So Pacific Grove is a very cool little town. I happened upon this space on a costal road trip with my dog, and fell in love. This open space has trails for miles and off leash hours! The one thing I would be careful of, is that during the off leash hours, people still come (without dogs) to run the trails. If you have a protective dog like I do, just be aware that a random man could pop out of no where running towards you. He might just be using the space as it's intended, but your off leash dog may get scared and bark at him to not run at his mommy. Just something I encountered. I notice that a lot of men like to use off leash dog trails as their personal running trails. Not sure if they like testing the restraint of dogs, or they don't care that certain hours and spaces aren't really meant for them, and while they have the luxury of running free anywhere, our dogs only have the option to run free in certain places...but it's really becoming a thing everywhere we go, and unfortunately this space is no exception. read more

Lynn Rip Van Winkle Open Space - Off leash dog hours on the early morning! - Dog Parks Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

There is limited parking spots for this open space and no bathrooms. There is a garbage can, which was appreciated. This is a beautiful area to walk your dog, and we met many dogs along the way. We found out that it's not a great place to bring a stroller because of all the tree roots. You cannot walk very far in any one direction because you will come upon a road on all sides of the area. And yet, it is still possible to lose your way because there are many paths, and they are all unnamed. Also, there are no signs to direct you. (I saw another review mention trail markers, but I did not notice them.) I am embarressed to say that I got turned around and thought our car was one way when it was actually the opposite way; this was a rare occasion in which my husband was right. LOL. read more

Lynn Rip Van Winkle Open Space - Inside the open space - Dog Parks Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Lynn Rip Van Winkle Open Space is one of my all time favorite spots in the Monterey area to take my pups and go walking! The trails wind through lush, dense greenery that makes you feel like you're walking through a secret forest. The trees are everywhere, and they provide the perfect amount of shade for a nice afternoon hike. The best part is that it is extremely dog-friendly and my dogs absolutely LOVE it here! Not only are dogs welcome, but they can roam off-leash as well! It is never super packed and it's such a peaceful trail to get in nature, yet its so close to the city! Parking nearby is usually available, though it gets busier on weekends. I honestly can't say enough good things about Lynn Rip Van Winkle Open Space! It is on my must-go-to places if you are in the Monterey area, and if you are looking for a peaceful spot to go for a walk and take your dogs! Highly recommend!! read more

Lynn Rip Van Winkle Open Space - Dog Parks Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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This place is the bomb!! My dogs loved it. Any time I am in the Carmel, Monterey, or Pacific Grove area with my dogs, I will go back here as it was awesome!! There are lots of trees and trails that meander around. There are trail markers to help ensure you don't get lost. It's not a huge space, but you can do lots of twisting loops. It's the perfect spot for dogs to run off-leash. I went two days in a row and can't wait to go back! Beware of foxtails at the beginning of the trail during the warmer months. read more

TRY TO NOT GET LOST! Real talk - Please try to remember the path you took from the parking lot to where you are because there aren't any maps or complete routes in this park! Y'all have been warned! This is how our experience went down... we decided to take the dogs out for a "quick" walk at Lyn Rip Van Winkle before heading back up to the Bay Area from our mini getaway weekend. Quick walk, my ass! We took one walking path deeper and deeper into the forest, hoping it would automatically route us back to the entrance - it ended up being a dead end after 30 mins and we had to basically turn around and find our way back to the car. Luckily enough, we went out here around late afternoon, so the sun was still up. Had it been evening time, I honestly think we would've been so screwed. I must also warn you, some of the paths aren't easy to walk through either. The grounds can differ and depending on how deep you decide to walk into the forest, it can lead you to some fallen logs to hop over or mini bridges to walk on. Could be a challange if you have dogs as well unless they're super athletic. But I'll tell you right now, even our husky got super tired 30 mins into the walk and I ended up having to carry my 13 y/o Shih Tzu for an hour. NOT THE BEST. Again, take the easy paths - those that are wide, and avoid the smaller, windier paths unless you're in for an adventure all day! read more

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I'll preface this by saying I have only been here once and probably won't be back. I came here because of the reviews that this was a great off-leash nature trail. The GPS mapped us through a pay area but we continued straight and found free parking on the side of the road instead. There were other people walking and running their dogs and there were even children playing. I really liked the natural feel of the area, unfortunately I have a small dog and the park does not seem at all kept up. Trees have fallen over the tiny pathways and lots of bush has grown up. It was difficult for my pup to get through some areas. We saw dead, rotting flora and fauna and the cars driving by on the busy streets that surround the area are visible from almost everywhere. Also, the paths are only marked in a few locations and even then it's just a marker, it doesn't really help you figure out where you are or where you're going. I'm sure people who know this park love it but if you're a visitor, I would recommend one of the many other beautiful spaces to bring your pup in Monterey. read more

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Very true, you could easily get lost. Pick a turn and stick with it - only make lefts and you'll be fine. It's a gem. Had no problem letting the pup off leash and felt like we were deep in the woods even though we were feet away from one of the entrances to 17 mile drive. read more

