If you need the perfect picture of joy, look no further than a dog in a park on a beautiful day – eyes lit up, tongue hanging out, tail keeping inconsistent time. Fortunately for your pup, Edmonton has acres of awesome park spaces.
Probably the longest pup park in town, Mill Creek Ravine stretches from the Muttart Conservatory, under Whyte Ave., to Argyll Road. If you’re walking a husky and need to burn off that infamous energy, there are plenty of paths. It’s a popular destination, and for good reason, as the tall trees and relative serenity almost make you forget you’re in a city.
Pups and their people love Terwillegar, and it’s easy to see why. There are plenty of trails, great scenery and lots of new friends. If your canine is a fan of getting wet, there’s a pond for doggy-paddling around in. And, nobody will look twice if you want to join in. Well, maybe they will, but who cares?
While it’s on-leash only, Whitemud Park is a favourite spot for family and friend gatherings, thanks in part to the picnic sites and warm-up building on the south end. If you want to run steps with your furry friend (your dog, not your friend who wears a dog costume and … never mind), there’s a formidable set there as well.
Callingwood Park has pretty much everything imaginable for west-enders, and even a bit for their four-legged residents. While it’s not huge, it has plenty of character, and is a shorter drive for most people than some of the river valley destinations. It makes for a pleasant reprieve from the chaos of West Edmonton Mall.
Right beside Wilfred Laurier Park, there’s always a ton of dog-gone fun (I’m so sorry) to be had here, with wide-open areas and, most importantly, sticks. There’s plenty of sticks – sticks you can bring down to the shores of the North Saskatchewan and toss in until both you and your pup are wet and worn out.