Fort Gratiot sits on Lake Huron, but the two public beaches most residents know both keep dogs off the sand. So the place a Fort Gratiot dog can actually run is a two-acre fenced lot at 4788 Parker Road. It opened to the public ten years ago this Friday, and this fall a road project changes how you drive to it.
The Shoreline Rules Out the Obvious Walk
The township runs Keewahdin Road Beach at 2500 Keewahdin Road. It is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and its posted rules list "No Dogs/Pets."
A few miles north, Fort Gratiot County Park at 3325 Metcalf Road has 852 feet of Lake Huron shoreline on a 30-acre site. St. Clair County Parks is direct about it: dogs are not allowed on the beach. Dogs are allowed in the rest of the park on a leash, and pet waste stations are spread through the grounds. The beach rule holds all year. The park's hours shorten after Labor Day, but the rule stays the same.
| Spot | Dogs on the sand | Dogs elsewhere | Fall hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keewahdin Road Beach | No | No pets listed | 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Fort Gratiot County Park beach | No | Leashed, including the paved trails | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. after Labor Day |
| Fort Gratiot PetSafe Canine Commons | No sand | Off leash inside two fenced commons | Dawn to dusk, year-round |
You can still bring a dog to the county park, and its 0.85 miles of paved walking trails are a good leashed loop with the lake in view. The county's park rules and regulations allow dogs on park property only with a current license and on a leash, and never on beaches. The county's pet guidance also limits leashes to six feet and requires a person in immediate control of the animal.
Parking is the other factor. County residents park free with a Fort Gratiot County Park window sticker, which the booth issues with proof of residency. Out-of-county visitors pay $20 a day, according to the Times Herald's May 2026 beach-opening report. That makes the county park easy for locals and costly for visiting family who bring their own dog.
Since the lake is mostly off-limits for anything more than a leashed stroll, the space where dogs can actually run sits inland.
How a 2015 Vote Put a Dog Park on Parker Road
The park came out of a contest. The Times Herald reported in October 2016 that the project started with a $25,000 PetSafe award, after residents voted for Fort Gratiot in the summer of 2015. Its formal name was the Fort Gratiot Canine Commons-PetSafe Dog Park. It opened with separate fenced areas for large and small breeds, a parking lot, and handicapped access.
The first public day was October 23, 2016. The paper also reported that the park would be free to the public, with optional memberships through a Friends of the Fort Gratiot Dog Park group. Ten years later the park is still free, and Friday, October 23, 2026, is its tenth anniversary.
How Canine Commons Works Now
Today the township calls it Fort Gratiot PetSafe Canine Commons. The two-acre park is still split into two fenced commons:
- West, on the left as you enter: medium to large dogs
- East, on the right: small to medium dogs
- On site: dog waste bags, a drinking fountain with a self-draining dog bowl, trash receptacles and portable toilets
The park is open year-round from dawn to dusk. In late October that matters more than the posted hours suggest, because each evening gets darker earlier. Maintenance closures are usually scheduled for weekday mornings and close only one common at a time. The township posts notices at the park, on its website, and on the Fort Gratiot Dog Park Facebook page. The township says there are "a few rules to follow," and the signs at the gate are the place to read them before your dog's first visit.
The Fence Is the Middle of the Walk
The dog park is surrounded by the township's trail system, which makes Parker Road more than a fenced lot. The Parker Road Nature Area is just south of Canine Commons. It is mostly wetland, with two pathways through it. The southern path starts off Parker Road and loops northwest to the bike path that runs alongside the road. The northern path starts off that bike path and runs northeast to the path along the dog park's southern edge and Kettlewell Pond.
From there, the Fort Gratiot Trail Network keeps going:
- Green Trail: paved, from the Fort Gratiot Trailhead on Keewahdin Road to M-25 near the Meijer parking lot
- Kettlewell Loop: paved, connects to the Green Trail and circles Kettlewell Pond
- Dockside Loop: paved, circles Fort Gratiot Pond
- Veterans Loop: gravel, circles the pond at Veterans Memorial Wetland Preserve
- Goldenrod Trail: gravel, at Parker West, runs from the pickleball court area past the sledding hill to the Veterans Loop
The Keewahdin Road trailhead is a 1.4-acre site with a gravel lot, portable restrooms and benches. The township also has a trail map showing amenities along each route. In practice, a dog can run off leash inside the fence and then walk a pond loop on leash, all without leaving Parker Road.
Getting to Parker Road This Fall
This is the year the drive changes. The St. Clair County Road Commission's October 8 release describes two phases of work on Krafft Road, from west of State Road to Parker Road.
- Phase one, from October 12: Krafft between State and Parker is limited to local traffic. It runs one lane during the day and closes completely at times for storm sewer and culvert work. Drivers are told to enter Krafft from the Parker Road end.
- Phase two, about two weeks later: the State Road intersection closes completely for at least 30 days while crews build a compact roundabout.
- Detour: North Road to Keewahdin Road to Pine Grove Road, for the whole project.
- Finish: scheduled for the end of November, depending on weather and the contractor's schedule.
The notices don't list Parker Road itself as closed. If you usually reach the dog park by cutting across Krafft from State, plan on going around for the rest of the season. The Keewahdin Road trailhead is on the posted detour, which makes the Green Trail an easy alternate start. The $1,358,864 project is led by M.L. Chartier Excavating. We covered why the roundabout is being built this year, and the order of the closures, in our earlier post on the Krafft and State roundabout.
Sunday's Costume Walk Happens Indoors
The anniversary weekend ends inside. Birchwood Mall is holding its Howl-Ween Dog Pawrade & Costume Contest on Sunday, October 25, from noon to 4 p.m. It takes place throughout the mall, with a costume parade and contest, vendors, and local nonprofits and service organizations. The mall is on the M-25 side of the township, well away from the Krafft work.
That gives the weekend a natural plan. Visit Canine Commons on Friday for its tenth birthday, come in from the Parker Road end, and save the costume for Sunday afternoon at Birchwood. You can find more about the township's parks, trails and daily routines on our Fort Gratiot Township neighborhood page.
If you're picturing a Fort Gratiot home within walking distance of the Parker Road trails, or wondering how close to Canine Commons your next place could be, I'm glad to talk through the streets that connect to it. Lisa Glombowski knows these routes the way a neighbor does. Let's Connect.
