A Date With Doggo - The Best Places to Walk Your Dog In Tulsa

 

Dear Henry,

One of the saving graces I discovered in the city, shortly after moving Ziggy, our 70lbs German Shephard mix, from an acre in Northwest Arkansas to a 600 square foot apartment in Tulsa was the abundance of places to walk a dog.

These parks have been a lifesaver for Ziggy and me and helped a great deal in keeping the dog active. While there are a bunch of great parks in the area, I had to narrow the list down. Here are our five favorites:

La Fortuna at 5202 S Hudson Ave is a great city walk. The path around the park is full 5km/3.2 miles and encloses a golf course. Also onsite are playgrounds, tennis courts, and croquet fields (the first time I've ever seen one of those!). The park is also well set up for dog walking - there are plenty of trash cans, and waste bag stands throughout the park. There are also restroom facilities and water fountains.

I've talked about Turkey Mountain before, but the park is worth mentioning again. Located at 67th and Elwood, the trails are a great nature sanctuary, at least on the weekdays, and you can get quite a hike in, as the yellow and pink trails are more than four miles. Keep in mind, though, the only facilities are at the parking lot, be prepared to carry water in for both you and the pup and to carry waste out.

The River Parks Trail is an 11-mile paved trail alongside the Arkansas River. This is a great social trail, with lots of green space, lots of playgrounds, and quite a few facilities. Even during the weekdays, there are quite a few people on the trail and quite a few other dogs. The River Parks Trail has always been a slow walk full of smelling things for us. Ziggy finds far too many exciting things to move quickly on this trail.

The Liberty Parkway is a 9.5-mile paved trail that runs alongside the Creek Turnpike. There are several access points (and a dog park) along the route, our favorite being the 95th and Garnett. It is an easy, well-maintained trail and isn't very crowded. However, trash cans are spaced relatively far apart on the trail, and there aren't many bathroom or water facilities, so, like Turkey Mountain, be prepared to carry items with you.

The Haikey Park Trail is a mile loop that runs along Haikey creek and encompasses a couple of disk-golf holes. It is a beautiful park-like setting and is generally, on weekdays, not too crowded. It is a shorter walk, and we needed to loop it a couple of times, but it is a great setting. The park is well-stocked for dog walking, and there are plenty of trash facilities.   

Enjoy your walks!

xoxo a.d. elliott

a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Roanoke, Virginia. 

In addition to the travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

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