Sep 4, 2026
Raleigh Dog Parks: Ten Official Locations, and Three More Only One Source Names
Ten official City of Raleigh dog parks, plus three more a downtown guide names but the city's own list doesn't confirm. Here is the full rundown and the rules at every one.
Raleigh, North Carolina9 min readThings to Do
Raleigh's own city government names ten official off-leash dog parks, a solid list with one park running notably longer hours than the rest. A separate promotional source names three more locations the city's own list doesn't include, worth knowing about but not worth treating as confirmed official parks. This guide covers both lists and exactly which one to trust for what.
The ten official locations, exactly as published
Raleigh's own dog-park page lists ten named, city-operated locations, quoted in full: "Baileywick Park Dog Park, 9501 Baileywick Road, Raleigh, NC 27615, Dawn to Dusk, Daily. Buffaloe Road Dog Park, 5900 Buffaloe Road, Raleigh, NC 27604, Dawn to Dusk, Daily. Carolina Pines Dog Park, 2305 Lake Wheeler Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, Dawn to Dusk, Daily. Dorothea Dix Dog Park, 1800 Umstead Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603, Dawn to Dusk, Daily. Jaycee Dog Run, 2405 Wade Ave., Raleigh, NC 27607, Dawn to Dusk, Daily. Kiwanis Park Dog Run, 2525 Noble Road, Raleigh, NC 27608, Dawn to Dusk, Daily. Millbrook Exchange Dog Park, 1905 Spring Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27615, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Daily. Oakwood Dog Park, 910 Brookside Drive, Raleigh, NC 27604, Dawn to Dusk, Daily. Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB) [Dog Park at the Corner of Dawson and W. Morgan Street], 222 W. Hargett St., Raleigh, NC 27601, Dawn to Dusk, Daily. Roberts Park Dog Run, 1300 E. Martin Street, Raleigh, NC 27610, Dawn to Dusk, Daily."
Millbrook Exchange is the one park with genuinely extended hours, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., against dawn to dusk everywhere else. If you need an early-morning or late-evening off-leash outing, this is the one park on the official list built for that. Oakwood, Millbrook, Buffaloe Road, and Carolina Pines are split into small-dog and large-dog sections; Jaycee has no size split at all, worth knowing if you have a mixed-size household or a dog that does better with same-size company.
Here are all ten official parks with the address and hours the city publishes for each one.
| Park | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Baileywick Park Dog Park | 9501 Baileywick Road | Dawn to dusk, daily |
| Buffaloe Road Dog Park | 5900 Buffaloe Road | Dawn to dusk, daily |
| Carolina Pines Dog Park | 2305 Lake Wheeler Road | Dawn to dusk, daily |
| Dorothea Dix Dog Park | 1800 Umstead Drive | Dawn to dusk, daily |
| Jaycee Dog Run | 2405 Wade Ave. | Dawn to dusk, daily |
| Kiwanis Park Dog Run | 2525 Noble Road | Dawn to dusk, daily |
| Millbrook Exchange Dog Park | 1905 Spring Forest Road | 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily |
| Oakwood Dog Park | 910 Brookside Drive | Dawn to dusk, daily |
| Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB) | 222 W. Hargett St. | Dawn to dusk, daily |
| Roberts Park Dog Run | 1300 E. Martin Street | Dawn to dusk, daily |
The rules that apply at every park, quoted in full
Verbatim, from the city's own rules: "All dogs must: Be leashed entering and leaving the dog park; Be healthy and fully vaccinated; and, Get exercise and have fun! All humans must: Clean up after their own pet(s); Stop dogs from digging and fill any holes; Remove choke, prong, pinch, or spike collars; Not exceed three dogs in the park at one time; Never offer any food or toys of any kind; and, Closely supervise any children under the age of 12. The following dogs are not allowed in the park: Aggressive or uncontrollable dogs. Call Animal Control at 919-831-6311. Female dogs in season. Puppies younger than four months."
The collar rule is worth flagging specifically, since it's easy to overlook: choke, prong, pinch, and spike collars must be removed before entering, not just avoided as a general practice. If your dog wears one of these day to day, plan to switch to a flat collar or harness before an off-leash visit.
The double-gate procedure
Every one of these parks uses a double-gated entry system, and the city's own instructions are specific about where to unleash: "We require all owners and handlers to unleash their dogs in the enclosed, double-gated holding pen at the entrance before they enter the dog-run area." Your dog stays leashed until you're both inside the holding pen, not the moment you arrive at the park.
