Dog Parks in the Garner-Clayton-Smithfield Areas

🐶 National Dog Day is celebrated each year on August 26, honoring our furry friends and the joy they bring to our lives. It’s a day to appreciate the unconditional love, loyalty, and companionship dogs provide, while also raising awareness about the importance of adoption and rescue. If you're looking to take your four-legged family member out to celebrate, here's a list of dog parks in the Garner-Clayton-Smithfield areas. 🥰

🐶 Benson Dog Park - 100 Water Place Landing
This 1-acre off-leash dog park gives pups plenty of room to play, with separate fenced areas for small dogs and large dogs. Open during daylight hours, the park offers fresh water, waste bags, and plenty of shady spots for comfort. Note: there are no restrooms for people on-site.

🐶 East Clayton Dog Park - 2027 Glen Laurel Rd
With nearly three acres of off-leash space, this dog park gives pups plenty of room to run, play, and socialize. It includes two fenced sections—one for small dogs and another for larger breeds—ensuring a safe and fun environment for all. The park is set against a backdrop of shady trees and offers benches for owners to relax, along with a water spigot and waste station for convenience. The play areas are mulched for easy running, and just across the street at East Clayton Community Park, you’ll find a circular walking trail that winds into the woods. The dog park is open daily from sunrise to sunset.

🐶 Lake Benson Dog Park - 961 Buffaloe Rd
Inside the beautiful, dog-friendly 64-acre recreation area of Lake Benson Park, this dog park is perfect for families and their furry companions. Since the park offers wide open green spaces and 1.8 miles of both paved and natural trails, there are plenty of opportunities for taking your furry friend on a walk as long as they are leashed and owners clean up after them. The dedicated dog park has separate play areas for large and small pups, water stations, benches, and plenty of room for dogs of all sizes to run and play. Near the dog park you'll also find playgrounds, picnic shelters, plenty of parking, nearby restrooms, and scenic views of Lake Benson through the trees. 

🐶 North Garner Dog Park - 221 East Garner Road
Located at the Garner Recreational Park, this dog park is a clean, mulched play space where dogs of all sizes can run and play together. The park provides fresh, ice-cold water, waste bags, and trash cans for convenience, along with a few playground-style structures for interactive fun. While it’s a single open area (not separated for small and large breeds), there’s plenty of room to roam without feeling crowded. It’s usually not overly busy, making it a great spot for dogs to socialize and burn off energy.

🐶 Ashley Wilder Dog Park - 716 N First Ave

Located in Knightdale Station Park, this dog park offers spacious fenced-in areas for both small  and large dogs to play off-leash. The park features a pebble mix ground covering, shady spots with benches, and a convenient dog bowl water fountain (active from March through fall). Restrooms are a short walk away, and the park is well-equipped with waste bag dispensers and trash cans. Open from dawn to dusk, it’s a clean, comfortable spot for dogs to run, socialize, and for owners to relax—plus, scenic walking trails begin just outside the gates.

🐶 Triangle East Collaborative Dog Park - 67 Jr Rd.
This newer dog park offers small, but segregated areas for big dogs and little dogs with adorable white picket fencing around each area. The park has complimentary waste bags, receptacles, and benches.

🐶 Smithfield Dog Park -  1214 S. Brightleaf Blvd.
This dog park is spacious, clean, and well-maintained, with separate fenced areas for large and small dogs to play safely. Shaded benches and picnic tables provide comfort for owners, while fresh water stations, waste bags, and even a toy supply keep pups happy and active. A small hutch stocked with treats is a fun bonus, and the park’s well-groomed landscaping makes it an inviting place to spend time. Conveniently, clean portapotties are located just across the street.

🐶 K-9 Corral Dog Park - 601 W 3rd St.
This fenced dog park offers plenty of open space for pups to expend some of their energy. The park features a separate small dog section, trees, agility obstacles, waste bags, waste receptacles and benches.

🐶 Wendell Paws Dog Park - 1441 Big Falls Dr.
With plenty of room for dogs to run, this dog park has two fenced-in areas—one for small dogs and one for larger breeds. Shady trees keep both sections cool for most of the day, and the park provides fresh running water, benches, and a picnic table (located in the large dog run). It’s a quiet, low-key spot that’s often not crowded, though parking is limited.

For the safety and enjoyment of other humans and doggies at the park, please be sure to obey all posted signs which usually include cleaning up after your dog and having them up to date on their vaccinations!

Am I missing a local dog park? Please email me at sallyj@macaronikid.com or submit to the website here.