Rip Van Winkle Open Space Dog Area

Obviously you need to come back to the park now. Yes, there can be crazy dogs there, but wouldn't you be excited to get out of your house/yard? If you want quiet this is not the place for you. There are creaking trees, birds like crazy, lovely squirrels chattering and dogs barking. There are also children laughing and climbing trees. Parents laughing and encouraging them. Maybe you should rethink your last visit.

This place has it all. Great paths, cool people, poop bags, birds, deer.... Nature at it's best and the dogs have fun and the people do too.

The past review is unfair to the park and those who visit. I am new to this park but in my recent visits I have found to be visited by people who know dogs, have well trained dogs and who all seem to get along nicely. the people there interact well and they welcome newbies and their dogs. It does give the dogs the space to run as does Asilomar, but the forest walking paths are a welcome change from some of the standard dig park sites.

This was once a beautiful forest where we could walk with dogs and neighbors and friends in silence and feel safe. But it has gone far downhill in recent years.

The problem is it got too popular and as we all know not all dogs are well behaved. People now drive from many miles away and the rules say dogs can run loose. It has been taken over by a few aggressive dogs and their guardians who have essentially run out everyone else.

I saw a (leashed) aggressive barking dog scare a child so much her mother said she is never coming back. Maybe that's why so few children bring their dogs or even walk through here anymore.

The once beautiful forest understory is highly degraded from even a few years ago when we used to hear birds singing and occasionally see wildlife. Birds - not so much any more and I haven't seen native ground animals there in years.

Here's hoping the mean dogs will stop coming and we can get our serenity back again.