EVERGREEN, Colo. — The popularity of a Jefferson County dog park may be its undoing — Evergreen's Elk Meadow Dog Park is closing down.
The closure comes after Jefferson County officials say the land has been worn down over years of use.
"We saw a tremendous amount of trampling of the natural grasses, the landscape and the constant degradation of land and the excess of amount of waste being left," Matt Robbins, with Jefferson County Open Space, said.
The amount of waste stacked up to about 40 to 80 pounds of dog waste per month, all of which is removed by volunteers.
Owners who don't clean up after their dogs prompted large cleanups, just like the one volunteers underwent last weekend. They cleaned up just under 500 pounds of dog waste.
"We're going to give this land some rest," Robbins said.
The park had been open for 15 years, and is enjoyed by dog owners who can let their pups roam leash-free through the 107-acre park.
Now dog owners are left wondering where they can allow their pups to run.
Here's a list of dog parks for off-leash enjoyment in Jefferson County:
- Beaver Ranch Bark Park: 11369 S. Foxton Rd., Conifer
- Centennial Park: 4630 S. Decatur, Englewood
- Chatfield State Park: 11500 N. Roxborough Park Rd., Littleton
- Forsberg Dog Park: 14800 W. Alameda Parkway, Lakewood
- Homer’s Run Dog Park: 17651 W. 10th Ave., Golden
- Tony Grampsas Dog Park: 4471 Salvia St., Golden
- West Arvada Dog Park: 17975 West 64th Ave., Arvada
- Westminster Hills Dog Park: 10501 N. Simms St., Westminster
- Wynetka Ponds Park: 5875 S Lowell Blvd, Littleton
- Ulysses Park: 1205 Ulysses St, Golden
- Fruitdale Park: 4700 Miller St, Wheat Ridge
Here's a list of off-leash parks in Denver:
- Cherry Creek State Park DOLA: 4201 S. Parker Rd, Aurora
- Berkeley Dog Park: Sheridan and West 46th
- Kennedy Dog Park: Hampden and South Dayton
- Fuller Dog Park: Franklin and East 29th
- Green Valley Ranch East Dog Park: Jebel and East 45th
- Railyard Dog Park: 19th Avenue and Little Raven Street
- Lowry Dog Park: East 4th Place and South Yosemite Way
- Greenway Dog Park: E 22nd Ave and Syracuse Street
- Parkfield Dog Park: 53rd Avenue and Chambers Road
- Little Box Car: Broadway and Lawrence St