Dorothea Dix Park

Visiting the Park

• Dorothea Dix Park is open to the public daily from dawn to dusk.
• The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) administrative headquarters are located on park grounds. Please be respectful of the 2,000 employees at work and avoid the buildings and parking lots during business hours.
• Weekday Public Parking is limited. View the Dix Park Visitor Map. 
• Public Parking is available in all lots after 5 pm on weekdays and all day during weekends.
• Port-A-Johns are the only restroom facility in the park. 
• The Dix Park Temporary Dog Park is grass-covered and closes for regular mowing and maintenance. Dix Park Dog Park Information and Maintenance Schedule

Park Planning

After years of planning, our city's extraordinary opportunity to create one of the most spectacular public spaces in the country begins with our first project, the Dix Park Plaza & Play. The Plaza & Play project takes the concepts and elements developed in the Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan to the next level through the design process.  Key to the success of the project is continued engagement with the community. Design is beginning now, and we want you to join us in shaping the future of the Dix Park Plaza & Play!

Background

On July 24, 2015, the City of Raleigh acquired 308 acres of the Dorothea Dix Campus from the State of North Carolina. The purpose of the City’s acquisition of the property is to plan and develop a new destination park – Dorothea Dix Park. The City leased back large portions of the Dorothea Dix Campus to the State for its administrative operations of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

In 2017, The City of Raleigh, in partnership with Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy, embarked on the incredible effort to create America’s next great public park through an innovative and extensive master planning process. The Master Plan process was governed by a community-led, multi-tier structure. Ultimately, Raleigh City Council gave final approval of the Master Plan for Dorothea Dix Park.

In February 2019, Raleigh City Council unanimously approved the Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan for the long-term vision of the park. Along with master plan adoption, City staff were directed by Council to develop an implementation plan for Phase 1.

Access presentations, meeting records, and documents from the master plan process in our Planning Database. If you would like additional information, please contact info@dixpark.org.