Squirrel Ridge Park

First time at a dog park, took the time to read all reviews and opinions. Went on a Sunday and found it not crowded, had very friendly people, a well kept play area and a bunch of dogs, of all shapes and sizes, having a blast .
I even noticed some park guest filling the kids pool and other watering buckets. Some guest picked up after their dogs while others did not, some more poop signs in the play area might help out, as well as plastic baggies in the play pens. Poop bags are only located in the parking lot.
Otherwise had a great time, bring a chair, book, bottle water and relax to the tune of happy dogs.

The largest dog park around! There is also a large «small dog» portion of the park connected to it. I’ve been coming here for years and I feel that most dogs are well behaved and the people who come watch their dogs and kind. Best dog park in the area. Usually not difficult to find parking either. No bathroom area for humans though.

The dog park is massive, at least 3 acres for the big dog park and an acre for the small dog park. It is mostly grass that was mowed. There were some dirt patches that would probably get pretty muddy after a storm.
There are lots of trees and shaded benches throughout. Dog poop bags are provided. Lots of water available.
Overall, really nice park.

My dog loves that kiddy pool they have there unfortunately. Lots and lots of space for the dogs to run free and play.

Nice park with a dirt parking lot behind a mental rehab facility.
No Bathrooms
In the back is a dog park frequented by primarily students who don’t clean up after their pets so if you live north the of university check out Possum Creek dog park. Your pup will thank you.
On weekends you can catch the Gainesville Hogs Rugby Club play for free
Theres also a larping group that meets here phew phew pew lightning bolt lighting bolt.

As an out of towner I thought this dog park had a lot to offer. Plenty of space for our dog to wind up to a full sprint, a good amount of water buckets, shade for us to hide from Florida’s brutal rays.
There is an adjacent small dog area for those with less rambunctious pups. There are pools near the entrance but it is hot in Florida– use the provided hose to rinse off your dog after playing and leave a towel in your car.

Keep in mind I used to go to Forest Park, so I am used to third world dog park conditions.
That being said, when I first took my dog to SRP, I was high-​fiving a million angels. A huge fenced in area, owners that seemed to pay attention to their dogs, shade, places to sit, grass. It wasn’t Dogwood, but it would be sufficient.
However, after subsequent trips, I inevitably leave with a wet dog. The kid pools by the entrance are annoying as balls. I get the whole «but they’re so much fun for the dogs», I beg to differ, all they can do is lay in them and it’s not even that hot during this time of year. I have a long-​haired dog and my house smells terrible for 2 weeks when I leave. Anyway.
This dog park can get PACKED. Like ridiculously. And not all the owners really monitor their dogs. People think their little puppies are SO cute jumping all over you. Granted they are really freaking adorable, but after like the 14^th jump, I’m pretty much done.

My wife and I normally go to Possum Creek for our free-​dog-​park needs because it’s closer to our house. Yesterday though, we were already in town and in the area so we decided to try Squirrel Ridge Park. They are both free and they both consist of double-​gated dog entrances, but there aren’t too many other similarities.
Pros:
–Free
–Shaded bench areas
–Huge field area for dogs to play
–Decent grass to dirt/​sand ratio… good for keeping the dogs slightly cleaner.
–Water hose good for giving the dogs a drink. Also good for hosing them off if they are too hot or dirty.
Cons:
–No cleanup bags in the actual dog area. They have them way back at the parking area. We didn’t realize this when going in so when the dogs had to go, I had to go back out to the entrance to get the bags.
–Swampy, muddy area near the big dog entrance. The dogs would consider this a Pro based on how often they ran over there.
Overall, it’s a no frills park with the added bonus of having the dog area. Possum Creek has nicer scenery and a better play/​party area for kids and dogs alike… plus the skate park… but if we lived near Squirrel Ridge I could settle for it.

Used to enjoy this place, realized it wasn’t well suited for small dogs. There are barely any trash bags or trash cans. Half empty buckets of dirty water sit in the middle of the large field. The small dog fenced in portion is miniature compared to the large. I recommend Possum Creek Dog Park instead if you have a smaller breed.

I loved this place it was so close to where I used to live. I would bring my dog hear to play at least one a week. They have a very nice open area for dogs to play and run around. My dog is a running type so she would love to chase other dogs and make laps around the park. They have a water faucet for your best friend to hydrate after a workout. Also the park is double fenced entry points for extra safety. It is a blessing to have so many dog parks in gainesville because I know in South Florida it is so hard to find one. Now that I am back in California it is still hard to fine a dog park that provides so much open space for the dogs to run freely. One negative though is they dont seperate big dogs and small dogs playing field. So if you doggie has a problem with interacting with other dogs that are not their size you should be careful.