You’ve got a spot. Every dog owner does. It’s close, it’s easy, and your dog probably still gets excited pulling toward the car door, even on the hundredth trip. That’s the trouble, though.
Once you find one place that works, it’s easy to stop looking, and Clark County has a lot more off-leash terrain than the same two or three names everyone already knows. Some of it isn’t marked well from the street, which is probably why it’s stayed under the radar this long.
This list covers trails and parks across Clark County, from the dog parks everyone names to the creek trails and river beaches you’ve probably driven past a hundred times without knowing dogs could run free there. Here’s where to go next.
Lucky Memorial Dog Park
📍 10100 NE 149th St, Brush Prairie, WA 98606
🕑 7 AM – 7 PM daily
Lucky is a fully fenced dog park with about 7.5 acres of flat, open fields. There’s a separate area for small dogs and a separate area for large dogs, both with double-gated entries so nobody bolts. The surface is grass, the space is massive, and on a clear day you get views of Mount Hood. There’s a water fountain and benches scattered around.
Entry is free. Parking is limited on-site, but there’s overflow parking at the Center for Agriculture, Science and Environmental Education just up the road. It’s rated 4.7 stars from over 700 reviews, so the locals love it.
There’s a southwest gate that connects to the Lauretta Noreen Forest Preserve, where you can walk the forest trails with your dog on leash. It’s a nice way to extend the trip if your dog is tired of the open field. If your dog needs space and likes to run, this is the spot.
Pacific Community Park
📍 1515 NE 164th Ave, Vancouver, WA 98684
🕑 7 AM – 8 PM daily
Pacific Community Park has a fully fenced, 8-acre off-leash area called Dakota Memorial Dog Park on the north side. The area is flat with open lawn and forested sections, and there’s a gravel perimeter trail that loops through both. They have a rustic log agility course, benches, drinking fountains, and a dog rinse-off area behind the restroom. Double-gated entries at two different parking lots make it easy to get in safely.
Entry is free and parking is plentiful. It’s rated 4.6 stars from nearly 1,000 reviews. The dog park is named after Dakota, a Vancouver Police K-9 who died in the line of duty in 2007.
Pacific Community Park itself is 56 acres with a skate park, baseball fields, covered picnic areas, and a community garden, so you can make a whole afternoon of it. There are walking trails through wooded areas if you want to stretch your legs while your dog cools down. The restrooms are clean and well-maintained.
Lacamas Park
📍 3344 NE Everett St, Camas, WA 98607
🕑 7 AM – 7 PM daily
Lacamas Park is posted as leash-only, so this is not an official off-leash area. Dogs must be on leash. That said, it’s a 312-acre nature park with over 12 miles of trails around Round Lake and Lacamas Lake, plus access to waterfalls like Potholes Falls. The trails are mostly unpaved and can get muddy after rain. There are picnic tables, fishing spots, and great birdwatching.
Entry is free. It’s rated 4.7 stars from over 2,000 reviews, so it’s well loved. Trails are not paved and get muddy when it rains, so plan accordingly.
The waterfalls are the main draw, and the lake views are beautiful year-round. There are picnic tables scattered throughout if you want to bring lunch. The Camas lilies bloom in mid-April if you time it right.
Ike Memorial Park
📍 5117 NE 15th Ave, Vancouver, WA 98663
🕑 7 AM – 7 PM daily
Ike is a fully fenced dog park, the biggest in Clark County at about 10 acres. It’s a mix of flat open fields and tree-lined hills with tons of shade. There’s a separate small-dog area for pups under 25 pounds, double-gated entries, and a 0.71-mile gravel and dirt trail with some steep sections. Water fountains are seasonal.
Entry is free. It’s rated 4.6 stars from over 1,000 reviews. It’s right next to the Bonneville Power Administration’s Ross Substation, which is how locals still refer to it as Ross Dog Park.
The hills and flat areas give dogs different terrain to explore, and the shaded sections are perfect when it’s hot. There are benches if you want to sit and watch. If you’ve got a high-energy dog who needs serious space, this is the one.
Kane Memorial Dog Park
📍 10910 NE 172nd Ave, Vancouver, WA 98682
🕑 7 AM – 9 PM daily
Kane is a fully fenced dog park tucked inside Hockinson Meadows Community Park, about 2 acres with open rustic terrain and forested areas. To get to the dog park, you cross through the children’s playground and follow a 0.2-mile paved path with a bench along the way. Dogs must be leashed on that path. Double-gated entry, shade from the trees, and it’s quieter than the bigger parks.
Entry is free. It’s rated 4.6 stars from 160 reviews. The park stays open until 9 PM, which is later than the others if you want an evening visit.
There are trails outside the fenced area if you want to walk your dog on leash after their off-leash time. There’s a disc golf course and baseball fields in the larger park. If your dog is shy or overwhelmed by big crowds, Kane is smaller and less packed.
Paws on the Right Path
Every dog is different, and so is every trail or park on this list. A young dog with too much energy needs real room to sprint, not another lap around a fenced square he’s already memorized. An older or more anxious dog does better somewhere calmer, away from a pack of dogs off leash and out of control.
And check the rules at the trailhead before you unclip. A few of these are unfenced, and at one or two the posted signs and the local habit don’t quite agree.
Match the spot to your dog instead of grabbing whatever’s closest. You’ll notice it on the drive home: a tired dog stretched out in the back seat, and a little less guilt about the walk you almost skipped.
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