Lucky dog park in Brush Prairie is a flat grassy field with scenic views of surrounding farmlands and Mount Hood in the distance.
Willow and Pilki don’t hesitate to make friends with dogs much larger at the Lucky dog park in Brush Prairie.
Willow loves to run in the open spaces of the dog park, say her owners, Dean and Li Estelle.
“If dogs run free, why not me?” asked Bob Dylan in song. And what dog doesn’t love to run free? Tongue lolling sideways, feet flying, a trail of drool in their wake. Being social pack animals, a good romp with a buddy is even better.
But in fact, that opportunity isn’t easy to come by for a dog. That’s where the volunteer-run, non-profit organization DOGPAW comes in — Dog Owners Group for Park Access in Washington. DOGPAW exists to provide a safe and fun place for dogs to play, exercise, and socialize off-leash with other dogs. They have partnered with Clark County to build, maintain, and manage all of the dog parks in the county.
One of these dog park gems is the 7.5-acre Lucky dog park in Brush Prairie. The site was named in honor of a Clark County Sheriff’s Office K9 named Lucky, a tracking dog who was killed in the line of duty in 1990.
The park is a flat, grassy 7.5 acres of open fields where dogs can run, jump and fetch. It sits at the end of a quiet farm-lined lane, with views to the east of Mount Hood, and a long view to the sunset in the west.
Lucky dog park is one of five dog parks in Clark County, and is fully fenced with a double-gated entrance. Dogs are leashed and unleashed in the safe enclosure at the gate, so they enter the park free to run.
On a recent afternoon, Li and Dean Estelle were at the park with their two small dogs, Pilki and Willow. They live nearby and come to the park every day, they said. It’s a good social time for their dogs.
“If Willow doesn’t get some kind of running she goes nuts,” said Dean.
The two small dogs knew the drill, making a beeline down around the perimeter footpath and stopping at the water fountain for a drink.
Adjacent to the dog park is the 55.3 acre Lauretta Noreen Forest Preserve, with walk-in access from the southwest corner of the dog park. The Preserve offers walking trails for leashed dogs and their owners through a secluded and heavily wooded area.
The park features a 1 acre area for small dogs (under 25 pounds) with a 1/8 mile trail, and a 6.5 acre area for large dogs with a ½ mile oval trail. There are benches for the dog’s people and a dog water spigot. Plus, there is a fenced dog agility course with varied obstacles.
Dog owners must abide by all license, leash and scoop laws during their visit, and dogs must wear their license at all times or their owners risk a monetary penalty.
The park is not a safe place for children to play, and all children in the park must be in the company of an adult and under close supervision. This is because a screaming, running or unattended child may become a target for dogs who are bred to herd, hunt, chase or guard. Playing dogs can accidentally knock over or run into a child.
There is also a separate area in the park for small or shy dogs to play.
