The Ankeny Brief
It's at 1155 SW Ankeny Road, and off your own property it's the one place in town your dog can legally run loose. Inside the fence you get open grass, an obstacle course, a half-acre pond, and separate areas split by height: under 15 inches at the shoulder goes in the small dog side, over 15 inches in the large. Measure a borderline dog before your first trip.
About that pond: the city tells you plainly it's untreated natural water, with runoff and geese in the mix, and that swimming is at your own risk. Plenty of dogs go in anyway. Bring a towel and decide for yourself.
Buy online through the city's Barkpass portal, or bring the application form to Parks and Recreation at 1210 NW Prairie Ridge Drive, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You'll need a current rabies certificate either way. Each dog needs its own pass. An email then walks you through downloading the app that holds your gate key, and the key isn't yours to share: the city can revoke a membership over it, with no refund.
Passes run Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 and aren't prorated. A pass bought now still expires Dec. 31, at full price. Unless your dog can't wait, hold off for the 2027 pass and read the new price when it posts.
Volunteer Dog Park Ambassadors check passes and enforce all this, so wear the tag even on a quick visit.
No. Since May 20, 2025, every dog and cat off its owner's property must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet: neighborhoods, sidewalks, parks and trails all count. The old voice-control exception is gone. The fine for an animal at large is $50 plus court costs, and the dog park is the one exception the city names. For vets, groomers and licensing basics, see our Ankeny pets guide.
Yes. City parks stay open year-round, sunrise to sunset. But the city shuts off park drinking fountains and pulls portable restrooms each fall (this year by the end of October), and the dog park lists both. Pack a water bowl and plan your own bathroom stop until spring.
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The Ankeny Dog Park is at 1155 SW Ankeny Road. It's a 7.5-acre, fully fenced off-leash park with a half-acre pond, separate areas for small and large dogs, an obstacle course and open grass. It's open sunrise to sunset.
An annual pass is $30 for Ankeny residents and $45 for non-residents, according to the city's rules page and fee schedule. The online Barkpass page lists the 2026 non-resident pass at $47. Passes run Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 and aren't prorated.
You buy one annual pass per dog, not a pass per visit. The dog wears its tag on the collar and you open the locked gate with a digital key on your phone.
Every dog needs a current rabies certificate and a visible tag on a flat buckle collar, and Ankeny residents also need a city pet license. Children under 10 can't go in, handlers must be 18 or older, and each handler can bring two dogs at most.
Yes. Dogs under 15 inches at the shoulder use the small dog area and dogs over 15 inches use the large dog area.
Dogs can, at your own risk. The city says the half-acre pond is natural, untreated water with bacteria, runoff and geese, so decide what you're comfortable with and bring a towel.
Yes. All 7.5 acres are fenced and the gates are locked, so only pass holders with the digital key get in.
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