For eight years, a patch of grass at 5317 Clearfork Main St. did three jobs at once. Dogs ran off leash, owners ordered food and drinks, and the Clear Fork of the Trinity ran right alongside. The Fort Worth Report described the property as covering more than an acre next to the river.
That acre has been closed since late June. No single place nearby offers all three things now, and the reason has more to do with how Fort Worth writes its park and trail rules than with any shortage of good spots. Off-leash space, river walks and dog-friendly patios still exist within reach of Tanglewood. They just sit at different addresses, each with its own rules.
What closed on June 29
MUTTS Canine Cantina announced it was closing permanently on June 29, 2026. Its developer, FreeRange Concepts, told members in a letter that the Fort Worth and Dallas locations would close "effective immediately," and the company gave no reason. The Clearfork location had opened in 2018.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, members were told that month-to-month charges would stop and that annual memberships would get prorated refunds for unused time within 30 days. The goodbye letter suggested two of the company's dog-friendly patios, at The Rustic and Joe Leo Fine Tex Mex, as places to keep gathering. The Fort Worth Report pointed out that both restaurants are in Dallas.
So Fort Worth members lost their spot, and the alternatives they were offered are a drive away in another city. The local substitutes are already here. Each one covers just one of the three things MUTTS used to bundle.
The rule that keeps the city dog parks from filling the gap
The largest off-leash space the City of Fort Worth runs is ZBonz Dog Park at 6950 W. Camp Bowie Blvd. It covers ten fully irrigated acres on what used to be the Z. Boaz Golf Course: seven acres for large dogs and three for small dogs, plus two shelters, agility equipment, pet fountains and two aerated ponds.
Running room is not the problem there. The posted rules are what set it apart. ZBonz says plainly that food and drink are not permitted in the dog park. The part of MUTTS that made it a place to stay for a while, the patio half, is against the rules at the city's flagship dog park.
The other entry rules matter just as much for anyone used to walking into a members' venue. ZBonz lists these requirements:
- Dogs must be licensed and wear tags showing current rabies vaccination.
- Dogs owned by Fort Worth residents need city license tags issued by Animal Services.
- Dogs stay on a secured leash until they're inside the double-gate entry, and owners must keep a leash visible at all times rather than hanging it on the fence.
- Puppies under four months are not allowed, and neither are dogs in season.
- The small-dog area is for dogs under 40 pounds. Small dogs may go into the large-dog side, though the city doesn't recommend it.
- Owners must stay inside the park and within sight of their dogs.
The city license tag is the one most likely to catch a dog owner off guard, since a private membership venue runs on its own paperwork. At a city park, the dog's tags are the ticket in.
Two parks, two different maintenance days
ZBonz isn't the only big fenced option. Fort Woof at 751 Beach St. has 3.4 acres for large dogs and 1.6 for small dogs. It follows the same basic entry rules: licensing, current rabies tags, city tags for Fort Worth residents, a leash until you're through the double gate, and a 40-pound limit on the small-dog side.
The two parks are closed for maintenance on different weekdays, which makes them easy to swap.
| ZBonz Dog Park | Fort Woof | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 6950 W. Camp Bowie Blvd. | 751 Beach St. |
| Large-dog area | 7 acres | 3.4 acres |
| Small-dog area | 3 acres, under 40 lb | 1.6 acres, under 40 lb |
| Weekly maintenance closure | Wednesday | Thursday |
| Listed hours | 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. | 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Weather | May close after rain if the ground is saturated | May close after rain |
If one park is closed for maintenance, the other is open. The rain rule is less predictable. Both parks may close after heavy rain, so after a storm it's worth checking the city's dog park pages before you load up the car. The city also lists two smaller fenced parks: Bark Park at First Flight, 2700 Mercedes Ave., which it recommends for small dogs, and Calhound Dog Park, 409 E. Annie St.
City hours and closure days can change, and these pages don't show an update date, so treat them as the posted schedule as of this fall.
The river is still there, on a leash
The river was the part of MUTTS no dog park can replace, and it's the easiest part to get back, because the Trinity Trails follow the same water past Tanglewood. The rules are different, though. The Tarrant Regional Water District welcomes dogs on the trails as long as they're leashed and owners clean up after them. TRWD lists trail hours as 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fort Worth's animal control laws also require any dog walked off its owner's property to be leashed and with its owner.
One scheduling detail follows from those listed hours. The city dog parks post a 5 a.m. opening and the trails post 6 a.m., so a very early off-leash run happens at a fenced park, and the river walk comes after.
The Trinity Trails map names several access points close to Tanglewood. Trailhead Clearfork is at 4601 Trailhead Bend Way, and River Park is at 3100 Bryant Irvin Road. The map also lists Overton East and Overton West as neighborhood access points. The trail map file is an older version, so confirm current access on the live map before trying a new entrance.
River Park is the most dog-ready of these. It's a city park on the Clear Fork with a pet station and 1.10 miles of multi-use trails. A leashed loop along the same river MUTTS sat beside is still close by. It just isn't fenced, and it doesn't serve drinks.
Where the patio half went
The food and drink half of MUTTS has moved to restaurant patios, where dogs are welcome as guests rather than off-leash members.
Woodshed Smokehouse at 3201 Riverfront Drive says on its website that dogs are welcome on its outdoor gravel patio, and it offers a dog-friendly menu. Of the options here, it comes closest to MUTTS's riverside meal with a dog at your feet, and its own site confirms the policy.
Press Cafe, at 4801 Edwards Ranch Road, Suite 105, sits right at the Trailhead on the Clearfork River. A May 2025 PaperCity roundup described its patio as dog-friendly. That roundup came out more than a year before MUTTS closed and still listed MUTTS as open, so call Press Cafe to confirm its current patio policy before planning a trail-and-brunch morning there.
Put together, the three pieces can make a full Saturday near Tanglewood: an early run at ZBonz, or at Fort Woof on a Wednesday, a leashed walk from River Park or Trailhead Clearfork once the trails open, and lunch on a patio that welcomes dogs. MUTTS covered all of that at one address.
What happens to the Clearfork acre
The June closure coverage did not say what comes next for the former MUTTS site at 5317 Clearfork Main St., and FreeRange Concepts gave no reason for closing. Its letter to members pointed them to its Dallas patios, not to any new Fort Worth location.
Whether you're in Tanglewood with a dog who misses the old routine, or you're weighing a home near Overton Park and the Trinity Trails and want to know what everyday life with a pet looks like there, Sugra Shaik is happy to talk it through. She'll bring the same care to your plans that you bring to your dog's Saturday. Book a complimentary home strategy session.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
