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Dogs on Marblehead beaches: Devereux and the off-season rules

Marblehead's dog calendar turns on one five-month rule and a short list of exceptions, and the exceptions are where most summer walks happen. This page sets out the bylaw as written, the harbor parks that stay open, the leash rule that never switches off, and what to watch for on a rocky shore once the beaches reopen.

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A long-haired German shepherd bounds through shallow water under a clear blue sky.

Last reviewed October 9, 2026 · by the Dogtown team · rules checked for fall 2026

The rule

Between May 1 and October 1, Devereux and the other town beaches are closed to dogs

Section 13-11 of the town's general bylaws is the rule. It bars dogs from any public beach, athletic area, playground or park of the town between May 1 and October 1 each year, and from public cemeteries in every month. Devereux Beach, at 99 Ocean Avenue, is not among the exceptions, so it falls under the summer closure. The town lists Devereux's own season as Memorial Day to Labor Day, with parking from 7 AM to 5 PM, weather permitting, but the dog rule runs longer than the swimming season on both ends.

A first offense in a calendar year costs $25 and a second or later one $50. The bylaw's wording is "between May 1 and October 1", so if you want to walk the beach on October 1 itself, ask the Animal Control Officer at (781) 631-1212 rather than guess how the town reads the end date. The Animal Control Department sits within the Police Department, and its officer enforces each of the animal bylaws.

  • Closed to dogs: town beaches, parks, playgrounds and athletic areas, May 1 to October 1
  • Closed to dogs all year: public cemeteries
  • Devereux Beach, 99 Ocean Avenue: not an exception
  • Fines: $25, then $50 within a calendar year

The exceptions

Riverhead Beach and five harbor parks stay open to leashed dogs all summer

The same section names the places where the summer closure does not apply: Chandler Hovey Park, Crocker Park, Fort Sewall, Fountain Park, Upper Seaside Park, Riverhead Beach and the town-designated dog park. Riverhead is the useful one for a beach-loving dog. It sits on Marblehead Harbor across the causeway from Devereux, 1.65 acres with a small beach and the town boat ramp, so a summer dog can still reach sand and water on a leash.

The harbor parks are walks with a view rather than runs. Chandler Hovey Park, also called Lighthouse Point, covers 3.74 acres at the end of Follett Street on Marblehead Neck, beside the Marblehead Light Tower. Crocker Park, 2.82 acres off Front Street, hosts weddings and summer-evening concerts, and Fort Sewall sits at the very end of Front Street. Fountain Park is on Orne Street opposite Old Burial Hill. One caution: Recreation and Parks says dogs are not allowed in any area used for athletics or as a playground, even on a leash.

  • Riverhead Beach: across the causeway from Devereux, open to dogs year-round
  • Chandler Hovey Park: end of Follett Street, by the light tower
  • Crocker Park and Fort Sewall: off and at the end of Front Street
  • Fountain Park and Upper Seaside Park: also exempt from the summer rule

The leash

Away from your own property, a Marblehead dog is always on a leash

Section 13-5 makes the leash the default everywhere in town. A dog may not be at large anywhere other than its owner's premises, another person's premises with their consent, or a dog park the town has set up for dogs to run; otherwise it must be controlled by a leash of appropriate length. The fines match the beach rule, $25 and then $50 in a calendar year, and section 13-9 adds a $50 fine for each failure to pick up after a dog in a park or other public place.

The one legal off-leash spot is the town dog park at Reynolds Playground, off Lime Street, with street parking. It is open sunrise to sunset and split into a section for small and sedentary dogs and one for large and active dogs. Dogs come in and go out on a leash, run free inside with prong, spike and choke collars removed, and must be licensed with the tag on the collar and at least six months old.

  • Leash of appropriate length everywhere off your own property
  • Waste: $50 for each offense
  • Dog park: Reynolds Playground, off Lime Street, sunrise to sunset
  • Dog park entry: licensed, tag on, six months or older

On the shore

Rocks, mooring lines and water-quality closures shape an off-season beach walk

Several Marblehead beaches are small, Grace Oliver under an acre and Riverhead 1.65 acres by the town's figures, and the harbor shore is rocky, which changes how a dog should be walked. At Fort Beach, by Fort Sewall, fishermen still moor their dinghies from out-haul lines fastened to the rocks, which is a tangle risk for a long leash. Gas House Beach, Grace Oliver Beach and Stramski's Beach are monitored swimming beaches that may close at any time for public safety; the Health Department at (781) 631-0212 has the current status.

