The City of Wichita, Kansas, got the nickname Air Capital of the World in 1928, when it began producing 120 airplanes per week. In fact, one in four airplanes in the US were built in Wichita. It is also known for being the middle of the United States although the geographical center of the country is three hours to the north. The city is also the home of the first Pizza Hut and White Castle, earning it a couple more nicknames, including Pizza Town and Burger City.
With long, warm summers and short, cold winters, the city is also a great place to spend time outdoors, whether you are into snowboarding, skiing, swimming, or boating. As a matter of fact, there are almost 150 parks in Wichita, including more than 5,000 acres. Most of these parks are dog-friendly as long as your fur baby is on a leash. However, they also have their fair share of off-leash dog parks too. Here are our top choices of the best 15 dog parks in Wichita, Kansas.
Augusta Kansas Dog Park
Augusta Kansas Dog Park is a fun fur baby play area about 20 miles east of downtown Wichita in Augusta. It is located in the southwest corner of Garvin Park and features 1.4 acres of grassy space divided into two fenced off-leash sections for small and big dogs on the corner of Meadow and West Sunflower Avenues. Each side has several pet waste stations with free poop bags, mature trees for shade, and plenty of seating for pup parents.
Both sides have both natural and manmade play structures, including a seesaw, hoops to jump through, fire hydrants to pee on, and tree stumps, logs, and boulders to climb on. There is a water fountain with a dog bowl, too, so you can both get a drink. However, it is always a good idea to pack extra doggie bags and water. You just never know when they are going to run out!
Centennial Dog Park
Also known as Newton Dog Park, Centennial Dog Park is about a half-hour north of downtown Wichita, right up Interstate 135. It is just outside Centennial Park to the west and has two fenced areas across the street from one another. This is a great way to keep the pups from barking at each other through the fence the whole time they are there. One side is for dogs under 25 pounds, and the other is for dogs over 25 pounds.
Each side has a shade pavilion with picnic tables as well as drinking fountains for pups and their pup parents. You can also use the free doggie bags provided by the park for easy cleanup. However, you should always bring your own water and poop bags anyway. Although there are no agility stations, there is tons of open space for playing fetch, frisbee, or just watching the pooches chase each other around.
Central Park Dog Park
Pack up your pup and head east about 13 miles from Wichita, and you will find the Central Park Dog Park in Andover. The special pooch playground is located at the southern end of the park and has a separate enclosure for large dogs. Besides all the open grassy space to romp around with other fur babies, these two parks also have some cool play structures. One is a tower made of huge boulders in the large dog section and the tunnel in the small dog area.
If you have a canine companion who loves to climb, this is the perfect spot because there are quite a few climbing opportunities in the shape of large flat boulders and huge felled trees. Pet parents can relax on the benches or bring a ball and play a game of fetch. They also have water fountains and doggie bag dispensers. Just bring extras in case they run out.
Chapin Park Dog Park
Right in Wichita, about six miles to the south of downtown, your pooch will love playing at the Chapin Park Dog Park. It is located inside the 190-acre Chapin Park on the corner of MacArthur and Hydraulic right across the street from the Starlite Drive-In and Lamplighter Mobile Home Park. Both the small and large dog sections have a lot of space for running around, and you can even watch model airplanes flying around on the airstrip next to the park.
The park provides water and doggie bags but, as we mentioned before, it is a good idea to bring your own supply from home. There are shaded picnic tables for chilling out and watching your cuddly buddy play and enjoy the scenery. Outside the park, your pooch can join you for a hike along the Arkansas River. But you will need to put his leash back on before going outside the fenced dog area.
Cheney State Park
Although it does not have an official leash-free dog park, Cheney State Park has almost 2,000 acres with fun activities for everyone who visits. Just keep your pooch on a leash, and he can join you in almost every area, including the marina, fishing docks, picnic areas, and all three nature trails. It is just minutes from Wichita to the west on the Cheney Reservoir. The east shore area has boat ramps, a dock, jetties, and lots of picnic areas, as well as several campgrounds.
