Best Dog Park, Reader's Choice: Prairie Wolf Dog Exercise Area

Jason Creps

Reader’s Choice

Prairie Wolf Dog Exercise Area

If you really want the mutt to run himself silly but you don’t need a hatchback full of sand from the Montrose dog beach, you’ll have to get out of town. Lake County’s Prairie Wolf Dog Exercise Area, just off 41 a little past the Chicago Botanic Garden, is 44 acres of unpaved off-leash dog heaven. Amenities include mowed paths for meandering through restored prairie, an expansive meadow (with room for several private games of fetch alongside a massive game of chase), a pond for swimming, complimentary poop bags, clean restrooms for the two-legged, and the all-important hose station. Beyond a gate near the pond is the rest of the 431-acre Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve, where you and your leashed friend can hike through more woodsy environs. The catch: dog heaven ain’t free, and Cook County riffraff pays double.  Parking lot is on Waukegan (Route 22) just north of Half Day Road (Route 43), 847-367-6640, lcfpd.org, out-of-county day permit $10 per dog, annual permit (expires 12/31) $120, $56 per additional dog. —Kiki Yablon

Readers’ Choice

Wiggly Field

Noethling Playlot Park, 2645 N. Sheffield, 312-742-7816, chicagoparkdistrict.com.

Send a letter to the editor.

From the Reader blogs