sometimes if you just wash it at the beginning it takes care of two or three times and and you can keep a further distance from it and know that it's probably just going to run and play maybe wrestle with some of the other dogs. I like the dog park because the dogs can bark and there's nobody that's going to complain and the dogs soon socialize with each other and I love seeing other dogs other breeds learning from the people how their dogs act and what they did to train it where they got them from things like that in general what's it's a good dog park for a couple hours and you don't expect a pristine dog park and there are actually some of them in some cities that are free and well taken care of but in this area there is only one dog park I feel is really well kept and it's one that you must pay a membership fee for however if you like to go to the dog park with your dog it gives you a 7-Day pass so free membership fees that aren't very expensive and of course it has the lakes in the gazebo but for a free part squirrel ridge is fine look I like the location of what I think you should give it a try if you like want to see how your dog does the dog park just be careful that he or she doesn't get in over its head with another dog that's a little bit more aggressive you could change its opinion about going to dog parks and yours too but in general if you keep a good eye on your dog and you know how your dog acts around other dogs then there is really no problem. I thought I always find the people that take their dogs to dog parks really like their dogs just wouldn't bother it's kind of a thing you know like you do with your kids taking them to the park but this is with your dogs and some people treat their dogs differently and some of us are dogs like children so we like to see them having a good time and playing with other dog children gorgeous dogs in general and it's a it's a good park. Check it out I always advise people that are going for the first time to a dog park to pay attention to the rules that are posted at the gate. read more

I loved this place it was so close to where I used to live. I would bring my dog hear to play at least one a week. They have a very nice open area for dogs to play and run around. My dog is a running type so she would love to chase other dogs and make laps around the park. They have a water faucet for your best friend to hydrate after a workout. Also the park is double fenced entry points for extra safety. It is a blessing to have so many dog parks in gainesville because I know in South Florida it is so hard to find one. Now that I am back in California it is still hard to fine a dog park that provides so much open space for the dogs to run freely. One negative though is they dont seperate big dogs and small dogs playing field. So if you doggie has a problem with interacting with other dogs that are not their size you should be careful. read more

I have a German Shepherd, I go here about twice a week or maybe more. It is a nice place to go to overall. There could be some work yes but with the amount of dogs/people that go there it cant get any better. I love it and I know my dog loves it to! read more

Used to enjoy this place, realized it wasn't well suited for small dogs. There are barely any trash bags or trash cans. Half empty buckets of dirty water sit in the middle of the large field. The small dog fenced in portion is miniature compared to the large. I recommend Possum Creek Dog Park instead if you have a smaller breed. read more

My dog loves that kiddy pool they have there unfortunately. Lots and lots of space for the dogs to run free and play.

We have 2 dogs and live in an apartment so we're always looking for exercise for them. This park is definitely big and not normally over crowded. We started coming regularly and noticed a clique of dogs and owners that was annoying though. They have a kiddy pool and hose for those dogs that love water...warning though, it gets super muddy and gross. Overall not a bad park though. read more

Great park for dogs large and small. Plenty of room for dogs to run around and meet other dogs.

The largest dog park around! There is also a large "small dog" portion of the park connected to it. I've been coming here for years and I feel that most dogs are well behaved and the people who come watch their dogs and kind. Best dog park in the area. Usually not difficult to find parking either. No bathroom area for humans though. read more

Squirrel Ridge Park is wonderful! There is a separate area for big and small dogs. The big dog area is super easy to find and very intuitive, but the small dog area is WAY in the back in the corner. Technically, they connect to each other so you could walk through the big dog area, but if you're dogs are like mine they don't like big dogs so that doesn't make much sense. There are trees for shade, a few benches and little kiddie pools with water. I stopped here on my way through town, but I wish I had something this wonderful where I live. I love it. read more

Nice Park. They keep things pretty clean. There is a nice area set aside for small dogs, but sometimes there are medium or large dogs over there. There are also a few benches and tables available for sitting and water located around the park for the dogs. read more

This dog park is terrible. Do not waste your time. The water buckets are not clean. Lots of aggressive, poorly socialized dogs.

This is absolutely the best dog park! Plenty of running space, kiddie pools for the dogs, a hose, toys, everything! Even benches in the shade under big trees. There is an area for bigger dogs and and area for smaller dogs! Very clever idea. Everything is fenced in and double gated also. There were so many dogs playing together. All so friendly. It's a very public place. My dogs loved it. This place is total free too. read more

This review is only for the fenced "big" dog park area. This is very nice park. It's an open field, some reviews say its three acres, which sounds about right. It's about 80% grass and the rest is bare sand (soil). There are several beautiful large shade trees to enjoy and benches to sit at. There are hoses for water and kiddie pools and buckets for the dogs to play in an cool off. Dog poop bags and garbages are available. read more

This was my first time to Squirrel Ridge. I liked the double-gated entrance and it seems they now do have a different area for smaller dogs as there was a sign. Of course, if it just rained, there will be a small "pond" a few yards away from the entrance, but for my dogs, that's a plus and I'm used to them getting wet. The whole purpose is for them to run and have fun, right? There were only 2 other dogs when we came and 2 more coming when we left. Out of 7, only 2 were college students. And both of us picked up the poop, so we're trying. I'm just glad there's a place as my dogs NEED to run! I'll take it! It doesn't have to be perfect. read more

This park was dedicated by the Board of County Commisioners to Victims and Survivors of Crime in 1996--the first County Park in Florida to do so. Playground equipment, Picnic tables, Benches, and plants are rouitnely added to the park by vounteers and youth who perform community service hours. An annual "Art in the Park" event is held annually at the park in late April to commeroate National Crime Victims Rights Week. For more information about contributing to the Victim's Memorial Park, call Gretchen at 352-337-6174 read more