There is a really good dark park in Salt Lake sort of near Sugar House that is located in Parley’s Way. It is ideal for larger dogs that need a good amount of time off the leash every day, and this park is no leash required. All dogs that are of the sporting dog variety (like labradors, or any retriever, or like my vizsla/lab mix) require a minimum of 30 minutes of off leash activity a day; not only for the bodily exercise, but for a requirement their brain has from centuries of genetic engineering to improve their sense of smell. Page goes crazy if she misses her daily smell buffet. This dog park, situated next door to Tanner Park, is ideal in that there are acres upon acres of running room complete with a river (water is a great way to tire your dog out since there is obviously more resistance) and plenty of healthy smellage. Among other healthy things, this dog park is full of friendly people with friendly dogs for a good environment for learning healthy social behavior. Obviously if your dog is less than friendly, it is required to stay on a leash.

How to Get There
As you can see on the map, take the 2300 E exit and then just take heritage way going east until it runs into Kenton Dr. The dog park begins in between Tanner Park and Parley’s way. You have to actually leash your dog for about 100 feet until you get to the sign that says you can unleash. To get down into the park, there is about a 100 yard walk down a dirt trail, but you can unleash your dog at the top of that trail
There is a convenient bag dispenser at the beginning of that trail so you can clean up after your dog without having to plan ahead with your own bag. If you thought it couldn’t get any more convenient, along the trail are tubes provided to leave your poop bags.
There are miles of trails that I haven’t even seen all of, even though I’ve been to the park half a dozen times going in different directions each time. There is a clean river that runs
at various speeds throughout the park. (The picture below doesn’t make it look that clean, but its just some sand stirred up by other dogs).
There was one thing that happened on my latest trip there that was a little alarming. A hamster appeared out of the bushes, and I knew that page would eventually see it and chase after it. Eventually she spotted it and started running after it. It unexpectedly ran up to page bearing its teeth. This to me was a sign of possible rabbies so I grabbed page by the collar and pulled her back, but the hamster kept advancing. Pretty soon I was running with page by the collar away from this hamster that was chasing us around for like 10 seconds. Anyway, we finally outran the hamster (they aren’t known for great running speeds). The hamster proceeded to attack another dog, at which point the owner punted the hamster off a 50 foot ledge.

Page at the edge of the off leash area, that’s I-80 down below

Page socializing with a pug at a river bank. Water is cleaner than it appears.

Along one of the many trails.

The area also is a historical site. Page checks out an old wine cellar door.