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Pet-owners traveling to Louisville in Kentucky with their four-legged friends are in for a treat. This city is known as the “City of Parks” thanks to its many successful efforts to incorporate green spaces into the urban landscape.
The Louisville Waterfront Park has restrooms, picnic areas, and there even is a food vendor called Dogs on the Run. While dogs are allowed in the park, they must be kept on-leash and cannot access the playgrounds and water areas. You also cannot take them on the Big Four® pedestrian bridge that connects Louisville with Jeffersonville. Luckily, the bridge that is lit up at night is better enjoyed from a distance anyway.
Cherokee Park lies in the Beargrass Creek Valley, amidst hills and meadows. It has ample trails where you can walk your pet on-leash, but you can also go to one of the separate dog areas where there are toys, bowls of fresh water, and poop-bags available. Have a break at one of the picnic spaces or prepare for a full-blown barbecue as visitors can make use of public grills. Afterwards you van visit the Muhammad Ali Center which is only a short drive away.
If you have a rental car, drive little over an hour northwest to the Hoosier National Forest for a day in nature. Dogs are allowed on-leash on the trails, of which most require a moderate physical effort. Another option is to drive an hour north to reach the Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, where your pet can walk the trails with you on-leash as well. At the refuge, you can spot birds, frogs, otters and other wildlife. There are also 32 caves which house smaller animal such as salamanders.