Recently I shared a “then and now” photo of me at Fort Foster in Kittery Maine. This park is special because it is the first place Mom and Dad took each of us as puppies, and we have had many adventures there since then. However, in recent years we stopped going there. Although there is a leash rule when the park is open, there were a lot of dogs running out of control. This led to Asa and myself each having bad experiences despite the fact we were on our leashes. There also was an obvious disregard to the scoop the poop law, and it was getting rather gross there. The town of Kittery agreed. There was talk of banning dogs from this beautiful park. Well I’m glad to say, when we returned this past weekend after years away, we were happy to see Fort Foster has returned to being a clean and dog friendly place to visit.

For the most part dogs were obeying the leash rule, and for those who were off-leash they were either well trained and knew to keep their distance, or the owners respectfully leashed them up so they wouldn’t approach. Also we didn’t see any abandoned poop bags or dog waste during our entire time there in this carry-in, carry-out, off-season visit. Did we happen to time our visit right? Perhaps. But I would like to think the word got out that dogs could lose the privilege of visiting this great park, and people decided to make changes to ensure that wouldn’t happen. Either way, we highly enjoyed our return to Fort Foster.

Fort Foster is 88 acres of dog friendly hiking trails, beaches, and a former fort to explore, with views of lighthouses, historic lifesaving station, and the Isles of Shoals. During the summer season, which begins in May, the park is open 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and there is a parking fee per vehicle inside the gate. Or if you prefer to park outside the gate, pedestrians and bicyclists are charged a smaller fee to enter. During open hours, dogs must be on-leash. Also waste must always be cleaned up and removed. Dogs are prohibited from the beach to the left of the pier. Both dogs and people must steer clear of the pavilion area, if it is reserved. The park is located on 51 Pocahontas Rd, Kittery Point, ME.