Best Places To Bring Your Dog This Summer Near Verona and Cedar Grove

Whether you want to go for a long walk or hike with your dog or let your pooch galavant with his own species, you'll find plenty of places to go in Essex County. 

Here is a list of places you can bring your pup for some exercise. 

But Patch also wants to hear from dog owners. Where do you take your dog when you want to go for a jog? What are the best streets for dog walking? Where do you like to take your dog to play? 

Help Patch make a list by adding to the comment section below. 

Watsessing Park Off-Leash Dog Facility

Location: Watsessing Park, at Locust Avenue in Bloomfield

Directions: Access to Locust Avenue from Prospect Street

Hours: Open dawn to dusk

Things to do: There is a fenced in play-area which has a stone dust surface, park benches, water fountains for pets and owners, and DogiPot stations with bags and waste receptacles.

A dual entrance gate system assures pet owners and their dogs can enter the facility without the dogs running away.

Essex County South Mountain Dog Park

Location: South Mountain Reservation, on Crest Drive in Maplewood.

Directions: The entrance to Crest Drive is off of South Orange Avenue in South Orange. 

Hours: Open dawn to dusk. 

Description: The two-acre facility has two separate fenced in areas for big and small dogs. Both areas have a crushed stone and compacted stone dust surface, dual drinking fountains, park benches, agility equipment for the dogs, a wash and spray area, “time out” sections for dogs, and DogiPot stations.

At the entrance to the Dog Park is a memorial honoring emergency service dogs that lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 tragedies. There also are a steel portico, ornamental concrete pavers, and an informal path around the perimeter of the complex where owners can walk their dogs on a leash.

Essex County Brookdale Park Dog Park

Location: Brookdale Park, in Bloomfield/Montclair

Directions: Access the park from Bellevue Avenue in Bloomfield or Grove Street in Montclair. Parking is available inside Essex County Brookdale Park. 

Hours: Open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Description: The dog park is a total 1.2 acres with two separate fenced in areas for big and small dogs. Both sections have a stone dust surface and various pieces of apparatus where the dogs can play and exercise.

A steel archway welcomes visitors, and a pathway designed with ornamental brick pavers leads them to the play areas. There are safety enclosures at each entrance to prevent unleashed dogs from running away, time out areas where excited dogs can be brought to calm down, dog washing areas and water fountains.