There is a lot of area to walk here and there is also a fenced dog park area. Fortunately they cleaned up the pond in it. I would be concerned about dogs getting on the pond once it starts to freeze over though. If you're worried about that then walk one of the trails instead. You can also see lots of wildlife in the area too.

We love this trail and the dog park. There is a community of regulars that all know each other and are welcoming and friendly to others.

It's a nice park and it isn't as crowded. I like the dog park, but the pond there needs maintenance... it tends to have a lot of scum and algae on it. I don't want my dog in it.

This park is a place where you can go for a good brisk walk among trees, ponds, and along a creek, or you may take your dog to the leash free, fence enclosed portion for a romp with other dogs and perhaps a swim in the pond. Pros: Your dog can be off leash and socialize with other dogsCons: Some pet owners make no effort to clean up after their dogs even though bags, trash cans, and a sign encouraging clean up have been conveniently placed there by the parks department. Occasionally, people will bring an aggressive dog to the park and allow it to harass other dogs. So, if you go there, you might want to check it out before you let your dog off leash. Best times to go are early in the day, especially on the weekends. Worst time to go are later in the day when people are getting off work and exercising their dogs or any Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Garth is one of three leash-free parks in the Columbia area. The leash-free part is a fenced, roughly circular, roughly 300-yard diameter area in the midst of a much larger natural park and system of walking trails. In the middle of the fenced area is a small shallow pond. When we first visited, in September, about a third of the water, all around the edges, was covered with green pond scum. Jack & Winston didn't care; they dove in anyway. They had to be hosed down afterward, because of the smell. Good area for smaller dogs who don't like water, but I don't take J & W there to swim any more. Twin Lakes is better, and the creek at Grindstone Nature Area is best for water dogs.