Meeker Island Dog Park — Attraction in Saint Paul

HEADS UP This is gonna be long but PLEASE read all of it, this message is VERY important, especially the parts near the end ___________________________________________Hidden away so I would never had known of it if I wasn't looking for dog parks on Google Maps. To get there you go down this cobblestone walking path and then follow a trail. At first I was suspicious of the trail, but don't worry,it does actually lead somewhere. Once you exit the trail (which is like a 1-3 minute walk) there's a set of stairs leading down to the beach. The beach is wonderful. It tends to be more busy on weekends during the day so I suggest going on weekdays or late afternoon weekends. On less busy days you might have the whole beach to yourself, but there is also a chance that there are 1-4 other dogs there. The beach is bigger than I thought it was going to be, so I loved it and so did my puppy.

WARNING The beach is along the Mississippi so there are little itchy things in the water and the sand, so make sure to wash your dog thoroughly in every nook and cranny (the get sand EVERYWHERE) to make sure you get the sand out. If you can't wash a certain area on your pet because it's hard to wash, or there's too much sand, or simply because you feel uncomfortable washing that area (I understand completely) you can take a soft wash cloth with warm water to gently scrub the sand out of areas like upper-inner thighs. ALSO, like I said, it is the Mississippi so please please please please please bring water for your dog and DO NOT LET THEM DRINK THE RIVER WATER, it is not good for them and can make them sick. REMINDER PICK👏UP👏YOUR👏DOG'S👏POOP

PS. Thanks to anyone who actually read this whole thing, I really hope you...

Just found this place. We were looking for a close spot for our dog to swim- he has a leg injury and needs water therapy and we were hoping we could find a place with few dogs so he wouldn't try to play- there was no one anywhere here! Previous reviews mentioned that it's always deserted, and they were not wrong. Granted, I needed that situation as it was for this visit but, so many people should know about this! It's immediately off Mississippi River Boulevard so you have to park nearby and walk down-MIND YOUR SIGNS! Everything nearby is residential so be careful where you park! The entrance is almost hidden-no big signs or fanfare-so it's easy to miss if you're not looking for it. The walk to the beach is a steep one so wear appropriate shoes. The path down is covered in what I will describe as a cement trellis laid on the ground- it provides traction but has spots where toes can get stuck so definitely take your time. The beach area is not huge but it provides enough space for your dog to run around have a good time and get some good swimming in. The views of the Mississippi are absolutely gorgeous. The path down is not steep but it is a bit of a walk. At the end of the path, when you arrive at the beach, there is a small bridge with a decent drop off (like 2') so be prepared. Other reviews I read said the place is almost always deserted and that's exactly how we found it- perfect for us on this particular day. All in all, I highly highly recommend this spot for good...

I haven't been to this park in years, but it's fun! It's an off leash dog park, so Roxy can run around and explore (within reason) to heart's content. She loves the water (river) and the trails.

A few notes for explorers:

there's a 2-3' drop off right as you enter over the metal bridge to the sand beach there are sharp and/or protruding corners and edges throughout the area, it's mostly safe but watch out there could be unknown water hazards in the building ruins, watch out there's a weird smelling area, probably water runoff there can be big dogs and little dogs, always be nice there can be unhomed folks living throughout the area, always be nice...