The rest of the hazards are the North Shore's usual ones. Ticks are active from April to November, so check the dog after any walk through beach grass. Fresh water from home keeps a dog from drinking the harbor. Seaweed piles and fishing litter collect along the tide line after a storm. Keep the leash short on the rocks, where a slip into the water is easy and the climb back out is not.

  1. 01

    Check the date: town beaches are closed to dogs between May 1 and October 1

  2. 02

    Pick a beach with room to walk, such as Devereux, or Riverhead in summer

  3. 03

    Keep a short leash on the rocks and clear of mooring lines

  4. 04

    Check the Health Department line if the water looks closed or posted

  5. 05

    Bag every mess; the bylaw fine is $50 each time

  6. 06

    Rinse the salt off and check for ticks before the dog gets in the car

A golden retriever lounging in a blue splash pool in the Dogtown play yard in Gloucester

How Dogtown fits

Five closed months, covered by daycare days in Gloucester

From May 1 to October 1 a Marblehead dog loses most of its beaches, and a daycare day is the simplest way to replace the exercise. At Dogtown, 210 Eastern Ave in Gloucester, a full day costs $42 and a half day $33, in a playgroup of 7 to 10 dogs matched by size and temperament, with splash pools on the turf yard for the hot weeks. Packs bring the price down: ten full days cost $380.

Marblehead is outside the four Pup Van towns, so ask us about pick-up, and see our Marblehead page for the drive. A new dog starts with a free evaluation on a weekday between 6:30 and 9:30 AM, bringing its Marblehead license and Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records. When the beaches reopen in the fall, a bath after a salty walk costs $55 to $95 by size, with no evaluation needed for grooming.

At Dogtown

For a Marblehead summer without the beach

Matched daycare playgroups from May to October, and a bath sized to the dog once the beaches reopen.

Husky standing on the turf play yard at Dogtown, looking at the camera Dog DaycareFrom $33 · Explore Groomer blow-drying a red goldendoodle in front of the Dogtown Grooming sign Dog GroomingFrom $55 · Explore

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Asked and answered

Questions people ask about this

Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.

Are dogs allowed on Devereux Beach?
No, not between May 1 and October 1 under the bylaw as it reads in fall 2026. Marblehead's bylaw closes every town beach, park, playground and athletic area to dogs in that window, and Devereux is not one of the named exceptions. Outside it, a dog may be on the beach on a leash of appropriate length, as everywhere else in town.
Which Marblehead beach allows dogs in summer?
Riverhead Beach, across the causeway from Devereux, is exempt from the summer closure, so a leashed dog may use it all year. Chandler Hovey Park, Crocker Park, Fort Sewall, Fountain Park and Upper Seaside Park are exempt too, along with the town dog park. Areas used for athletics or as playgrounds stay off limits to dogs, leashed or not.
Where can my dog run off leash in Marblehead?
Only in the town dog park at Reynolds Playground, off Lime Street, which is open sunrise to sunset with separate small-dog and large-dog sections. Dogs must be licensed with the tag on the collar and at least six months old. Everywhere else off your own property, the leash bylaw applies, with fines of $25 and then $50.
Can I walk my dog on a Marblehead playing field if it stays on a leash?
No. Recreation and Parks says dogs are not allowed in any area used for athletics or as a playground, even if leashed, because bacteria from waste can make children ill even after it is picked up. The bylaw also closes athletic areas and playgrounds to dogs from May 1 to October 1.
What is the fine for a dog on a Marblehead beach in summer?
Under section 13-11, $25 for a first offense in a calendar year and $50 for a second or later one. The town's Animal Control Officer, part of the Police Department, enforces the bylaw, and fines are paid at the Town Clerk's Office. A separate $50 fine applies each time waste is left behind.

More questions? Read the full FAQ

Sources

Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.

Keep reading

Dogtown for Marblehead dog ownersMarblehead dog licenseDogs at Salem beaches and parksDogs at Nahant Beach and Lynn Shore Cape Ann dogs All guides

Next step

Devereux closes May 1. Our playgroups don't.

Book a free weekday-morning evaluation in Gloucester and bring the Marblehead license, and the closed-beach months are covered.

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