A section of poison hemlock roped off at the Fort Steilacoom Park off-leash dog park in Lakewood, WA.

Fort Steilacoom off-leash dog park to close for maintenance

May 15, 2023

The Fort Steilacoom Park off-leash dog park will close Wednesday and Thursday (May 17-18) for the city’s operations and maintenance crews to perform annual maintenance.

This includes mowing the 22-acre site, spraying noxious weeds and preparing it for the upcoming dry summer season to reduce fire hazard risks.

Part of the noxious weeds that will be sprayed include poison hemlock, which is an invasive species in the region. The city roped off the area where the hemlock grows to reduce animal interaction. The city has received no reports of any animals or humans getting sick from contact with this plant.

We appreciate the public’s patience while we close the park for this annual upkeep and encourage residents to use the many trails at Fort Steilacoom Park or visit our other parks with your dog on leash while this work is done.

A section of poison hemlock roped off at the Fort Steilacoom Park off-leash dog park in Lakewood, WA.