New Dog Park Opens at Lake Co. Forest Preserve

Canines now have another off-leash dog area in Lake County where they can exercise, play and socialize. The Waukegan Savanna Dog Park opened last week, according to the forest preserve.

The entrance is on Yorkhouse Road, just east of Delany Road in Wadsworth.

The 11-acre dog park is entirely fenced and features a large open area, a separate area for small dogs weighing less than 25 pounds, shade shelters, 14 benches with seating made from 100% recycled plastic materials, drinking water for dogs and people, toilets, and a 60-car parking lot, according to a news release.

New turn lanes provide easy access into the area from Yorkhouse Road. The dog park also has fully accessible concrete walkways and entryway from the parking lot to key elements, according to the press release.

Many of the design features were shaped by the public through surveys and feedback, and by Forest Preserve planners studying the latest national dog park design trends.

"This new off-leash dog park is the culmination of all the best features we have found through years of research done here and elsewhere," said Randy Seebach, director of planning and land preservation for the Lake County Forest Preserves.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” said Diane Hewitt, Lake County Forest Preserves commissioner. “I have been involved with the Waukegan Savanna Dog Park project from the beginning. I am blown away. It’s just perfect.”

She said it’s a model dog park and is impressed with the accessible design, and the fact that there are separate areas for small and large dogs. The opening of the dog park, located within Waukegan Savanna Forest Preserve, has been delayed mainly due to difficulties in establishing the grass turf.

"We experienced one of the wettest years on record in 2018. The continuation of record setting rainfall and cool temperatures in May and June 2019 made it very difficult for the grass seed to germinate," Seebach said.

An annual or daily permit and a dog are required for entry into Lake County Forest Preserve Dog Parks. Permits allow access to all five Dog Parks: Waukegan Savanna in Wadsworth, Duck Farm in Lindenhurst, Independence Grove in Libertyville, Lakewood in Wauconda, and Prairie Wolf in Lake Forest.

Annual and daily permits can be purchased online at LCFPD.org/dogs. Daily permits can also be purchased via mobile phone by downloading the Passport Parking app or visiting ppprk.com. There will be no self-pay stations at Waukegan Savanna.