On the western shore, there are additional boat ramps, a dock, and several more campgrounds. In total, there are more than 600 campsites, including 223 that have electricity and water. Be sure to call in advance to reserve a spot if you plan to stay. This is a very popular park, and it fills up quickly. Always have plenty of doggie bags with you to clean up after your cuddly canine.
Chisholm Creek Pet Resort Pup Park
Less than 10 miles northeast of the City of Wichita, Chisholm Creek Pet Resort Pup Park is a popular spot for pooches to play off the leash. The park has 10 acres that include an agility course and a swimming pond. Although you have to have a membership to visit more than once, you can get a free day pass to check it out or if you are just passing through. They have three-month and yearly memberships that include full use of the entire park and all it has to offer.
Chisholm Creek Pet Resort also has grooming, boarding, and doggie daycare, so if you need a place to leave your canine companion for a few hours or a few weeks, this place has some of the best reviews from hundreds of pup parents. Choose from luxury doggie condos with cozy beds or standard suites where your pooch can be paired with his own roomies. Both have activities planned every day with true dog lovers and 24 access to live cameras.
Decarsky Dog Park
Decarsky Dog Park can be found in Derby, about 15 miles south on Highway 15 at Decarsky Ball Field and Park. This is a park that has it all and then some. The first thing you will notice is that there is a small and large dog section, each with its own vibrant red and blue agility stations. These include steps, a jump-over, a pause table, an A-frame with steps and a ramp, an elevated tunnel, and hoops to jump through.
There are three acres that include two for the large pups and almost one for the smaller pooches. It also has a small “Penalty Box” space for unruly pooches to sit for time out when they need to take a break. And the pond behind the dog park is a pup popular place, especially during the warm months. Your fur puppy can swim, splash around, and even do some dock diving off the doggie dock.
El Dorado State Park
Minutes from Wichita in El Dorado, the El Dorado State Park has about 14,000 acres that includes an 8,000-acre lake with almost 100 miles of shoreline. It does not have a dog park where you can let your fur puppy off the leash, but there are quite a few places where you can let him run free. For example, there are seven trails that take you to large open fields and prairies where you can let Fido off the leash as long as he has excellent recall.
If you and your pooch want to stay for a while, call to reserve one of the 1,148 campsites. But make sure you let them know you have a canine companion so you get a pet-friendly site. They even have cabins, shower houses, and picnic shelters. You can even take your pup partner with you to do some fishing as long as you have a Kansas state fishing license.
Haysville Dog Park
Located at Dorner Park just eight miles northwest of Decarsky Park, Haysville Dog Park has about 1.3 acres for cuddle buddies under 45 pounds and 1.6 acres for all sizes and breeds to play together. So, if you have a tiny Terrier that wants to play with the huge Hounds, that is no problem at this indiscriminate pooch park. And the hours are different from most dawn to dusk dog parks, too, because it is open from 5 AM until midnight!
Because it is open during the dark, there is lighting to keep everyone safe and able to see each other. There are also climate-controlled restrooms for year-round use, benches to relax and watch Fido play, and pet waste stations with poop bags for easier cleanup. The park also has a nice trail and pond where you can fish, but you will need to put your fur baby’s leash back on.
K9 Rooster Dog Park
K-9 Rooster Dog Park is right in the heart of Wichita, just four miles northwest of downtown in Meridian Park along the Arkansas River. It was previously known as Meridian Dog Park but was renamed for a canine officer named Rooster, who died in 2017. Unlike most fur baby fun parks, this one has three separate enclosures. One of them is just less than one acre, another is about one acre, and the third one is 1.4 acres.
Although it is not officially stated, the smallest pen is for little dogs under 25 pounds, the medium-sized area is for all dogs, and the largest space is for big dogs. Similar to Haysville Dog Park, K9 Rooster Dog Park is open until midnight, so it has automatic lighting. The park also provides waste stations with doggie bags and drinking fountains, but you are encouraged to bring your own because this is a pup popular spot.
