Central Bark - Dallas, Oregon

People who move to new land often name settlements and towns after places back home. For example, the earliest European settlers often named their settlements after their hometowns, especially England. In fact, we have an entire region informally called New England. So it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of places in the far west named after places in the east. 

Dallas, Oregon is just outside Salem. At under 15,000 people, it is a cozy little town with a lot of character. Most of the buildings downtown were built between 1880 and 1910, There's a 95-foot clock tower on the 19th-century courthouse, and you can see it from the beautiful town square, immediately in front. 

And as if that were not enough, there are some beautiful parks in the city, including, and especially, Central Bark. It is the only off-leash dog park in the area and is a nice, big area with a separate space just for small dogs. The park also has a strong fence that is well-maintained by the city to keep your four-legged friend safely inside the park.

This grassy park also has some sections of wood chips, which is a nice change for your dog's paws. The park is well-equipped with poop bags and trash cans. The main side of the park has picnic tables, benches, and some agility equipment. The small dog enclosure has benches. Both sides of the park have watering stations, including dog hoses to make it easier to fill dog bowls.

Central Bark may be run by the city of Dallas, but the park has a lot of volunteers who routinely bring extra dog toys and work to maintain the agility equipment. According to the park visitors, one of the most important amenities in the park is the dog washing station just outside the park, so that dog parents can make sure that their puppy doesn't bring in too much mud.

Bark Central is exactly the kind of dog park you would hope to see in a pleasant town like Dallas, Oregon. If you happen to find yourself in the Salem area, or the nearby Oregon State University, you should definitely check it out. This is exactly how a dog park should be run.