Coquille Dog Park (at Fifth St Park)

Along the southern coast of Oregon is a small, isolated timber town, one of those little places that seem like a cross between Thorton Wilder's Our Town and David Lynch's Twin Peaks. Coquille, Oregon is a town of fewer than 4,000 people and it is named for a local Native American tribe that traded clam shells a currency. Coquille is French for clam.

Although Coquille is a small town based on a dying industry, it is surprisingly complete. It's the county seat, and there is a sizable jail. There is also a recently updated hospital, with the only emergency room in nearly fifty miles. There is a pizza parlor, a lovely little library, a few coffee shops and a bakery. There is no movie theater, but there is The Sawdust, a live theater that performs olio, which are 19th-century style melodramas, comically overdramatic plays with music and dancing. And, there is a feature unexpected in a rural area: a fenced dog park.

One of Coquille's best features is how close it is to the coast, without being on the beach. The town is inland enough that the rough winds and weather that typify the Oregon coast are blunted, yet the beach is only a short 15-minute car ride away. There is a lot of scenery near Coquille, with plenty of places to go hiking and fishing. People in Oregon tend to enjoy the outdoors, and Coquille is a great place to enjoy the outdoors and small-town charm.

In the heart of the town, there is a small park common called Kitty Corner Park. There are two tennis courts, a playground, a small stream, and a fenced-in dog park of roughly one acre. Although this is a rural area, the park is quite well set-up, with seating, a puppy water fountain, and poop bags. The park is primarily maintained by ardent volunteers.

The Coquille Dog Park also has fire hydrants (you know how Fido loves those) and plenty of lush green grass to run in. The park was funded through donations and sales of homemade treats, dog bowls, and blankets. Many of the donors' names are posted on a sign at the park for all to see. According to visitors, the park is popular and there are quite a few dogs in town so be prepared to meet some new four-legged and two-legged friends.

The park is open from dusk until dawn every day and your dog has to be vaccinated and licensed to enter the park. No aggressive dogs, puppies under four months old, or females in season. Please be courteous to others and make sure you clean up after your dog as well as yourself.