Cheyenne Off-Leash Dog Park
Cheyenne Off-Leash Dog Park is located off Old River Road on the south side of Cedar Rapids near the Cedar River. This park is 13.8 acres of fenced green space separated into a main yard, training yard and small dog yard. The dog yards are accompanied by a walking path, benches and an open-air shelter in the main yard. The walking trail also extends through mature woods.
The separate training yard is fenced off for dog training as well as preparing your dogs socially for the main yard. The small dog yard allows smaller dogs to enjoy off-leash exercise in a more controlled environment.
You'll also find ample parking, water, for both dogs and humans, dog waste bags and trash cans for your convenience.
Hours
Sun up to sundown365 days a year
Rain or shine (or sleet or snow or whatever else Iowa may throw at us -- except flooding!)
Directions
From downtown Cedar Rapids, travel South on C Street, turn left onto Ely Road, left on Old River Road, and then continue as the road turns to gravel until you see a sign for Cheyenne Park on the left-hand side. Get directions from Google MapsParking
Use the main parking lot for Cheyenne Park located just inside the park entrance.Visiting Our Dog Park
Park History
In June of 2000, the Cedar Rapids Parks Department asked for community volunteers to come to a meeting to assess interest in creating an off-leash area. With the support of Dale Todd, then Commissioner of Parks & Public Property, this core group of volunteers began working to determine the feasibility of this project in our community. They did research on other parks around the country, reviewed prospective sites, and took surveys. They made presentations, raised money, marched in parades, and manned information tables at local retail establishments and dog events. They were also thrilled to get a generous matching donation of $10,000 from local benefactors Lee and Andrea Liu, which was used for fencing. The City of Cedar Rapids provided the land and labor for developing the park (it is a city park).The hard work paid off in the fall of 2001, when the first annual permits went on sale at Rover's Run in September, and the Park officially opened November 17th! Finally, the 36.5% of households in town with dogs are represented recreationally. Within 12 months of opening in November 2001, dog owners bought over 550 annual permits. More than 600 people and 750 dogs used the park with both annual and daily permits, representing 84 dog breeds, and people from 41 cities in 8 states. A pretty impressive beginning.