Aug 20, 2026

Emma Long With a Dog: 193 Acres, $5 to Get In, and 2 City Pages That Disagree

The largest site on Austin's off-leash map, on Lake Austin, and the only one that charges entry. It is also the one place where the department's map and the park's own page do not say the same thing about leashes.

Luis ZamoraCo-founder of PetCompass; Dog Dad to Banzo and Tuck

Austin, Texas10 min readGetting There

Emma Long Metropolitan Park is the largest site on Austin's off-leash map at 193 acres, it sits on Lake Austin, and it is the only one of the city's 30 off-leash areas that charges you to get in.

It is also the one place in Austin where two of the city's own publications do not say the same thing about dogs. The department's off-leash map lists Emma Long. The park's own page says pets must remain on leash at all times.

We are not going to pick one silently, so here is both, with the practical answer at the end.

The basics, from the park's own page

What	Detail
Address	1711 City Park Rd
Size on the off-leash map	193 acres
Hours	7 a.m. to 10 p.m., year-round
Entry, Monday to Thursday	$5 per vehicle
Entry, Friday to Sunday and holidays	$10 per vehicle
Entry on foot or by bike	$1 per day, Monday to Wednesday
Peak season	March to September
Pre-purchased pass required	Fridays, Sundays and holidays in peak season
In and out privileges	none
Camping	$10 to $25 per night

Source for all of it: the city's Emma Long Metropolitan Park page, which states that the park "is open year-round from 7:00am to 10:00pm."

Note that 7 a.m. Most Austin parks open at 5 a.m. This one does not, and in July that two-hour difference is the difference between a comfortable walk and a hot one.

The two statements that disagree

Statement one, the off-leash map. The city's dog off-leash area map, dated February 2026, lists "Emma Long Metro Park (193 acres) 1711 City Park Rd" among its 30 Dog Off-Leash Areas.

Statement two, the ordinance. Austin City Code 3-4-4 permits a dog to be without restraint in, among other places, "the portion of Lake Austin Metropolitan Park bounded by Park Drive, the park fence on west side, Turkey Creek, and top ridge of bluff line that overlooks Lake Austin." Lake Austin Metropolitan Park is Emma Long's former name, so the code is describing a bounded portion of this park, not all 193 acres.

Statement three, the park page. Under its own rules heading, the park page says: "Pets must remain on leash and under the control of the owner at all times." No portion, no exception.

All three are city publications. Two of them are current documents from the same department.

What to actually do

Treat Emma Long as a leashed park unless you are certain you are inside the bounded portion the code describes.

That is not a fudge, it is what the three documents add up to. The ordinance grants off-leash use in a specific area with four named boundaries, one of which is a ridge line. Those boundaries are not marked on the map's text layer, and a ridge is not a fence.

Austin's own off-leash guidelines settle how you resolve it on the ground: for unfenced areas, "The boundaries of unfenced DOLAs shall be marked with signage", and handlers "must comply with all posted rules and regulations."

So the signs on the day are the answer. If you find signage that clearly marks an off-leash area, you are in the situation the code describes. If you do not, the park page's sentence stands and the fine for getting it wrong runs up to $500 per citation, with a $200 minimum if your dog is not sterilised. Our Austin off-leash rules guide covers that penalty structure and the sterilisation requirement in full.

If your plan for the day is a guaranteed off-leash run, take Walnut Creek Metro Park at 12138 N Lamar Blvd instead. It is 185 acres, free, and City Code names a bounded portion of it too, but the department's map and its page do not conflict.

Getting in during peak season, which needs planning

This is the other thing that catches visitors, and it has nothing to do with dogs.

From March through September, the park page states that pre-purchased day entry passes are required "for all Friday - Sundays & holidays", and it is blunt about the consequence: "No entry without a day pass reservation."

The details that matter:

Passes go on sale up to 14 days ahead and can be bought until midnight the night before, if the day has not sold out.
Limit two per day per household.
The person who bought the pass must be present, and a valid ID may be required on arrival.
One pass covers one vehicle and up to eight people.
There are no in and out privileges. Once you leave, that is the visit.
Passes are non-refundable and not transferable.
Monday to Thursday in peak season, and every day from October to February, you pay in person at the pay station by coin or credit.

The page also warns that parking outside the park and walking in is not an option: those without a day pass "may not park along the right of way and enter the park."

For a dog owner, the no in and out rule is the one to think about. If your dog overheats or the water looks wrong, leaving means the visit is over. Bring everything you need, including more water than you think.

The heat problem, which is the real risk here

Emma Long is on Lake Austin, it is 193 acres, and it opens at 7 a.m. rather than 5 a.m. In an Austin summer those three facts combine badly for a dog.

