Dog walking in Winona

West End Winona

The neighborhood of West End Winona is a small one, with a few rows of residential homes. Inside the neighborly community lies Tillman Park, a well-kept area with a large grassy space and playground. The park connects to a paved trail that continues out of the park and is open to leashed pups. Cotter Fields is also a dog-friendly area to bring Fido in the neighborhood that has several different recreational fields, paved walkways, and a pavilion for picnics. At both parks, don't forget to bring water and clean-up bags!

Central Winona

Central Winona has a mixture of residential homes, businesses, and a thickly forested landscape. To get away from the city, dog lovers head out to the Garvin Heights City Park, a bluffside park with nature trails spanning over the park and up the cliffside, where pups and humans can enjoy the gorgeous views of the grassland, sweeping fields, and Lake Winona. Dogs do not have to be on a leash at this park, and there are trash bins and benches in the parking area. Sinclair Park is also in the neighborhood, which provides a more developed area, offering a perimeter walkway, shaded sitting areas, open space, an enclosed tennis court, and a playground. Leashed pups are welcome and can enjoy water fountains, clean-up stations, and benches.

Sugarloaf

The Sugarloaf neighborhood is on the northern part of the city, right along the Mississippi River. On the shore of the river is a park known as Waterworks Park that has a large open space with pretty views of the water. The park has an abundance of parking, a paved walkway that follows the edge of the river, benches, and trash bins. Unity Park is on the southern side of the neighborhood, right on the edge of Lake Winona. The park is a circle shape with a perimeter walking trail, open space, and access to the river for boating and fishing purposes. Dogs must remain on a leash inside both parks.

Mankato Ave

The Mankato Avenue neighborhood is on the eastern side of town, with large industrial buildings and rows of residential homes. The neighborhood has two parks that are dog-friendly, one of them being Gabrych Park. This square park features a baseball diamond and a large open field that is fenced-in. The area is perfect for letting Fido run around and play, although he must remain on a leash. Across the street is Sobieski Park, an area with more trees for shade, and enclosed basketball and tennis courts. There's also a playground and concrete perimeter trail in this park. Both parks have water fountains, benches, and trash bins.

Dakota

On the southeastern corner of the city is the Dakota neighborhood. The neighborhood is mostly taken up by the Great River Bluffs State Park, a 3,067-acre area that's seated along the high bluffs of the Mississippi River, surrounded by thick forests and fields. There's plenty of natural wildlife and vegetation in the park, with miles of nature trails available for humans and pups to explore. Trails range in difficulty from easy to intermediate, with overlooks offering gorgeous views of the area. The park also offers dog-friendly camping spots, benches, picnic tables, and trash bins.