Big King Reserve

marmite and I enjoy our walks here there is always plenty of other dogs here to play with
we have been coming here for 2 years now as this is our local park, one issue is no drinking fountain
but there is always a plastic bags and it is good to see all those humans using them.
there is lots of open spaces to romp around play hide and seek with mum and dad
any evening over the summer it is always full of our friends there with their humans too

This place is Zuzu & myself’s new favourite place to do. Great for the small, medium and bigger dogs. It also caters for all different levels of fitness. I am hopelessly overweight & unfit & yet together we both manage to have a pant worthy walk. Best thing of all… Everyone is very nice. I think you have to leave your preconceptions & prejudices at the gate, it just isn’t tolerated there.
The best time of day to go in the summer time is between 5 & 6. The heat of the sun is starting to diminish, plus there are more doggies to say hello to!

Yes I love this place, but not as much as my dog that’s for sure. It’s probably one of the best off leash dog walking parks in Auckland. It’s not overly huge but I think that’s a good thing as it is a circuit so you could around as many times as your heart desired. If you have a dog that likes to run with you this place is perfect, there are lots of inclines and declines and at the very back there is a large set of stairs as well as a football field. My dog Millie always meets new friends here, because it is off leash she does get the very large excited dogs running up to her which she is a little intimidated by but it’s good practice for her to be brave. There is free parking through the small driveway as well as out on the road so you can walk and walk for as long as you want.

Big, is Good. Or so Mitre 10 tell me. The name is a bit redundant for this reserve — as it’s the only «king» left out of three cones that used to stand there. The water tower on the top does serve as a crown, so the name is at least 50% right.
This park is quite nice for a walk through, and it seems a lot of people walk their dogs around here as it is off-​leash — although that can lead to a few panicked moments if you are out and about with little kids. The view from the top is pretty good looking out towards Mt Eden, and if you look hard enough you can see my house. So it gets a fourth star for that alone. There are basic facilities at the base of the mountain and a good set of shops nearby for refreshments.

Big King’s water tower may not be as iconic a landmark as some of our other volcanic cones have, but this little mountain is a wonderful urban getaway. The climb up is a good workout and I head up here when I need to clear my head, sweat and get a nature fix.
It’s an off-​leash area so you should be ok with dogs and one of my favourite views in Auckland is from the seat at the top, looking around my neighbourhood and getting some perspective about my relative insignificance.
The massive Winstone Quarry is right alongside and if you’ve ever wondered what that big hole looks like, you can get an idea from here; the last remaining peak of the Three Kings.

This is a long standing dog park. I’m sure most of you dog owners out there would know of this place already.
It’s a great place to take your dog and let them play with other dogs since you will always find a range of different types of dogs there.
It’s off the leash which is always a bonus for any dog owner and their dog. It’s not the most exciting of dog parks as it’s just your basic park.
It’s got a great amount of stairs leading up to it which is a nice little workout for the owner and once you reach the top of Big King it’s got an amazing view and a nice bench where you can sit and relax while letting your dog run around.

If you have seen a water tower while driving down Mt Eden Road and wondered where that is –it’s actually in Big King Reserve. This park contains the only non quarried peak left of the original three mountains that gave way to the name ‘Three Kings’.
It is a quick walk to the top of the mountain but the incline stills make it a good workout. The view from the top out over the city is pretty descent too. Recently the water tower has become somewhat of a beacon for art — with an illustration of Grumpy cat appearing, as well as a love heart for someone’s anniversary.
The park is popular with dog walkers as dogs to not have to be on a lead.
If you feel like a coffee after your stroll, the excellent Orvieto café is close by (in the block of shops on Mt Eden Road).