Dog-Friendly Hikes near Aurora, CO
Aurora has the metro area's largest legal off-leash area and the longest flat loop, and both need a pass.
Aurora's own leash law allows up to 10 feet, longer than most neighbouring cities, and applies on the Aurora Reservoir Trail and the Sand Creek Greenway from Star K Ranch. The reservoir needs its own Aurora pass (state park passes are not valid) and keeps dogs off the swim beach. Sand Creek is free, shaded and quiet; walk west and turn around at Bluff Lake Nature Center, which does not allow dogs.
The big draw is Colorado Parks & Wildlife's Cherry Creek State Park Dog Off-Leash Area: over 100 acres of creek bottom where dogs may run and swim with a $3 daily or $25 annual off-leash pass on top of the vehicle pass; the Keep Colorado Wild pass does not cover it. Dogs stay in visual distance under voice control, you carry a leash and bag per dog, and leashes go on everywhere else in the park. The area is not fenced along the creek.
Expect waits at the Cherry Creek entrance station on weekend and holiday mornings; the reservoir lots rarely fill outside summer weekends. The off-leash area is muddy after storms, buggy in June and closes October 26 to 30, 2026 for maintenance.
- Cherry Creek State Park Dog Off-Leash AreaAuroraOff-leash allowed in designated area (pass required); leash elsewhere in the park
- Aurora Reservoir TrailAuroraLeash required · 8.75 mi
- Sand Creek Greenway from Star K RanchAuroraLeash required · 14 mi
Leash rules come from each land manager's published regulations on the date shown on the trail page. Rules change seasonally; check before you go.
Hiking with dogs near Aurora: FAQ
How much does the Cherry Creek off-leash area cost?
A Dog Off-Leash pass is $3 per day or $25 per year and covers one handler with up to three dogs. You also need the park vehicle pass ($10 to $15 daily depending on plates) and the Cherry Creek Basin sticker. The Keep Colorado Wild pass on your registration does not include the off-leash pass.
Is the Cherry Creek off-leash area fenced?
Not fully. The area is not fenced along the creek, which is why Colorado Parks & Wildlife requires dogs to stay within visual distance under voice control and asks every handler to carry a leash and waste bag per dog. It suits dogs with a reliable recall; others should stay leashed on the park's trails.
Can dogs swim at Aurora Reservoir?
Dogs are not allowed at the swim beach, and the paved 8.75-mile loop is leash-only under Aurora's 10-foot rule. There are quieter shoreline spots on the east side where a leashed dog can wade. Entry requires an Aurora reservoir pass; the reservoir is open 362 days a year.