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    Harry Griffen Dog Park

    3.4 (98 reviews)

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    I want all the kisses
    Sara-Marie C.

    Dog park review #5 - This is so close to being 5 stars and I really did fall in love with this park...I'd say it's like a 4 1/2 really. Little Italy Dog Park will always be my favorite of all time until I venture out of San Diego county but this one comes 2nd! LOCATION: right by grossmont high school / El Cajon la Mesa area. It's probably thee biggest park I have ever been to. We are talking like balboa park sizing. Who would of thought. It's massive! Once we drove onto the property I was in AWE. PARKING: ugh, perfection. A million spots makes Sara happy! SIZE: So once you drive all the way until it ENDS, you'll come to the dog park. The dog park has three gate openings. One area is for ALL DOGS WELCOME - one area is for SMALL DOGS ONLY - and an additional ALL DOGS WELCOME. There is plenty of room for everyone. We took bubba to the small dog area at first, but eventually went to the all dog area. He makes friends quickly :) CLEANLINESS: There are tons of water bowls, water, a leash harness holder rack, a porter potty for the pup parents...I didn't see any poopie bags but just make sure to bring your own. DOG POPULATION: on the weekday in the middle of the day there were at least 5 dogs in the small dog area, including a PUG ugh. Perfection, thats bubbas new girlfriend. In the ALL dog area - around 10. Not crowded by any means, not overwhelming, yet not too little at the same time. It's a perfect mix. We have already brought our fur baby to this park twice now. We love that there is so much room, so many places for us to sit, including in the shade. The park is so huge that my bubba gets lost behind the trees and disappears. He likes his alone private time tho with other dogs so I let him be....he gets tons of kisses here. That bubba is a little flirt!!! The only down side for me is the sand. I get it....dogs get dirty. I get it. I just can dream right? Like...In my perfect world there would be half turf or some kind of turf area. So that I don't have to give bubba a bath as soon as we get home. Your baby will leave here filthy...so that's the only downside.

    All sizes dog park
    Kevin C.

    Quarantine Review 2021: Nice, big, and open! I bring my pup here all the time and he loves the nice sand (instead of wood chips) and plenty of fun puppy action! The park is divided into 3 areas - one for small dogs, one for big ones, and one (the biggest one) for doggos of all sizes! Each section has lots of chairs and benches so you can sit and read while your best buddy burns some energy. The folks that bring their dogs here are really good about respecting social distancing and wearing masks when close to one another. The good news is there's so much space, it's easy to find a nice, safe distance from folks while still being close enough for a conversation. Sometimes the dogs can get a little rough with their playing, but the owners seem to be pretty on top of it and break up any scuffles quickly. Overall, it's a really pleasant dog park inside an even bigger human park, and with plenty of parking to boot!

    Jennifer R.

    We have a very high energy Belgian Mallinois pup. We dont have a big yard and he requires daily exercise. We bring him here and he has a blast. I have gotten to know a lot of the dog parents and they are good people. I love that there are scoops here to use to clean up after your pup as well as a rack to hang your leash on. Plus tennis balls galore. Dog heaven!

    Rebecca K.

    **Watch out for these dogs in the small dog section** I like that this dog park has separate areas for large dogs, small dogs, and a third section for the less social dogs. I rarely have any issues here and the other dog parents have always been friendly. With one exception. There is this man that regularly brings his two medium-largish dogs into the small dog area. If you are there on a Saturday morning and see two fluffy poodle-like dogs, one is light brown and the other a light tan, you should probably gather your dog and leave right away. Neither of them seem to like dogs that are playful or that have a lot of energy. I've seen them repeatedly snapping and growling quite aggressively toward small dogs that run up to them, and they absolutely HATE my high energy, very social girl. So why is he bringing them to the dog park? Good question! At the very least, he should keep them in the non-social dog section. The dog park is for dogs that like being social and playing with other dogs, and that don't have aggression issues. Period. So this morning I see these two dogs coming into the small dog area where we were having a great time and everyone was playing so nicely. I know we've had problems before so i immediately leash my dog and leave, cutting our time short. I get a few yards out of the dog park when I notice my phone is missing. I go back inside the park to get it with my dog still leashed. One of these fluffy nightmares comes charging up at us and starts snapping and growling at my dog. He was literally on top of her while she postured submissively underneath. I try to pull my girl away and yelled at this dog to stop when the owner comes over, pulls his dog away and then proceeds to blame ME for the incident. I barked back as he was putting his dog in the non-social area (where it belongs!) He says, "You did nothing to stop it. We all saw what happened." Oh, you mean everyone saw YOUR aggressive dog charge up and start attacking my dog completely unprovoked? Literally no one is going to take your side on this, pal. I just wanted to run in quick, get my phone and get the hell out of there. As we were walking away, safely away from these jerks, I see one of his dogs go after another dog and he had to pull him off again!! Obviously my dog is not the only one your dogs snap at. My dog has never been aggressive and loves playing with all dogs (even the ones that don't like her so much) and I get it that her high energy can be too much for some. But if your dog consistently acts aggressive at the dog park, you are RUINING it for everyone else! I've gotten nothing but compliments on how sweet my dogs personality is. She absolutely loves being social with everyone, dogs and people, which is why I take her there. Unfortunately non-social dogs and arrogant jerks who don't see that their dogs are clearly the problem are making me not want to go anymore. It's really sad that one person can put such negative energy on what was otherwise a very fun morning full of healthy playtime for my dog.

