El Estero Dog Park

El Estero Dog Park is part of the larger El Estero Park Complex, which is a 45-acre recreational area surrounded by Lake El Estero. The dog park itself is a small, shaded grove located across from the Monterey Youth Center and the park’s famous Dennis the Menace Playground. It is usually quiet and secluded, and it offers your dog a chance to go off-leash in the otherwise regulated El Estero Park Complex. 

You will enjoy the shade of the many trees that the park has to offer, as well as the light breeze that typically runs off the lake. There are several benches where you can sit and rest while your dog sniffs around. The park is so small that your dog will never get too far off, and although there are cars and car sounds coming from across the lake, the park itself is protected from traffic concerns. A lone fire hydrant provides dogs with a meeting and communications center. The ground is primarily mulch, and some people have reported that on wet and rainy days their dogs get a bit dirty.

If you worry about your dog mixing with dogs that are too large or too small for him, worry not. There are separate play areas for small and large dogs which are fenced off from the rest of the park. Poop bags are provided by the park, as is water, although containers for the water are not provided. The park has several rules posted, the first of which is that owners are expected to pick up their dog’s poop. Failing to do so could earn you a fine, so remember to use those poop bags!

All in all, the park is a nice place for your dog to go off-leash and relieve himself. Not many people find it a destination park, but if you are exploring the park and want to take a break from keeping your dog on the leash, let them loose and enjoy the shade at the El Estero Dog Park.