Photo by John Anderson

Best Dog Walking (or Watching)

Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park

Tucked away against the Colorado River, the open field at Commons Ford Ranch offers dog owners and lovers a comfortable spot to lie down, spread out, and release the hounds. Although technically not one of the city’s designated off-leash areas, the combination of location – secluded from busy roadways, ringed by trees, and bordered by the river – and an unspoken agreement between park visitors to blissfully ignore leash laws have turned it into a paradise for happy-go-lucky dogs to swim, run, bark, and beg for picnic scraps from strangers. The park also provides an abundance of tree-shaded hiking trails and bird-watching in its restored prairieland, but the real treat here is the reminder of a simple truth: At the end of the day, there’s nothing quite as soul-reviving as a dog at play.

Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park
614 N. Commons Ford Rd.
www.austinparks.org/commons-ford