Dog walking in Marlboro

Marlboro Town Center

If you’re in Marlboro, take the pawportunity to head to the Town Center neighborhood, where you’ll find space to run and stroll. The Municipal Complex has a tot lot for the human pups, shuffleboard, and walking paths. You can walk your dog on-leash all around the area. If you and Fido are looking to watch some sports action, you might even catch a Rec Center soccer match or a Pop Warner football game. At the Recreation Way Park, you can watch the kids play in the tot lot or basketball court while the pup hangs out, leashed by your side. You’ll also find Big Brook Park in this neighborhood, a 432-acre open space. Leashes are required, but there’s plenty of area for stretching your paws. Perhaps the best part of Big Brook Park is the trailhead to the Henry Hudson Trail. The Henry Hudson Trail is a 24-mile trail that connects the Highlands to Freehold, NJ. The old railway trail is paved with asphalt and meanders through the wooded areas of town. It’s puptastic for dog-walking because, despite being mostly blacktop, it’s also mostly shaded. Keep in mind that the path may be shared by cyclists and skateboarders. If all that wasn’t pawsome enough, you can sit with your dog on the terrace of Osteria and enjoy some of the best Italian food in town.

Morganville

In the Morganville area of town, you’ll find the Union Hill Recreation Area, which is equipped with softball fields, a tot lot, and walking paths. It’s a puptastic place to stroll. If you’re super lucky, your pooch just might catch a prized foul ball. Nearby, off of Union Hill Road, you’ll also find Hawkins Road Park, which has basketball and tennis courts, a tot lot, and open fields for walking. If you’re looking for something small and quieter, try Woodcliff Park, a pawfect place to play with the kids, both human and furry. No matter which of the three parks you pick, remember that your dog must stay on the leash, and there are no waste stations, so be sure to keep a bag handy.

Wickatunk

In the Wickatunk area of Marlboro, you’ll find farms and open space tucked in between houses. You’ll also find the Wickatunk Recreation Area. Once upon a time, this now 71-acre park was the Marlboro Airport, but now you can find lovely fields and forests where you and Fido can frolic. Dogs must stay on-leash, but there is plenty of space to walk about. Also, ticks are a real problem on the East Coast, so you’ll want to take precautions before enjoying the park. If your pup is a wanna-be farmdog, Baymar Farms allows leashed dogs and their owners to watch horseback riding lessons and horse shows on the premises. Your dog must be well-behaved and comfortable around horses. Just before the turn-off for Baymar, you’ll also find another trailhead for the Henry Hudson Trail, but this one does not offer any nearby parking.

Holmdel Park

Holmdel Park is a county gem! Just a short 20-minute drive from Marlboro in the town of Holmdel, you’ll find this beautiful 566-acre woofderland. While the park must be enjoyed on-leash, you won’t run out of new sights and smells. There are 9.49 miles of trails to enjoy, including a light walking path, a fitness trail, and trails for cyclists and equestrians. Most are in wooded areas that provide plenty of shade for your pup. The David C. Shaw Arboretum is also a great place to enjoy a good bone (or a picnic). When you’re feeling worn out, sit on a bench and watch ducks and turtles in the pond. In the spring, the beauty of the trees blossoming around the lake looks like something out of a furrytail. In the winter, Holmdel Park is a local favorite for sledding. Adventurous pups are welcome to join in the fun (or just roll in the snow).

Lincroft

Lincroft is just 15 minutes outside of Marlboro, and is a small town with a large county park. Thompson Park is a 667-acre open space that features historical buildings, walking trails, fields, meadows, and even an off-leash dog park. You can enjoy Thompson Park year-round, starting at 7 AM. There are 14 miles of trails easily accessible from the Old Orchard area of the park. From the Filly Run area, you’ll find access to another 4.9-mile trail, a paved loop. You and your dog can trot along any of the park trails together, as long as you use a leash and a waste bag, when needed. Of course, any dog will tell you the best part of the park is the off-leash dog area in the Three Barn section of the park. The 1.5-acre dog park has separate play areas for big dogs and small dogs under 35 pounds. If your pup needs to lap up some water, you’ll find fountains at the nearby Creative Arts Center. You’ll find potties for the humans there, as well.