    This is his cast after he was attacked at Harry Griffen

    DANGEROUS DOG PARK- DO NOT GO HERE In disbelief how many dog owners bring their AGGRESSIVE DOGS to this park and we're completely in shock and disappointed that the "Dog Park Board Committee" and City of La Mesa haven't stepped in with all the complaints they've received. We have personally witnessed not 1 but 2 DOG ATTACKS, both of which resulted in emergency surgeries!!!! THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE. No one wants to do anything until it is their precious pup that something happens to, but why wait?!?! We refuse to go to this park any longer and would rather drive the extra 30 minutes to go to a park that has people who are responsible dog owners and do not put other pups and people in danger by bringing aggressive dogs to the dog park. The photos below are the result after our friend's pup was nearly killed by another dog. You can read her photo for reference. THIS IS NOT OKAY.

    Small dog area
    Cynthia H.

    First time here. Doesn't look as big as it actually is from the outside. We have two small dogs and normally they always play in the large, general dog area. My brother said they wouldn't do well here and I figured it out why pretty quickly. This is the only dog park I've been to where the owners are so non responsive to their dogs. A large dog barked endlessly at another dog across the fence for over 10 minutes and no owner was in sight. Then, a small dog came in to our area and another ran up to it and kept snarling and lunging at the newcomer. Again, no owner in sight. Every time a new large dog came in, at least 5 or 6 others hounded it. I'd definitely recommend keeping your smaller dog separate. I heard more barking here than any other dog park. That being said, it does the biggest small dog area I've seen. I liked that it had hooks to hang your leashes and plenty of seating and shade for humans. Despite the lack of attention from owners, my dogs had a good time and this park is really nice. 95% soft dirt so be mindful of the shoes you're wearing. Would definitely come again, especially considering both sides were packed so your pups will definitely get exercise and social interaction.

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    I like the separate yards, and how's there are chairs and water buckets and pool bags! I just wish it had grass!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Harry Griffen Dog Park

    Review Highlights - Harry Griffen Dog Park

    There are little hiking trails too which are always nice to walk a couple times after you let your dog play.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Eucalyptus County Park

    Eucalyptus County Park

    4.1
    (32 reviews)

    I'd added parks in La Mesa and surrounding areas to my favorites in a map app a while ago,…read moreintending to check them out but hadn't. I was in the area of this park recently, and passed a parking area while driving on Bancroft. I was in need of a restroom so I turned at the first road after and that led to another, smaller parking area. I parked there, found the restroom I needed, then walked around a little bit. The park is on a slope. There is a covered area for family or company picnics@ some sort of a ball court. I walked down the slope to the other parking area. A dog would find plenty to sniff around at, but I didn't see much so I headed back to my truck. The parking area started filling. Some cars and vans with their clients, on outings. Some guy parked next to me was talking to himself and dumped what looked like grocery store dumpster finds out behind his vehicle, I guess to go through them. And commenting on stuff in my direction. Ok, time to go. 10 am by then so I made a mental note to come early again next time.

    Came by here to eat our food from Valley Farm Market on our group get-together with Yelp Elites S &…read moreM. You would have to take quite a turn after seeing the sign on Bancroft if you are driving from the Valley Farm Market. Parking spots looked quite limited as there was only one way in and then one way out. The table we got was perfect for us to enjoy our BBQ ribs, chicken, and salads under the eucalpytus trees. But would say some of the other seating areas were pretty much in the sun, so wish there was a bit more shade to those closer to the parking lot. The area looked very family friendly, lots of shade, and the grassy areas looked perfect for dogs to run around. I read in another review that dogs aren't allowed there but don't think I saw the sign during our visit there, so might have missed it. The dogs that were there that day were quite friendly and no one seemed to mind. There were two pavilion areas towards the left of the park which were well shaded where parties can be hosted. Bathrooms are nearby the higher elevated one. Overall looked like a decent park.

    Lake Murray

    Lake Murray

    4.4
    (334 reviews)

    Lake Murray is so beautiful and I enjoy coming here! I've been here a few times to walk the trail…read moreand also sit by the lake and read on a nice sunny morning. The birds can be a bit annoying, but guess that comes with the great outdoors. Definitely a nice spot to chill, take a walk and get those steps in. This area feels safe and well maintained. When I went, there weren't too many people, so it was pretty peaceful. The trail can get busy and there are bathrooms along the way (I didn't use them though) There's plenty of parking here, but just be sure you leave on time for closing. I've heard they lock up and it can be an issue with getting out. (not sure how true this is but I won't chance it) There is more parking elsewhere with trail access too, I just personally haven't found it.

    Lake Murray Service road walking trail is one of my go-to workouts--about 5.5 miles to the locked…read moregate and back. After entering the main entrance, follow the road and turn right where you will see a yellow locked gate. This is the beginning of the paved walking trail. There's plenty of parking at the main entrance, and the paved trail is perfect for walkers, runners, bikers, and even kids tagging along. It's basically a choose-your-own-adventure: bird watching, fishing (permit required), or just a casual picnic. Bonus perks: lots of porta potties and benches when you need a breather. If you're holding out for a real restroom, there's one just past the second baseball field--plan accordingly. Photo is attached to show where to locate this. Heads up: the main gate is closed every 2nd Tuesday of the month, but don't panic--you can still access the trail through the neighborhood entrance off Baltimore Drive. Hope you enjoy this walking trail as much as I do.

    Harry Griffen Dog Park - petservices - Updated August 2026

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