A Morning at Marymoor Park

Marymoor Off-leash Dog Area - Redmond, WA

The Meadow at Marymoor Dog Park

Boys will be Boys

Walking the Trails at Marymoor Park

 Making Introductions at the Dog Park

More Great Smells at the Off-Leash Area

Watching Great Blue Herons in Their Rookery in the Trees

 Playing in the Sammamish River

Doggie Play Time

Another Dip in the Sammamish River

Walking Back Along the Trail

Good-bye Marymoor Dog Park -  We'll be Back Again Soon!

A Winter Day at the Richmond Beach Off-leash Dog Area

Border Collies Playing at Richmond Beach Off-Leash Dog Area

Going to the beach in the winter may seem like a strange idea, but we love going to off-leash dog areas on Puget Sound in the winter especially when it's a sunny day.  The beaches are uncrowded with lots of room for my border collies, Tim and Hank, to run and play.

Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, Shoreline Washington

Fortunately there are several off-leash dog areas on the shores of Puget Sound in the greater Seattle area.  Richmond Beach Saltwater Park is one of my favorites and it is only open for dogs off-leash during the fall and winter from November 1st through March 15th.  Another great reason to go to the beach in the winter!

Where is Richmond Beach Park?

Richmond Beach Saltwater Park is a large park in a gorgeous location on a hillside overlooking Puget Sound.  There are paved paths for walking or biking, picnic areas, interpretive signs and playground areas.



Richmond Beach Saltwater Park - Parking Lot

The park is very popular in the summer, so there are several large parking areas at various levels going down the hill.  The parking lot closest to the off-leash dog area is at the bottom nearest the beach. Or you and your dog want more exercise, you can park at the top and walk the extra distance.

Off-Leash Area Sign

A sign at the south end of the lower parking lot marks the way, but is a bit misleading. It was posted when we visited in February when the off-leash area is open, but the sign indicates that the off-leash area is closed and will re-open in November.  Apparently the Shoreline Parks Department doesn't take it down or change the sign during the winter months when the beach is open to dogs off-leash.

Richmond Beach Pedestrian Bridge Across the Railroad Tracks

A pedestrian bridge provides safe passage over the railroad tracks.

Richmond Beach Off-Leash Area Rules

On the other side of the bridge is a sign with the Richmond Beach Off-leash dog park rules and a bit further you can tell you've arrived when you see a sign-post with a doggie waste bag dispenser.

Richmond Beach Off-Leash Park Sign

A few cautionary notes: There are signs posted with the off-leash area boundaries, but there are no fences preventing dogs from leaving the off-leash area of the beach.  There is a fence between the beach and the train tracks when first arriving on the beach and further to the south a shrubby hedge forms a barrier, but it is possible for a dog to find a way onto the train tracks.  Fortunately my dogs have good recall and I keep them down near the waters edge where I can keep an eye on them just to be on the safe side.   There is no drinking water available on the beach, so remember to bring some for both you and your dog.

Let the Border Collie Chase Games Begin

Finally we arrive at the beach and Hank and Tim waste no time before taking off to run along the edge of the surf.

Hank in the Water

Hank loves to splash in the water, so he wades in and gets wet.

Tim Does a Play Bow

Tim entices him back on to the shore with a play bow and an invitation to chase him down the beach again.

A Blur of Border Collies Run Past

Hank turns and takes off down the beach and both run past me in a blur.

Hank bites at the waves

Hank is a bit OCD when it comes to the waves.  He loves to run back and forth along the beach barking at the surf and wades out to try to catch the light reflections in the water.  Tim looks on with undisguised contempt for such silliness.

Harbor Seal Sign

Puget Sound is home to many species of wildlife, including harbor seals which sometimes haul out on the beach to sun and rest. Interpretive signs remind people to be considerate of these creatures by keeping their dogs away from them.

Bald Eagle Flying Over Richmond Beach - Shoreline, WA

As we made our way back to the parking lot, I spotted a bald eagle soaring overhead.  Yet another reason I was glad we went to the beach on a sunny winter day.

An InLinkz Link-up

A Visit to Three Forks Off Leash Dog Park - Snoqualmie, WA

Tim and Hank visit Three Forks Off-Leash Dog Area

It's been awhile since we shared one of our adventures.  It isn't because we haven't had any adventures - we've just been too busy to find the time to share them.  One of the places we've been is to Three Forks Off-Leash Dog area in Snoqualmie, WA.  If this isn't an area you're familiar with, here is a link to a map: Map to Three Forks Dog Park

Snoqualmie River on a misty autumn morning

The off-leash dog area is part of the larger Three Forks Natural area located on the flood plain of the Snoqualmie River.  This is the view from the parking lot n a misty autumn morning with cottonwood and maple trees lining Meadowbrook Slough, a side channel of the river.

Three Forks Dog Park Entrance Gate

No time to linger at the view - Tim and Hank are eager to check out the park and wait anxiously at the gate,

Inside the gate, trees, a meadow and new friends await.

Inside the gate we discover the dog park has a large, fully fenced 6 acre meadow, surrounded by a bark path and dotted with several picnic tables and trees.

Benches under the shade of a big maple tree

The meadow has a lovely shady area with benches and picnic tables under a large maple tree.

Three Forks Dog Park Trail

The trail along the fence is barked and extends around the entire perimeter of the park.

Border collies in the mist

The grassy center was great for sniffing around, running and playing chase games.

A fresh mole hill

Hank enjoyed checking out a fresh mole hill.

Poop Bag Dispensers

The park comes equipped with a poop bag dispenser and a garbage can on each side of the meadow.

Gate to the Trail

A gate on the opposite side of the dog park leads to a branch of the Snoqualmie River Trail system  which we'll be exploring on another day,

Magnuson Dog Park in Seattle

A couple of months ago we made a trip to Magnuson Dog Park in Seattle.   It took us awhile to get Vicki to go to the computer, load up the photos and write up our adventures.  This is me (Tim) meeting up with some of the other dogs at the swimming area on Lake Washington.  Hank was having so much fun running around that Vicki never got a good photo of him - they were all a blur.

I found lots of really great smells and in this photo I'm thinking about leaving my scent to let everyone know that Tim was here!  We had a really great time and give this dog park 4 paws up out of  4!

Edmonds Marina Dog Beach

The Edmonds Marina Dog Beach is one of our favorite places, especially when there is a low tide.