Three more parks only a private source names, and why that matters
A downtown business association's own dog-friendly guide names three additional locations not on the city's official list: "West Street Dog" at 400 W North St., described there as an indoor dog park and bar that "also offers boarding, daycare, & grooming," "Moore Square Dog Park" at 226 E Martin St., and "Oli-Pup Park" at 506 N Harrington St. Google's business listing now marks Moore Square Dog Park as permanently closed. A fourth entry on that same guide, "Municipal Building Green Dog Park" at 105 S Dawson St., appears to match the city's own "Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB)" entry closely enough to be the same park under a different informal name.
West Street Dog, Moore Square, and Oli-Pup Park should not be presented as official City of Raleigh off-leash dog parks without independent confirmation. West Street Dog in particular reads as a private indoor business, dog park and bar together, rather than a public city facility, based on its own description. If you visit any of these three, treat it as an independent venue with its own rules, not a City of Raleigh dog park with the same guarantees as the official ten.
Choosing a park based on what you actually need
If hours matter most, Millbrook Exchange is your only option outside the dawn-to-dusk default. If your dog is small or reactive around larger dogs, Oakwood, Millbrook, Buffaloe Road, or Carolina Pines give you a separated small-dog section; Jaycee does not. If you're downtown without a car, the Raleigh Municipal Building park at 222 W. Hargett St. is the most centrally located of the official ten. Our visiting Raleigh with a dog guide covers how to fit a park visit into a shorter trip.
What license or tag your dog needs to enter
None. Raleigh does not require a dog license or tag, and the park rules quoted above don't mention one either, only vaccination status. Our Raleigh dog license guide covers this in full if you're wondering why no tag-check step appears anywhere in these rules.
Wake County's own parks run a different default entirely
If your outing takes you to a park under Wake County's own jurisdiction, outside Raleigh, Cary, Garner, and Holly Springs, know that the default is leashed, not off leash. Wake County's own ordinance states it plainly: "It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having possession, charge, custody or control of any dog to take the dog into or allow the dog to enter any public park without being at all times under the restraint of a leash unless the park is designated as a dog park." This is a separate rule from Raleigh's own ten official city parks, and applies to a different set of parks entirely, so don't assume a county park works the same way as one of the city's own dog parks. Our Raleigh dog rules guide covers this same jurisdictional split as it applies to every rule in this series.
No license required at any of these parks, city or county
Since Raleigh ended its dog and cat tag program in 2012 and Wake County never had a license requirement, none of the parks covered in this guide, official or otherwise, require you to show a license or tag at entry, only vaccination status. Our Raleigh dog license guide covers this in full, including why no tag-check step appears in any park's own rules.
Plan around Raleigh's climate, not just the park's own hours
Raleigh runs hot and humid for a meaningful stretch of the year, and even a dawn-to-dusk park can get uncomfortably warm well before dusk actually arrives in the summer months. If you're visiting one of the nine dawn-to-dusk parks specifically, an early-morning visit generally beats a midday one for both comfort and safety, particularly for a dog that isn't used to Southeastern humidity. Millbrook Exchange's extended 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. hours give you a genuine evening option the other nine don't, worth remembering specifically for a hot-weather visit when a midday outing isn't appealing for either of you.
What happens if your dog gets loose at a park
Even at an official off-leash park, a dog can slip away, and knowing what happens next matters. Every stray in the Wake County area ends up at the same shared facility, the Wake County Animal Center, regardless of which specific agency responds to the report. Our lost dog in Raleigh guide covers the full process, including a scam targeting owners of lost pets worth knowing about well before you ever need this information. Our Raleigh dog fines guide separately covers what a violation at or near one of these parks could actually cost, and our Raleigh dog rules guide covers the full jurisdictional map behind it, plus our dangerous dogs in Raleigh guide covers what happens if a park encounter ever escalates beyond a simple citation.
Where the rest of this series covers the surrounding rules
Our Raleigh dog rules guide covers the full jurisdictional map these parks sit inside. Our where dogs are not allowed in Raleigh guide covers the leash requirement everywhere outside these ten locations. Our Raleigh dog license guide covers why no license check appears in these park rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many official off-leash dog parks does Raleigh have? Ten, all city-operated: Baileywick, Buffaloe Road, Carolina Pines, Dorothea Dix, Jaycee, Kiwanis, Millbrook Exchange, Oakwood, Raleigh Municipal Building, and Roberts Park.
Which Raleigh dog park has the longest hours? Millbrook Exchange, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Every other official park runs dawn to dusk.
How many dogs can I bring to a Raleigh dog park at once? Three per person, per the city's own published rules.
Are West Street Dog, Moore Square, and Oli-Pup Park official Raleigh dog parks? Not confirmed.
Do I need a license or tag to use a Raleigh dog park? No. Raleigh does not require a dog license, and the park rules require only vaccination status, not a tag check.
Which collars are banned at Raleigh dog parks? Choke, prong, pinch, and spike collars must be removed before entering.
