Before summer is over I have to tell you about Prospect Park. It has shade, and lots of it. It’s also easy to find—if you are downtown, head south on Cajon Street and there’s a nice place to park curbside by the picnic area.
If you’re like me, the first thing you’ll notice after all the big trees is the abundance of grey squirrels! (Unfortunately, they’re very fast and scamper up the trees as soon as I spot them.) However, since all city parks require dogs to be on a leash, we pups are limited to “squirrel spotting” vs. “squirrel chasing.”
You can enter the park by trail or by dirt “lane,” and then wander the lanes that crisscross the park. (They can’t really be called dirt “roads” with all that lush landscaping and cut stone curbs.) Your owner will appreciate the lookout areas and the drinking fountains. I haven’t found any drinking bowls for dogs there, but with all of the shade you might not need a drink.
If your owner likes plays, check out the home of the Redlands Theatre Festival, an intimate setting in the middle of the park. The plays aren’t for dogs, but take your owner there during the day to get the lay of the land.
If you keep heading northwest, you’ll arrive at Kimberly Crest, one of the great treats of Redlands. Allow your owner to admire the beautiful gardens and architecture, and then continue north on the driveway to our final destination—Highland Avenue!
This street has it all: big wide dirt paths with huge shady trees, including plenty of oaks. And what do you find in big oaks? More grey squirrels! Highland is one of the most popular dog walking spots I’ve found—you are sure to see several fellow canines out walking or jogging. If you’re a small dog or not particularly fit, you can head east on Highland, turn right on Cajon, and you’ll be back to your car in no time. If you’re up for more, head west on Highland. Your owner will appreciate the big old homes and landscaping, even if they aren’t into that kind of thing. And if you’re ready for a drink, there’s a home on the north side of the street just past Center that has water for both humans and pups.
Since it is summertime, and we live in a hot area, it seems timely to mention the value of a nylon collapsible water dish. They are lightweight, can be folded when not being used, and are terrific for getting a good refreshing drink when other water isn’t available.
I hope you’ll check out Prospect Park and Highland Ave. You’ll be glad you did!
Woof,
Scruffy
- Check out my BLOG