Dog walking in Athol

Athol Town Center

The center of Athol is a lovely mixture of urban streets and thick woods. The most visited woods in the neighborhood is the Lawton State Forest, a 265-acre area set up to protect the surrounding woods. Numerous trails and open spaces are scattered throughout the park, with access points to picnic areas, fishing spots, benches, and trash bins. The area's trails connect to the Willis Woods Loop Trail, a 1.5-mile trail that exits the park and travels throughout the neighborhood. Pups are welcome in both places and are not required to be on a leash, although don't forget to bring some water and clean-up bags.

The Street

The Street is a small, but cozy neighborhood, with rows of residential homes bunched up together. In the northern part of the neighborhood is Fish Park, a gorgeous open area with scenic views of Millers River and the surrounding woods. The park is surrounded by tall trees that offer shade and privacy, and offers a large open area for playing, running around, or exercising with Fido. There are enclosed tennis courts and basketball courts, a baseball diamond, and gazebo. Pups are welcome in the park while on a leash, and can run around the enclosed courts. Additional amenities include water fountains, trash bins, and benches.

Eaglesville

The Eaglesville neighborhood is the largest neighborhood in the city, located on the southeast corner of the city. Right along Lake Ellis is a beach and park that is dog-friendly, with 500 feet of shoreline and a large open space used for games, picnicking, or other activities both you and Fido can enjoy. Additional amenities at the park are water fountains, benches, trash bins, and clean-up stations. The Uptown Common is also a dog-friendly park closer to the center of town, that provides residents with an open area with large trees, paved paths, and a gazebo. Pups must remain on a leash inside both parks.

Tully

Three miles west of Athol is a small neighborhood known as Tully, located in the town of Orange. The featured place to head to in Tully is the North Quabbin Dog Park, a beautiful space that boasts a large, fenced-in area for off-leash activities surrounded by thick trees. Dogs get different amenities at the park, like the separate areas for small and large pups, double-gated entrances, shaded sitting areas, agility equipment, nighttime lights, trash bins, and clean-up stations. There are dog bowls at the park, but no running water so don't forget to bring some water to fill them.

Central Orange

Central Orange is a busy neighborhood in the middle of Orange, just five miles from Athol. The urban neighborhood gets plenty of visitors from Athol thanks to the great places to walk Fido, like the Orange Riverfront Park. The park is right along Millers River and boasts an open space with vibrant grass, paved walkways along the river, shaded sitting areas, a boat launch, and fishing dock. Butterfield Park is right down the street, and has a small area for pups to run around and play. Tha park also offers a gazebo, dirt path, sitting areas, and trash bins. Dogs must be on a leash inside both parks.