I second the review about working out the scheduling for maintenance & having some form of shade area. The tan bark is also dangerous for dogs if they chew on it it can splinter in their mouth and cause infection or hurt their paws and do the same. Maybe turf ? Or just grass. Also, owners, please be courteous in making sure you are responsible with your dog and making sure they behave with other dogs. Let's keep the peace and make the dog park a fun experience for everyone! After all, we bring the dogs here to have nothing but a wonderful time and a good workout so they can sleep the rest of the day ;D On a positive note, it's nice they finally built a dog park in Salinas. It was pretty inconvenient having to drive to the marina dog park every time we wanted our dog to socialize and play. Although that dog park is totally worth the drive. This new one should suffice for convenience. read more

Both my dog and I have enjoyed this park. It is adequate for now but I hope the city will see the wisdom of continuing to improve it. A few more benches and maybe some sort of shaded areas would be a valuable improvement. The delay in opening was irritating. It appeared that it was more important to have a little opening ceremony than to make it available as soon as possible. It was ready with the sole exception of the benches themselves for over three weeks before any dog was invited in to use it. It could have been closed for the one day it took to install those benches but open otherwise. Additionally, it is totally unescessary to close it all day Wednesday for "maintainance". I have witnessed that process for the last three weeks. It is done mid afternoon, takes far less than two hours and is then locked until the next morning. Why? It's heartbreaking to see families and friends arrive, anxious to enjoy the facility only to be disappointed. While that closure is posted, the amount of usuable time, especially locking it so no one can use it that afternoon and evening, is totally avoidable The only thing that maintanence worker does that would not be possible while dogs were present, is using a leaf blower to clear off the concrete areas. I'm sure some rescheduling could easily be done to minimize the closure time. This park has instantly become a well used asset, attracting a great group of conscientious dog owners. There are always a few bad apples in any group. However this has not been my experience. Anyone who would suggest otherwise is being less than forthright and, I dare say, has some sort of other agenda based on prejudice and bias. Kudos to the City of Salinas for seeing a need and stepping up to the plate. Now let's move forward to make it more accessible and usable. read more

It's pretty large which is nice but it's filled with tan bark. If your dog likes to fetch it will inevitably get in your dog's mouth. Some pieces are sharp too I worry about my dogs paws on this and it's quite filthy as well. I don't enjoy many dogs of Salinas either. For some reason people just have tons of Pitbulls, Rottweilers, German shepherds, and whatever other "tough dogs" they can get. Then they don't neuter or take time out to socialize and ensure proper behavior in their dogs and shouldn't bring them to dog parks. I don't care if you don't neuter or spay your dogs, my male isn't either because he shows, but please don't bring them to the dog park to beat up and bully the other dogs. I keep my female Cane Corso out of dog parks for the reason she doesn't like strange dogs getting in her face, so please have the decency to do the same if your dog isn't a "dogs dog." read more

This park is so cute , there's always a lot of dogs which is nice , the only thing that I don't like is the wood chips , they hurt my dogs paws and in some occasions get stuck in there ... But other than that I like this park a lot read more

Finally Salinas has a dog park and it's great! Water, benches, and friendly dogs...at least on the occasions that I've been there. We have two large dogs and one small dog. I can leave the small dog on the small dog side, where she's happy to run the fence line and greet the other dogs. And I stay on the big dog side with my lab/shephard and lab/pit mixes. Last time I was there, there were 9 small dogs on the small dog side, and 6 big dogs on their side. Yes, there was one HUGE pit bull with cropped ears, and his name was "Demon." And his handlers were two teenage Latino boys. So if you're prone to stereotypes, this might not be the dog park for you. But if you're like me, you would have very quickly realized that Demon was the sweetest boy, so well socialized. He greeted me respectfully, and more importantly, he greeted my dogs with a wagging tail and a sniffing nose, just like well socialized dogs do.The teens were great, too. One of them was initially afraid of one of my dogs...because she's part German Shephard! I guess we all have a lot to learn from one another! Also at the park was an elderly man with his black lab, a lesbian couple with two little terriers, and a smattering of other dog lovers. I agree with the reviewer who stated that the dog park needs a little shade. And the dirt parking lot is adjacent to dog park, so it's a little dusty when it's windy. read more

How nice to finally have a dog park in Salinas! We went with our 2 dogs. There were lots of dogs and families. Everyone was responsible and friendly. A great place to socialize dogs! If you rarely have your dogs around other dogs I suggest familiarizing yourself with normal dog pack behavior so you know what to expect. We had fun and will go again often! read more

I am very happy that we finally have a decent place to take our dogs. I hope the city is able to get funding to open more leash free dog parks so we have options within the city of Salinas. I have been to this park a few times with my dogs. We appreciate the divided sections for small and large dogs. The benches are a nice touch. I usually bring my own poop bags, but I'm glad to see the Mutt Mitts dispensers with attached waste cans in several locations within the enclosures. I agree with the other posters that shade covers would be nice. I like the water fountains. My dogs have already learned that if they go stand next to them, someone will most likely come and turn it on for them so they can get a drink. They like being able to run around, but the wood chip bark is hard on their feet. They're small dogs, and after a while of walking on the bark, they're hobbling a bit. It would be nice to have a sign posted of the standard dog park rules as some owners are not aware of proper etiquette. Dogs should have their leashes removed in the entrance area so that when they enter the park and the other dogs come over to greet them your dog doesn't feel trapped or stressed. Keep the exterior gate closed at all times so that dogs don't have an opportunity to escape. People food and dog food/treats should never be brought into the dog park. My dogs are on special diets and managed to find bits and pieces of dog biscuits that had been discarded or dropped by the other dogs and they later became very ill. Toys should also be used with discretion as some dogs can become very possessive and this can cause fights to break out. Children should not be left unattended in the dog park. It is not a babysitting service. Some children do not behave properly around dogs and this might expose them to being bitten. Children should be taught not to approach/pet/or grab at strange dogs without first obtaining permission from the owner. Also, running around and screeching might elicit a prey-driven response, and your child might be knocked down or grabbed/bitten by a dog. The dog park is also not a dog-sitting venue. Please do not leave your dog in the dog park unattended while you go back and sit in your vehicle. Overall, the park is a great place for your dog to come and play and exercise, and an opportunity for you to meet and socialize with your fellow Salinas residents. Hopefully, other residents will discover this park and bring their dogs to romp and play too. read more

City of Salinas' first dog park opened last month at Natividad Creek Park in the Creek Bridge area and what a wonderful playground for large and small dogs. There is a large fenced in area for large and medium sized dogs; and a smaller similar area for small dogs. Both dog areas are double gated; there are benches and water fountains for dogs and their owners; and plastic bags and trash bins are provided for dog waste. The dog park was well attended on the weekends and late afternoons during the weekdays; and is closed on Wednesdays for maintenance. The only downside... there is no shade and the ground cover is large pieces of recycled tree wood and bark. My small/medium sized dog found the ground cover somewhat difficult to walk and run on. This is a wonderful place for my adopted dog to socialize with other dogs and I enjoy visiting with the other dog owners... we share our love for dogs! Thank you City of Salinas! read more

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