Orion Oaks Dog Park

09/25/2026

Heads up, Orion Oaks Dog Park visitors!

The Rooted Half Marathon & 5K is happening at Orion Oaks County Park this Sunday, Sept. 27, with races beginning at 9 a.m.

Expect extra activity on the park’s trails and around the dog park. Visitors are welcome to watch and cheer on participants or adjust the timing of their visit if they’d prefer to avoid the race-day bustle.

Thanks for sharing the park with our runners, walkers and four-legged racers!

Want to join yourself? Sign up here:

THE ROOTED HALF MARATHON & 5K is on Sunday September 27, 2026. It includes the following events: HALF MARATHON, 5K RUN/WALK, 5K RUN/WALK + DOGGIE DIVISION, VIRTUAL HALF MARATHON, and VIRTUAL 5K RUN/WALK.

09/08/2026

Sadly, Red Oaks Waterpark is closed for the 2026 season. But not for the pups.

Join us this Saturday for the annual Dog Swim! Dogs will enjoy nearly one hour of swimming, playing and socializing in a safe, fun environment designed with dogs and their humans in mind. Whether your dog enjoys paddling, fetching or simply lying down in the refreshing water, there’s an activity for them.

Preregistration is $10/dog and includes entry and the 50-minute swim session. Register your pup by calling 248-858-0916 or online here: https://bit.ly/4xs1RRw

Don’t wait – spots fill quickly! On-site registration will be open based on availability and will cost $15/dog.

08/26/2026

It’s National Dog Day! Of course you and your pup are going to Paws and Play tonight.

See you shortly at Red Oaks Dog Park (Madison Heights, MI)!

The second and LAST Paws and Play of the season is happening next week! 🐾

Join us for a pup pawty at the dog park. Make new friends in a safe, off-leash* environment and enjoy activities, crafts, cooling stations, giveaways and more!

Paws and Play is happening 5-7 p.m. Aug. 26 at Red Oaks Dog Park. There's no cost and no registration needed.

*Dogs must be licensed and on a 6 foot leash outside of the dog runs.

08/14/2026

The second and LAST Paws and Play of the season is happening next week! 🐾

Join us for a pup pawty at the dog park. Make new friends in a safe, off-leash* environment and enjoy activities, crafts, cooling stations, giveaways and more!

Paws and Play is happening 5-7 p.m. Aug. 26 at Red Oaks Dog Park. There's no cost and no registration needed.

*Dogs must be licensed and on a 6 foot leash outside of the dog runs.

06/10/2026

This week, Oakland County is forecasted to experience steamy temperatures with heat index values of around 103 degrees Fahrenheit. When exploring our parks, please be mindful of your health and safety in the process.

☀️ Seek shade as needed
☀️ Take breaks from activity
☀️ Remember to hydrate
☀️ Don't forget, dogs need water and rest too

04/29/2026

Don't forget! This weekend is the first of our three Pet Wellness Clinics.

We'll be at Waterford Oaks County Park 10 a.m.-2 p.m. May 2 offering low-cost vaccinations, courtesy of All About Animals Rescue. There's no appointment needed, just come with your pet pal on a short leash or in a carrier. You can learn more here: https://bit.ly/Pet_Clinics

02/19/2026

Let's get this party started! 🎉

This morning, we kicked off our 60th anniversary celebration with a visit to the Oakland County Board of Commissioners auditorium where leaders were presented with a proclamation to mark the milestone occasion.

For 60 years, Oakland County Parks has been preserving natural spaces, creating unforgettable experiences and keeping our communities healthy, active and connected. Growing from just a couple hundred acres to more than 7,000 acres across 17 parks, it's been an incredible journey.

Nearly 2 million guests visit our parks each year, and we're just getting started. We've got new partnerships, expanded access to amenities and exciting anniversary events -- Oakie's having a birthday party in July, and you're invited!

We can't wait to see you out in the parks and at our events in the coming months to celebrate six decades of parks, people and possibility.

You can read more about what's in store in this news release: https://bit.ly/42udY4a

09/30/2025

One of our pup parents, Chris Bacalia, was kind enough to capture all the fun Sept. 19 at the Furry Friends Social for basset hounds.

Do you see your baby in the mix?

09/24/2025

We've got some bad news, pet pals: Saturday's scheduled Pet Wellness Clinic at Pontiac Oaks County Park has been canceled. We're sorry for the inconvenience. 😔

09/18/2025

The Fox & Hounds Invitational is happening this weekend at Orion Oaks County Park!

There will be 18 teams in the middle and high school races, so you don’t want to miss it! The excitement begins at 9 a.m.

04/07/2025

The dog dock at Orion Oaks Dog Park is permanently closed due to consistently unsafe E. coli levels in the water. This decision was made with the health and safety of our visitors and their pets as our top priority. Bi-weekly testing of the water near the dog dock in 2024 found high levels of E. coli, exceeding safety thresholds and unsafe for dogs and their owners.

As part of the Orion Oaks Dog Park master planning efforts for 2026, we are exploring potential improvements which may include a water feature and other enhancements. We appreciate your patience while the plans are being developed.

Please share your thoughts with us about features you would like to see at Orion Oaks Dog Park: bit.ly/OrionOaksSurvey

03/13/2025

Independence Oaks County Park and Orion Oaks County Park are looking for people who love to hike the trails to be a Trail Ambassador this summer!

Ambassadors would walk a trail route weekly to identify and document areas of concern and answer questions from visitors about park operations, trail routes and rules. Hourly volunteer shifts are available May through October.

Attend an open house March 16 at Wint Nature Center (Clarkston, MI) to meet the park supervisor and find out more. Sign up here: https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp3901120.jsp

10/03/2024

We're sorry to bring more bad news, but the dog dock is closed again due to high levels of bacteria.

08/12/2024

Exciting news for our Orion Oaks Dog Park community! is transitioning our page into a page managed by the new Oakland County Parks - Dog Parks page. This change means you'll have even easier access to all the latest updates, events, and information about Orion Oaks, along with the county’s other dog parks -- Red Oaks Dog Park and Lyon Oaks Dog Park.

Be sure to follow the “Oakland County Parks – Dog Parks” page to stay connected with everything happening at all three dog parks. We're looking forward to bringing you an even better experience!

08/02/2024

Following several weeks of routine monitoring, E. coli levels remain high near the Orion Oaks Dog Dock. Samples retrieved from other locations around Lake Sixteen indicate the dog dock area is experiencing consistently higher E. coli levels than other parts of the lake.

OCP staff is expanding sampling efforts. Sampling will increase in the coming weeks and additional locations will be added to help identify any potential sources of the excess E. coli. Staff will follow standard Illicit Discharge Elimination Procedures (IDEP) to locate any suspicious connections to the lake.

We remain committed to the health and safety of all people and pets who visit the park, and to the environment. Protecting water quality throughout Oakland County and the parks system is a priority for OCP and we will work diligently to identify and remediate this issue into the future.