A dog’s delight at Whitewater Center
March 29, 2024
A new 70-acre dog park debuts March 30 with trails, waterfront access and treats for people, as well as their four-legged companions.
By Sharon Smith
The new dog park at Whitewater Center, Off Leash, looks to be a dog’s dream — a place where pups can explore off-leash trails, get their paws wet and relax with a treat.
It’s a first-of-its-kind destination in Charlotte. The area has a pebble beach, dock, drinking trough and dog-wash station. But the biggest attraction may be all that room to roam within Off Leash. Visitors can hike, walk and run along the 1.5-mile Lake Loop trail, which has several lake viewpoints. With plenty of open space and wooded areas, it should be easy to spread out from others and play a game of fetch, or just relax.
THE RULES
Dogs must have a collar and tag, be at least 4 months old and vaccinated. Guests must purchase a pass for each dog, and there’s a three-dog limit per person. Read all the Off Leash rules before your visit.
“There are plenty of off-leash dog areas in the Charlotte area, and there are plenty of places where you can walk on a trail with your dog on a leash,” Jeff Wise, Whitewater Center president and CEO, shared in a statement. “But this will be the first destination that brings those two concepts together, and the result is a place where you and your dog can have a memorable outdoor experience with each other.”
FOOD + DRINK
Food and drink offerings for each dog’s human counterpart are available at the new Barley House (where you enter Off Leash). The Barley House is a traditional, timber-framed, mortise and tenon joinery outpost. Take in a view of the lake on the back deck or cool off steps away under the shaded pavilion.
To align with Whitewater’s effort to be a good steward of the environment, the pine trees from the area were repurposed into building materials for the structures.
MORE DETAILS
Opening weekend hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Cost is $10 for a single activity access pass, $20 for a monthly pass or there’s the WWC all-activities annual pass option for $149. SP
Images courtesy Whitewater Center
