OVERVIEW
In the East Bay’s City of Richmond; home to Rosie the Riveter and the Old Ford Building, and close to I-580 and Keller Beach, resides Miller Knox. This park is known for a manmade pond filled with a diverse population of water birds and encircled by a number of large picnic/barbecue areas, as well as spectacular views of the Bay. Dogs are required to be on-lead. If you are looking for a fairly pet-friendly activity in the East Bay, go do the CANGO at Miller Knox.
HOW PET-FRIENDLY IS IT?
Given the fact that Miller Knox runs along the Bay, the surrounding area is not very polluted or congested, in fact, the outer path is rather refreshing on a hot day or during allergy season. It is not located on a major thoroughfare but rather on a road, Dorman, that connects historic Point Richmond with a community of Condos, with Keller Beach and Miller Knox in between the two. Miller Knox is close to a freeway exit, about a mile from Canal Street Exit off I-580 and a major street, Cutting Boulevard. [FYI- Keller Beach is not pet-friendly.]
To give you a better sense of the layout of the park, there is an outer area that runs along the Bay and offers some grass, picnic areas, and a well-utilized pier. The inner area houses more picnic/BBQ areas that are almost always packed with families, church groups, and clubs all enjoying good, clean, free fun; there is also a manmade pond that provides refuge to a year-round population of ducks, geese, and pelicans.
On the plus side, I have never witnessed any drama, drugs, or violence at this family-friendly park. You can enjoy the views of the Bay (San Francisco, Angel Island, and Marin) and the walk around the exterior and interior is probably around two miles. On the negative side, your dog must be on-lead and since Miller Knox is across from the EBRPD hub, there are a lot of rangers to reprimand you, if you violate this rule. If you do like to walk with your dog off-lead, then I would suggest Point Isabel which is an official dog park also in Richmond and also part of the East Bay Regional Park District, located 6 miles away or an 11-minute drive south.
IS IT CONVENIENT OR A PAIN IN THE —?
Parking is adequate: there is a free parking lot and street parking. The entrance to the lot closes at 4 PM though and there are spikes blocking the exit (which I hate since I have had my tires destroyed by one in a lot in Los Angeles as I was exiting). The surrounding area is very pedestrian-friendly. You can walk on the circumference of the park and head either into downtown Point Richmond or walk by the yacht club or condos where many of the walkers probably reside.
Even though Miller Knox is not an official dog park, it is easy to dispose of waste, with trash cans and doody bag dispensers throughout the park. However, the doody bag dispensers are often empty by the second week of the month, so remember to bring plenty of your own.
The closest 24/7 emergency vet is PETS Referral Center located at 1048 University Avenue in Berkeley. This clinic is about 9 miles away or about an 18-minute drive. Although I do not want to be held accountable for individual experiences, I will share with you that this facility is the resource utilized by locals, if they have an after-hours emergency.
*[Please note: We provide the veterinary locations as a reference and resource, not a referral or endorsement].
