This Johnson County dog park tops off its trails with a great place to swim
The sudden closing of Bar K, the popular bar/dog park near the River Market shocked its patrons and left a void in Kansas City’s off-leash opportunities.
But plenty of dog parks still dot the metro. Most all have fences, but they differ considerably in size, topography and the amenities they offer.
To learn more, we tromped around several of them during the “dog days of August,” including a mega park in Johnson County complete with a large lake for pups to plunge in.
The Shawnee Mission Dog Park is on the southern edge of Shawnee Mission Park in Lenexa. According to the first patron we encountered, the land was once a woodsy spot known as “party central.” (Dog parkers tend to talk with strangers pretty freely, it seems.)
The dog park is pushing thirty now, and the only party it hosts is the family-friendly kind. We passed a steady stream of multi-generational walkers and their off-leash friends taking the long paved trail down to the water.
There are also tree-packed trails along the perimeter that provide some shadier, less “finished” routes for getting there..
Along the way, we met “Lady,” a gorgeous Great Dane who comes almost every day, according to her owner, Emil Finch of Shawnee. She’s “a social butterfly who loves everybody,” Finch says. “And if another dog gets aggressive, she runs away.”
Speaking of running, there’s no shortage of room for that here. But the real treat is the beach. You can hear the happiness before you come around the corner.
“I live about 8 to 10 minutes away, and I feel so lucky to have this,” Moly Stirk tells us as she tosses yet another toy for her German Shepherds Sadie and Saxon to retrieve.
“It’s just nice,” she says, “to relax and have them be able to go where they want. It helps socialize them.”
Most folks we encountered said they come to the park often. But Scott Moore and his English Shepherd “Tucker,“ were first-timers. The Billings, Montana, resident was visiting family in the area and decided Tucker needed a swim.
How would he rate the place? “Fantastic,” Moore replied without hesitation. “He’s having a great time. And the dogs here are all good and well-behaved. It’s really nice.”
Special note: Our “Take Me Out to the Dog Park” video from Shawnee Mission includes footage captured by the “Chico Cam,” a Go Pro worn by my Goldendoodle granddog.
Shawnee Mission Dog Park
Address: 7900 Renner Road, Lenexa, KS (the park can also be accessed at 87th Street & Ridgeview Road)
Hours: 5:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. (March thru October), 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (November thru February)
Size: 44 acres
Features: Paved and natural trails, restrooms, poop bag dispensers, water fountain
Having trouble seeing the video? Watch it here.