Visit the Park

Dorothea Dix Park is open daily (including holidays) from dawn to dusk. Hours for events vary. Please note that areas of the park may be closed occasionally for maintenance or events.

We heard from many community members that they desired a place to let their dogs run free while at the park, so we have transformed the former Athletic Field into a temporary dog park, open to the public seven days a week.

This facility provides a much needed off-leash dog area for park visitors, with all other areas of Dix Park requiring dogs to be on-leash. Learn more about the dog park at Dix Park and view the maintenance schedule below.

DOG PARK INFORMATION

There are multiple entrances to Dorothea Dix Park. The most widely used entrances are Hunt Drive at Western Boulevard, Umstead Drive at Lake Wheeler Road, Blair Drive at Centennial Boulevard, and Goode Street at Lake Wheeler Road. 

Because this is an active staff campus for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the next few years, parking at Dorothea Dix Park is limited during weekday business hours. Please refer to the Visitor Map for weekday public parking areas. On weekends, visitors may park in any parking lots on campus.

Dorothea Dix Park continues to work to be accessible and welcoming for visitors with disabilities and limited mobility.  Accessible Parking with reserved spaces are available in all lots on campus.  Handicap accessible port-a-johns are located at the Big Field and Flowers Field.  Portions of Dorothea Dix Park, including some areas where programs and events occur, have uneven surfaces are not ADA accessible at this time. 

Planning a visit to Dix Park and have questions about accessibility? Contact Joseph Voska, Programs and Operations Supervisor, at 919-996-6688 or joseph.voska@raleighnc.gov
 

Park Guidelines

You are welcome to…

• Enjoy the park, including the wide-open lawns, tree groves and other green spaces.
• Walk your dog, on a leash.
• Keep the park clean and green.
• Pack-in, pack-out a picnic.

Please be mindful that…

• The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services administrative headquarters are located on park grounds. Please be respectful of the employees at work and avoid the buildings and parking areas during business hours.
• Over 900 people are buried at the cemetery. Please be respectful of this sacred ground.
• During this planning period, no water or concessions available in the park
• Be sure to bring a water bottle for yourself and your furry friends, too.
• There are no public restrooms at the park, only port-a-johns.

City Ordinances prohibit…

• Smoking in the park
• Digging, excavating or removing park property
• Alcohol use, except by permit
• Commercial activity, except by permit
• Drug use
• Not properly disposing of dog waste
• Off-leash dogs

If you are interested in flying a drone at the park...

• Drones are welcome in The Big Field
• Please refer to the City of Raleigh's Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drones) Guidelines in Raleigh Parks for more information.