Lower Woodland Dog Park Off Leash Area — Attraction in Seattle

I have been going to this dog park for the last several months a few times a week - typically between 12:30pm and 3:30pm on weekdays. The park itself is great and offers plenty of space to run around.

However, more often than not during these times, the place is over-run by dog walkers with 10+ dogs per walker. They typically dont mind after aggressive dogs under their watch, but instead chat it up with other walkers - i've had multiple conversations at the park about it with other dog owners that visit the park so i know i am not the only one observing this.

The topper came today when a lady with 3 dogs under her watch was unable to control one of her dogs. This dog had been on a leash most of the visit, presumably because she was unable to control it. As i was leaving with my dog on a leash, the dog (now unleashed but getting ready to leave) started attacking mine. It was so out of control that she was unable to get her dog off mine - so i am having to relax my dog while getting her dog off mine who is acting rather violent.

I am sure during other times like weekends, when more dog owners are there and attentive, this place is fine. But there are a lot of careless visitors during weekdays and its over occupied by dog walkers. And i will note, there are some very attentive dog walkers there that arent overwhelmed by the dogs under their watch. But there are several, that are absolutely awful that have finally ruined this...

UPDATED:

This review is mostly focused on the dog park. Overall the park prices plenty of space and a beautiful lake to boot.

The dog park is pretty nice but I've got a few notes outlined below.

Hour to hour you will see a ton of variability. Very early expect a quieter crowd with a mind to get their dogs in, tired and out. Mid morning into the early afternoon dog walkers come to exercised their pent up clients. This is usually OK but beware of the 10 dog pack and the associated pack mentality that can be overwhelming for young or shy pups. That said it has always been friendly when I'm there. The afternoon and later gets crazy with everyone coming home from work to get their dogs out.

Plenty of great on site tools like bags, water bowls, communal tennis balls and garbage receptacles. SODA and the community do a great job on this front. Support SODA if you want to see more and improved park experiences.

Visibility can be tough if your dog or kid likes to wander off as it straddles a hill. Adds a nice element of nature but logistically something to consider if you need to keep a closer eye on your pup.

By all standards this is a good dog park. However with Magnuson nearby and Marymoore across the lake the disparity in dog...

Great dog park for large dogs and has a separate area for small and shy dogs as of March 2018. My 20 pound dogs are fine in the big area, although puppies often get picked on. The small dog area is good for puppies or small / shy dogs.

It's a large, shady space covered with gravel to cut down on mud and drainage is good. There's a really nice hill in the middle with water for drinking and it makes visibility / chucking tennis balls from the nearby tennis courts very easy (bring your chuck-it!) The site also has lots of nice paths so if the park isn't working out you have escape options.

The reason it's 4 stars and not 5 stars is that it's getting overcrowded and it's the fault of Seattle Parks. When adding the small dog park to Woodland park they carved it out of the big dog park instead of adding on new space to the side. When I called and asked why they were doing that they said they simply have a policy to not add any new dog park space, which sounds like a really lazy rule on their part. Seattle Parks really needs to take on the controversy of adding dog park space and ticketing unleashed dogs outside...