The good: Beautiful outdoor space for waking! Love the numbered trail markers if you get turned around. The paths are comfortably wide, and there is sunshine streaming through the trees, which keeps it light. It's a gem! The bad: people use this as an off-leash space. That's fine, but no one cleans up after their dogs. Mostly I see 9 to 5ers bringing their dogs to do their thing so they don't have to clean it up at home. If your dog is running ahead of you, you're not going to be able to find and bag it. And you don't even try. The thing is the open space can smell amazing because of the trees, then 3 steps later the ever-present smell of sun-warmed dog waste fills the air. This will eventually be an enforced leash-only space, or no dogs at all. You have the power to change that. Clean it up. read more

Love this park ! Great for cardio and walking your dogs ! Easy to locate and parking was a breeze . (: read more

Lynn Rip Van Winkle Open Space - Dog Parks Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

LOTS of open space for dogs and humans to roam. Forest atmosphere. After walking my dog, I read the sign that said to never travel alone because mountain lions have been spotted in the area. No encounters for me fortunately! read more

My dog, Kona flew out to California from Florida to join me last Monday and Rip Van Winkle Open Space is the first park we've had a chance to get to. I can't believe there hasn't been a Yelp entry for this place before now! It's a really, really cool place to take your dog for some off-leash exercise. The Pacific Grove city website describes it as a "narrow ribbon of space...approximately 2,200 feet long and 400 feet wide." Perhaps in the grand scheme of things it's narrow, but it doesn't feel that way when you're walking or jogging around it. The whole area is crosshatched with trails, so you can walk for quite a while without retracing your steps. It's not called a "dog park," per se, but it seems like that's mostly what people use it for. We went at about 9am on a Sunday and ran into at least 8 or 10 other people out with their dogs. Unlike basically everywhere in the Monterey area, off-leash activity is actually allowed! The experience is not like your typical purpose-built dog park, where there's just a large open area for dogs to run and socialize in; for the most part, you walk around the trails in the RVW Open Space and dogs can romp for a bit when you run into other people. It's a very pretty piece of land, with lots of trees that help give the impression that you're in a much larger undeveloped area. For the most part, it seems like dog owners are very responsible about cleaning up after their pets. One thing to note, though, is that there is a doggie-bag dispenser near the small parking area off of Congress Ave (about 1072 Congress on G Maps), but I didn't see another dispenser anywhere else. So think ahead and grab a bag or two before you start wandering. read more

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My pup and I enjoy this area. He seems to love the fact that he can be somewhat independent (no leash). It's nice and shaded. People so far have been friendly and Park is clean. If you have a pup just beware some of the trails end right by the roads. read more

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Quiet and open space for your dog. Mostly flat surface. Good for a nice, long stroll.

beautiful and serene park for you to take your dog out for a walk. there are many people who let their dog roam free so if your dog does not get along with others please keep them on a leash. you feel like you are in a forrest in there so it is pretty cool. best dog park i have ever been to. read more

Great park to walk your dogs off leash. It is a very good size park and you can't really get lost as there are streets on all corners. It's right in PG but feels like you're in the middle of nowhere. Please pick up after your pet and keep this park clean. Many trails to choose from and I highly recommend to come here. read more

Nice place to find peace and quiet. We met some local dogs and their humans who assured us its off leash friendly.

Beautiful park with many wandering paths to explore. Our dog found a few playmates to run around with on a Sunday afternoon and enjoyed her off-leash time. Keep an eye out for the poison oak, as it is plentiful. We came upon a little grove of enchanting fairy houses that was quite unexpected! read more

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We were vacationing in the area, and we found this park for our Australian cattle dog to run around in. He has a very high play drive and needs a good workout. This fit the bill nicely. He loved the woodsy environment and got to run to his heart's content. It was really calm and quiet too on a Friday evening around 6:30 pm which is good for our dog. read more

Great dog park, you literally feel like you're in the middle of the woods the majority of the time. I would recommend leash on for a lot of dogs due to bridges and drop offs. There are logs to jump over on the trails we took. Great place to check out read more

This is a gorgeous place to take the family for a walk and educate kids about nature. Except it is NOT because locals with dogs have completely ruined it by letting their dogs shit everywhere. There are piles everywhere on the sides of the trails. Every time we come here either me or my toddler steps in it. I see other people with kids and toddlers here all the time and wonder if they have the same thing happen. There's no way to avoid it even if watching where you walk. And then there are the bags of dog shit everywhere from people who think they've done enough by putting it in a bag and then tossing it on the ground. Dogs should be banned as much as I like dogs. As far as I know this isn't an actual "dog park". However reading all the reviews I can see these are exactly the people I'm talking about. Might as well just type "Lovely place to let my dog shit". The city needs to get this under control because it's not only this area of trails, it's a problem EVERYWHERE in PG. read more

Beware foxtails. They're everywhere. This isn't a place for dogs with soft fur. Probably great for dogs with course fur, but still be very careful. read more