Austin Animal Services' own weather safety page sets the baseline: any time a pet is outside it needs protection from heat and sun and "plenty of fresh, cold water", it advises to "Limit exercise on hot days and stay off of pavement", and it lists the overheating signs to watch for, which are extreme panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, excessive drooling, glazed eyes, a deep red or purple tongue, dizziness or lack of coordination, and vomiting.

It also names the dogs at particular risk: very old, very young, overweight, dogs with heart or respiratory disease, and short-muzzled breeds, listing boxers, pugs, shih tzus and French bulldogs.

Our summer heat safety for pets guide has the back-of-the-hand pavement test and the early signs in more detail.

One more heat detail specific to this park. At the time of writing, the park page carried an alert that water utilities would be turned off in October 2026 for planned maintenance, with portable toilets on site and "Showers, sinks, water fountains, hose bibs and other water utilities will not be accessible at the park." If that is still in force when you visit, there is no tap water for a dog. Check the page, and carry more than you think you need. Our pre-travel pet checklist covers the water and paperwork side of a day like this.

The lake, and why you do not just let the dog swim

Emma Long has a designated beach entry swimming area and boat ramps, which is most of its appeal. Two cautions, both from the city.

Algae. The city's algae page reported thick mats of possibly toxic blue-green algae at Walsh Boat Landing on Lake Austin in its status line dated June 2, 2026, and states that six dog deaths have been attributed to toxins since 2019. Its rules of thumb are to stay out if the water is warm or stagnant or shows scum or film, and to stay out if it has rained in the past three days. Full detail in our blue-green algae and your dog in Austin guide.

Waste near water. Austin's off-leash guidelines say "Do not let dogs defecate in or near water, dry creek beds, or on streambanks", which at a lakeside park means walking further from the shore than feels necessary.

Camping with a dog here

Emma Long is one of the few places inside Austin where you can camp, and the fees are modest: Bluff primitive camping with communal water at $10.00 a night for up to eight people and two tents, Grove primitive with no utilities at $10.00 for up to six people, non-waterfront utility sites with water and electricity at $20.00, and waterfront utility sites at $25.00. Check in is 3 p.m., check out 10 a.m., and reservations are online up to 180 days ahead.

A campsite reservation includes a vehicle entry fee for one vehicle per day, which is a real saving against buying passes separately.

The leash rule does not soften at a campsite, and our pet emergency preparedness checklist covers the kit worth having in the car at a park with no in and out privileges. Our camping and RV travel with dogs guide covers the rest, including what to do about a dog that barks at 2 a.m. in a place where quiet hours are enforced.

Other park rules worth knowing before you arrive

From the same page: glass containers are prohibited across the entire Austin park system, smoking is prohibited in all park areas and violations are a Class C misdemeanour, alcohol may be consumed only at a paid campsite or picnic reservation, amplified music requires a sound permit, and collecting firewood in the park is prohibited.

Picnic table rentals start at $60 per site per day between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Conclusion

The biggest off-leash site in Austin, on a lake, for $5 on a weekday. That is a good offer, and it comes with three complications.

The park's own page says leashed at all times while the department's map lists it as off leash, so read the signs and default to the lead. Peak season Fridays through Sundays need a pass bought in advance, with no in and out once you are in. And a 7 a.m. opening in a Texas summer means the cool part of the morning is already gone when the gate opens.

Plan for a leashed 193 acres and treat any signed off-leash area as a bonus.

Frequently asked questions

Is Emma Long Metropolitan Park off leash?

Partly, and the city's documents do not agree. The department's February 2026 off-leash map lists Emma Long at 193 acres, and City Code 3-4-4 permits dogs without restraint in a bounded portion of the park under its former name, Lake Austin Metropolitan Park. The park's own page states that pets must remain on leash and under the control of the owner at all times. Read the signage on site and default to the lead.

What does it cost to enter Emma Long with a dog?

Park entry is $5 per vehicle Monday to Thursday, $10 per vehicle Friday to Sunday and on holidays, and $1 per day for walk-in or bike-in entry Monday to Wednesday. There is no separate dog charge published.

What are Emma Long's hours?

The park page states it is open year-round from 7:00am to 10:00pm, which is later than the 5 a.m. opening the city applies to parks generally.

Do I need a reservation for Emma Long?

In peak season, March to September, pre-purchased day passes are required for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and for holidays, and the page states there is no entry without a day pass reservation. Passes are available up to 14 days in advance, limit two per day per household.

Can I leave and come back the same day?

No. The park's pass policy states no in and out privileges are allowed.

Can my dog swim at Emma Long?

The park has a designated beach entry swimming area, but check the city's algae page first. Its status line dated June 2, 2026 reported thick mats of possibly toxic blue-green algae at Walsh Boat Landing on Lake Austin, and the city attributes six dog deaths to toxins since 2019.

Sources

Rules, hours and fees change. Confirm with Austin Parks and Recreation before you rely on any of it.