Church Hill Dog Park
Split pens where little dogs can safely meet the big ones
About this park
Church Hill Dog Park splits into small- and large-dog pens that share a gated fence, so a little dog can meet the big ones through the bars before committing to anything. The ground is grass over exposed dirt and rock on a slight slope, with picnic tables and a shade pavilion in each section. Reviewers call the small-dog side the best enclosure of its kind in RVA.
Amenities
Church Hill Dog Park reviews
What visitors consistently sayThe small-dog side and its little splash pool collect the warmest reviews. Hawks and bald eagles turn up in the adjacent trees often enough that regulars watch for them.
The Church Hill regulars know the park's quirks and look out for each other's dogs. Newcomers on the small-dog side get an especially warm reception.
Best for
Before you go
The water spigot is turned off in winter to prevent frozen pipes, so bring your own. Wear closed-toe shoes; the surface has exposed dirt, rocks, and the occasional broken glass fragment.
Frequently asked
- Is there running water?
- Spigots sit in both sections and hoses and bowls are out in season, but the city shuts the water off through winter so the pipes do not freeze. Cold-weather visits should assume none.
- What is the surface like?
- Grass over exposed dirt and rock on a slight slope, with clay pipe shards and the occasional piece of broken glass turning up in reviews. Closed-toe shoes are the sensible call.
- Is it good for small dogs?
- Church Hill Dog Park is the enclosure reviewers name first for small dogs in Richmond. The small side has its own little pool and shares a gated fence with the large side, so a nervous dog can interact through the barrier instead of in the open.
- Are there restrooms?
- No. There are picnic tables and a shade pavilion in each pen, but no restroom on the grounds.
- Is there shade?
- A pavilion covers part of each section. Wasps have nested in the summer shelter in past years, which regulars mention without much alarm.
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