Murfin Dog Park
Your cuddly canine companion will love playing at Murfin Dog Park in Wichita, just a few miles north of downtown. Like K9 Rooster Dog Park, it has three separate enclosures with about one acre of space in each of them. You will not find it in a public park, though. This one is behind the Sedgwick County Animal Shelter/Kansas Humane Society. Each section has spacious grassy areas with plenty of room for a game of fetch or frisbee.
Pet parents can enjoy the picnic tables and benches. Some are in the shade, while others let you enjoy soaking up the sunshine. Waste removal stations are filled with doggie bags daily, so they are almost always full but it would not hurt to bring some, just in case. Also, they have drinking stations for pups and their humans, as well as lights because they are open until midnight.
Naftzger Bark Park
It may not be a large park, but Naftzger Bark Park is the perfect spot to let your fur pup stretch their legs and socialize with other pooches right in the heart of downtown Wichita. And it has all the amenities that other dog parks have, including a waste removal station with doggie bags, benches for seating, a drinking station for dogs and humans, and a cool turf-covered mound that fur babies love to climb.
It is fully enclosed for safety and gives you that sense of security knowing your pupster is safe so you can just relax and watch him play. The rest of the small community park is pretty cool, too with a large turf lawn where they often have events and concerts for free. There is also a splash pad for the kiddos and several eating establishments nearby. Just remember to leash your pooch outside the dog park and bring extra doggie bags.
O.J. Watson Park
With almost 120 acres, O.J. Watson Park is one of the largest parks in Wichita, and even though it does not have an off-leash space for Fido, you and your canine companion can have a blast anyway. Just keep his leash on, and he is welcome to join you almost anywhere in the park. You can enjoy a kayak or pedal boat ride on the 40-acre lake, play a round of mini-golf, or do some fishing. Just be sure to get a Kansas state fishing license first.
The park also has numerous picnic areas with tables and shelters, two playgrounds for the little humans, and a concession stand so you can get something to eat and drink. They have cheeseburgers, nachos, and ice cream, as well as pretzels and popcorn. The train ride is also fun, but you should ask first before bringing your pooch on board. And always have a supply of poop bags and extra water.
Pawnee Prairie Park
Dog-friendly Pawnee Prairie Park is less than 10 miles from downtown Wichita and even though they do not have a designated dog park, the 625-acre recreational space has lots of places where you can let your pooch run around. The five-mile hiking trail is a wonderful way to get to know the flora and fauna of the area and let your fur baby sniff everything. But make sure you bring doggie bags and extra water!
The hike includes a gorgeous creek that your little buddy can splash around in to cool off in summer or just sniff around during the colder months. There are quite a few picnic areas here, too, so pack a lunch, and you and your pup can enjoy a meal after working up an appetite on the trail. You will probably see some horses as well because the park is a popular equestrian hangout, so keep that in mind in case your pooch is afraid of them.
WB Harrison Park Dog Park
Last but certainly not least, you and your fur buddy should check out the dog park at W.B. Harrison Park, just seven miles east of Wichita. With three separate enclosures, there is a special spot for small dogs 25 pounds and under, a large area for big dogs, and an agility course section for training or just playing. The 1.5-acre agility section has hurdles, stumps, a crawl tube, a teeter-totter, an A-frame, weave poles, a ramp, and a paws table.
But the other sections are fun, too! The large area is almost three acres and has paws tables, stumps, a tire train, and hillside fetch areas. The small dog area is over a half acre and has a paws table, stumps, culvert crawl, and tunnels. Each section also has waste stations with doggie bags, benches, a shade structure, and water fountains. Outside the park, leash your pup back up, and you can enjoy a walk around the pond, where you can do some fishing.
The Final Woof
After a long day of playing at some of the best dog parks in Wichita, why not take your best furry friend to the movies? There is always something good playing at Starlite Drive-In, and they welcome pups as long as they are on a leash. Although most museums in Wichita are no-pet zones, the Kansas Aviation Museum on George Washington Boulevard loves fur babies. Just keep his leash on, and you can both enjoy the exhibits inside and out. Ready for a cold brew? The Hopping Gnome Brewing Company is a pooch-popular microbrewery that allows leashed pups in the taproom and out on the patio. They also have food trucks every day, or you can order in.
