If you are like me and are over the dog parks and are looking to be active yourself then you'll find the best place to take your dog for a walk in Richmond can be answered in two words, THE RIVER. I have a very active golden retriever who does not like to be confined to a leash and loves the water. He is not trained well enough to stay close buy on a busy street without a leash, but good enough to not take off into the woods to never be seen again. If you are familiar with the James River Park System you know there are multiple parks and trails along the river from Robius Rd all the way to the bottom. To be much more specific head to Dogwood Dell and head across the Nickel Bridge (now $.35) and take a left onto the trail when the bridge becomes Westover Hills Blvd. The trail is also popular with bike riders, but they are typically good about a warning call out. The trail winds alongside Riverside Drive with many hills, rocks, and bridges. If you're not looking for too long of a walk you will pop out at Reedy Creek where our dog loves to take a dip. If you'd like to continue on past Reedy Creek you'll wind through more trails ending up at Belle Isle (for another dip if your dog is obsessed like mine). If you do continue across Belle Isle you will need to put your dog back on the leash, which may be a good idea anyhow being the water moves quite fast on this part of the river. If you really get a wild hair the trail continues again above the Belle Isle parking lot and will take you along Hollywood Cemetery and Maymont Park circling you right back to where you started by Dogwood Dell or the beginning of the Nickel Bridge. We have done this walk multiple times with our dog and he loves being free in the woods and we do not have to worry about cars, small children, or taking him to the dog park where you may run into the occasional angry pit bull. You will find this walk to be about 6-7 miles if you do the whole circle so it may not be for everyone, but there are many points such as Reedy Creek that is good to turn around and head back. The added bonus to this walk is as long as your dog is off of the beaten path then they are contributing back to nature when they do their business so no carrying around baggies. Just park at the dog park called Barker Field and head south through the toll, there is a nice separated sidewalk on the bridge so no worries.