The Best Cities to Take Your Dog for a Walk

For the good doggos.

1 minute read

January 13, 2022, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Walking the Dog

Page Light Studios / Shutterstock

January is "Walk Your Dog Month" and the folks at LawnStarter have commemorated the occasion by publishing a rankigs of the best cities for walking dogs.

LawnStarter compared walkability, pup-friendly trail access, services, and safety over 170 of the biggest United States (more on the methodology is here), producing a top five that skews pretty heavily to the West: 1) Portland, OR; 2) San Francisco, CA; 3) Oakland, CA; 4) Las Vegas, NV; and 5) Boise, ID.

Conversely, nearly all the cities at the bottom ofo the ranking are located in th South, with Jackson, MS finishing last, behind Port St. Lucie, FL; Memphis, TN; and Montgomery, AL.

Tuesday, January 11, 2022 in LawnStarter

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 16, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

Passengers board an Amtrak train under a cloudy sky.

Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement

The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.

September 18, 2026 - Mass Transit

Geese flock to a frozen pond in Aurora, Colorado. There are houses in the background.

Colorado’s Largest Data Center Could Rise Next to Homes — Without a Public Hearing

The proposed campus would consume 11 times the power of Denver International Airport; as it has across the country, opposition mounts.

September 17, 2026 - Capital & Main

A busy highway in Richmond, with construction and the city visible in the background.

'This is going to be painful:’ Virginia stares down $1.7 billion funding gap for highway maintenance

The state may address the deficit by shifting $290 million from its construction budget to maintenance projects.

September 19 - The Virginia Mercury

The Gross Reservoir, a large body of water surrounded by trees and mountains.

Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion

Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.

September 18 - Inside Climate News

Passengers board an Amtrak train under a cloudy sky.

Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement

The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.

September 18 - Mass Transit