Ted Craig Regional Park in Fullerton spreads across rolling hills with mature trees throughout, creating plenty of shade for a dog and their person during an afternoon outing. The park has a lake, year-round creeks, and a rose garden that gives it a genuinely pleasant feel without feeling overdone.

Walking here with a dog is straightforward. Well-maintained paths wind through the park, and there’s enough open grassy space to let your dog off for a proper run if they’re reliably trained—the layout makes it easy to keep an eye on them while they burn off energy. If your dog enjoys water, the creeks add an extra element, though they’re not particularly deep or formal like a designated dog water feature. The picnic tables scattered around mean you can settle in for a while, and the tree cover actually makes a difference on hot days when you’d otherwise be cooking in the sun.

This is a park where you can do different things depending on what you’re in the mood for. Some days it’s just a walk-and-explore kind of place. Other days you might bring a picnic and stay longer, letting your dog play while you sit and watch. The rose garden is nice if you want to walk through something that feels a bit more intentional than just open field.

Standard rules apply—keep your dog leashed unless you’re in a designated off-leash area and are confident in their recall, and you’ll need to pick up after them. The park tends to host various events and activities throughout the year, so it’s worth checking what might be going on before you visit. Dog policies can shift depending on what’s scheduled, so a quick look at current information before heading over saves disappointment.