Dog walking in Ferndale

Ferndale City Center

Explore Ferndale’s City Center neighborhood to get a feel for what the town is all about! Take Fido for a walk downtown to see the beautiful murals painted on buildings, or check out the area’s beautiful parks. Nestled next to the Nooksack River, VanderYacht Park offers an unfenced off-leash area. These zones are signed throughout the park, but be sure your dog obeys voice commands before unclipping the leash. There are doggie cleanup bag dispensers dispersed throughout the park. VanderYacht Park has wide open grassy areas, a disc golf course, picnic areas, mature trees, a playground and walking paths. The neighborhood’s Pioneer Park is another great spot to explore with your leashed pup. Enjoy a picnic in the shade of one of the mature trees and tables nestled among a collection of original pioneer cabins. There’s also a huge playground for kiddos. There are lots of other parks in the City Center neighborhood where leashed dogs are welcome, including Flair Park, Oxford Park, Horizon View Park, Cedar Creek Park and Vista Ridge Park.

Lake Terrell

Looking for some quality outdoor time with Fido? Head to Ferndale’s Lake Terrell neighborhood. There, you’ll find the Lake Terrell State Game Refuge. You’ll love walking with your pup around beautiful Lake Terrell. Enjoy beautiful mountain views, wildflowers and grassy meadows in the summer, and a bird’s eye view of the lake from the pier. Speaking of birds, keep an eye out for waterfowl, birds of prey and songbirds. You may even run into some deer during your visit. Bird watching, hiking, boating, hunting and fishing are pawpular activities in the area. The calm waters of Lake Terrell make it a great place for non-motorized boats like kayaks and canoes. Late summer though fall, dogs are allowed off-leash throughout the park during the day. There is a small parking fee, and you’ll want to pack your own doggie waste cleanup bags.

Cordata

Get ready for a tail-waggin’ good time in Bellingham’s Cordata neighborhood, just eight miles from Ferndale. You and your leashed pooch will love getting some exercise in the neighborhood’s Cordata Park. With plenty of open space and walking trails, Cordata Park is a great place for jogging, biking and walking with your dog. The park has a network of gravel walking paths totaling five miles. There’s lots of shade on the trail too, so even on warm days, this is a pleasant place to be active. There’s also a stream that intersects with the trail on the north end of the park. There are benches and picnic tables so you can revel in some well-deserved rest after you and Fido have explored the park. Pack a water bottle and some doggie cleanup baggies.

Birch Bay/ Custer

If you and your pooch are in search of some tranquility, visit the Birch Bay/ Custer neighborhood in Custer, just nine miles northeast of Ferndale. The neighborhood’s 23-acre Jensen Family Forest Park is a pawsitively beautiful and secluded piece of land with a forest of huge trees and open fields. There is a loop trail that meanders through the park that is a little less than a mile long. You’ll find a picnic area in a meadow along the trail on the south side of the park. The Jensen Family Forest Park is especially beautiful in the fall, when some of the trees are changing color. Leashed dogs are welcome throughout the park. You’ll want to bring your own cleanup baggies and drinking water.

Birchmont/ Salish Breeze

Enjoy a day by the sea with your pup in the Birchmont/ Salish Breeze neighborhood in Blaine. Only 11 miles from Ferndale, you and your dog will love exploring the neighborhood’s Birch Bay State Park on the Pacific Ocean. Leashed dogs are welcome throughout the park except at the swimming beaches. There are plenty of other scenic spots to watch the waves as you look across the border to Canada with Fido by your side. There are all sorts of recreational opportunities at the park – canoeing, windsurfing, sailing and hiking are very pawpular. Check out the short but scenic Terrell Marsh Trail with your leashed pooch. Birch Bay State Park also has picnic areas, restrooms, campsites and day-use areas. It’s a good idea to pack your own cleanup baggies.