The largest dog park in the Portland metro area, the Sandy River Delta Park, locally known as “Thousand Acres,” is a dog-hub found in the Columbia River Gorge, just East of Troutdale. The park is open to mountain bikes and horses as well, but you should always be prepared to find dogs of all sizes roaming throughout the park.
The Sandy River Delta is by far the largest of Portland’s off-leash areas, and a treasure for dog owners that love to run, hike, or just wander aimlessly with their pooch. The “Delta” comprises 1400 acres of wilderness trails, nestled between I-84, the Sandy River, and the Columbia River. The majority of the miles of trails within the park are officially designated as off-leash. The main exception to the off-leash rule is the parking area and the Confluence Trail, which runs from the parking area to the bird viewing area on the Columbia. In both of these areas you’ll want to make sure your dogs are on leash because they do frequently ticket. Many of the trails lead to either the Sandy River or the Columbia River, so it’s a great place to take your pooch to swim on summer days. The hike from the parking area to the rivers can be several miles, so be sure to bring along water just in case. The park is immense, will a plethora of wide open fields for stellar games of fetch. Bring your binoculars and camera, as the park is great for shutter bugs and birders. The park has recently been given a major overhaul, and now includes substantial parking, toilets, dog bag stations, and several garbage cans near the parking area. There is no running water in the park, so bring your own.
SRC: To find directions and additional information about the park, visit: www.portlandpooch.com/dogparks/delta.htm
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