Mana hangs out the window of his master’s silver Toyota 4Runner and lets out a whine of delight as they clear the hill on 21st Street.

“He’s already saying, ‘Let me out the door,'” says the chocolate lab’s owner, Crystal Sagapolu.

They’re within blocks of El Paso County’s Bear Creek Regional Dog Park, 25 acres of running, splashing in the creek and chasing balls and other dogs.

In its 13th year, the dog park is more popular than ever, drawing visitors from Monument and Fountain, as well as from across Colorado Springs.

And what’s not to love?

With rolling hills, grassy knolls, a water station, even a place for canines under 40 pounds, it’s the perfect romping ground for top dogs, underdogs, lucky dogs, all dogs.

Squirt, a seven-year-old black dachshund, shows up twice a day with his owner, R.E. Vickers, who lives a mile away and goes there so often he donated a bench in memory of Bo, Brandy, Spider and his other dogs who have frolicked there.

“On nice days, you can’t even find a parking place,” said Vickers, sporting a Bear Creek Dog Park cap, a new fund-raising tool. “People drive half-way across the city.”

Farther than that.

Sagapolu lives in Stetson Hills, and Jonathan Kidwell drives from Peterson Air Force Base with his German shepherd, Alrik.

Irene Murray brings Tonka, a mixed breed, from Fountain. “It’s great to let them run and meet other dogs,” she said.

Some common complaints include people not cleaning up after their dogs and limited parking. The county hosts an occasional cleanup day – “April Stools Day” drew 15 volunteers despite rain, snow and sleet.

For more, go to the Bear Creek Dog Park user group on Facebook or www.elpasoco.com

To donate to the park and get either a cap or a gym bag, call Ron Buchanan with the Lovers of Off Leash Parks volunteer group at 520-5098 or e-mail him at bairndog@comcast.net.

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Call Zubeck at 636-0238

Pine Creek’s Carolyn Simon took a shot against Durango on Wednesday. Photo by KEVIN KRECK, THE GAZETTE.