The U.S. National Parks are not commonly dog-friendly. Which is always such a bummer because every pet parent wants to bring their furry BFF along for exploring! Well, we have visited over 40 national parks – almost all with our adventure pup in tow.
Across the board, national parks typically allow dogs on paved roads, parking lots, and most campgrounds. Dogs are never allowed to enter buildings or visitor centers, unless they are service dogs. And then there are dog-friendly national parks where dogs are allowed on all trails and even swimming in lakes!
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT DOG-FRIENDLY NATIONAL PARKS
There are many considerations when traveling with your dog, but going into a national park does bring up additional concerns. Most important to remember when visiting dog-friendly national parks is that your dog must be leashed at all times. This is for their safety, the safety of other people, and also the plants and wild animals that call that national park home. In order to protect our ability to bring our pets to national parks, we also need to clean up after them!
B.A.R.K. RANGER PROGRAM
Combining our love of national parks with our love of dogs is just about as good as it gets! Dog-friendly national parks give your dog the opportunity to become a B.A.R.K. Ranger. They just need to adhere to these simple rules:
B – Bag your poop
A – Always wear a leash
R – Respect wildlife
K – Know where you can go
As long as they pledge to follow these rules, your dog can pick up a B.A.R.K. Ranger dog tag in the visitor center gift shop!
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK
Acadia is such a fun dog-friendly national park! Located off the central coast of Maine, you’ll get sweeping views of rugged coastlines, take a stroll around Jordan Pond, and so much more! One thing we love about Acadia is that they give a specific breakdown of which trails dogs are allowed, which aren’t, and which they’d recommend not taking a dog. Junior hiked on Schooner Head Overlook, Ocean Path Trail, Jordan Pond, and Cadillac Mountain Summit. We also hiked Bubble Rock – but we wouldn’t recommend that one if your pup is older like ours. Some areas were tough for him to climb the rocks.
For all the details, here’s the Acadia National Park Pet Policy.
CONGAREE NATIONAL PARK
Congaree in South Carolina is one of the most dog-friendly national parks out there! Dogs are allowed on all trails in the park. This is one of the smaller national parks, which makes it an easy visit for your adventure pup!
Even though the park is dog-friendly, it’s always smart to check out the Congaree Pet Policy beforehand!
CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
Located in Ohio between Akron and Cleveland sits one of the newest national parks, Cuyahoga Valley. We loved the Ledges Trail with the mossy rocks and forest trails. We also liked taking Junior on the short trail to Brandywine Falls – that’s a must see in this national park! There are over 100 miles of dog-friendly trails in Cuyahoga Valley, but there are some areas where pets are not allowed.
You can find out all the dog-friendly spots on the Cuyahoga Valley Pet Policy.
GATEWAY ARCH NATIONAL PARK
While we have our own arguments against Gateway Arch receiving the national park designation – we do like that it’s dog-friendly! Dogs are allowed anywhere outdoors, and since it’s basically just a public park with an arch sculpture – that’s just about everywhere! Of course dogs are not allowed in buildings or to join the tour to the top of the arch.
Here’s the Gateway Arch Pet Policy if you need more information.
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Grand Canyon National Park is a natural phenomenon that everyone should see at least once in their lives – and that includes your pup! Dogs are allowed on all trails above the rim and at campgrounds. There is only one lodge that has pet-friendly accommodations, but there are also kennels available at the South Rim with overnight boarding. Dogs are not permitted below the canyon rim or on the shuttle bus.
You can find all the info on the Grand Canyon Pet Policy.
GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK
Great Sand Dunes National Park is definitely underrated and the fact that it’s a dog-friendly national park is icing on the cake! There are several dog-friendly areas and trails including a HUGE portion of the dunes, as well as campgrounds. Dogs are not allowed beyond High Dune or into the backcountry. We recommend hiking the Montville Nature Trail in addition to climbing around on the dunes – gives a completely different perspective of the park!
You can find the map and more info on the Great Sand Dunes Pet Policy page.
HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK
Hot Springs National Park is an urban park as it is in the downtown area of Hot Springs, Arkansas. This is the second smallest national park in the U.S, but still allows for some great dog-friendly hikes and a campground right along a creek. One major thing to consider when visiting Hot Springs National Park is that the most popular thing to do is visit Bath House Row. This is where there are a string of bath houses, or spas, some with natural spring water, that you can soak in. Dogs are not allowed in these buildings which means you have to find somewhere for them to go if that’s an activity you plan to do.
However, there is a brewery that uses the natural spring water and they are dog-friendly – even indoors! This is a lifesaver during those hot summer months – so be sure to visit Superior Bathhouse Brewery with your pup!
For more about dog-friendly areas, check out the Hot Springs Pet Policy.
INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK
Indiana Dunes National Park sits at the southern tip on the shores of Lake Michigan in Indiana. Flanked by two factories, this seashore offers dune hiking and lake swimming. A very popular destination in the summer by locals who love the spending the days on sandy beaches. We visited in the off-season which meant cooler weather and no crowds, but it also meant we weren’t going swimming. Although this is a dog-friendly national park, there are seasonal restrictions as well as trails that do not allow dogs.
For all the details, be sure to review the Indiana Dunes Pet Policy before your visit.
MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK
We were surprised to see Mammoth Cave National Park make the list of dog-friendly national parks. Similarly to Hot Springs National Park, dogs are not allowed on the most popular activities at the park. Dogs are welcome on all surface trails and at the campgrounds – but not allowed in the cave. Seeing as how you’re likely coming to Mammoth Cave to do cave tours, be sure if you bring your furry friend to make accommodations for them at the kennels on site. Luckily, we visited at a very temperate time and were able to leave Junior in the camper at the campground for the few hours that we were in the cave.
If you’re planning a trip here, check out the Mammoth Cave Pet Policy first.
NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL PARK
The newest national park in the United States, located in West Virginia is the dog-friendly New River Gorge National Park. This park’s prominent feature is the New River Gorge Bridge, which you guessed it, spans the New River Gorge. This dog-friendly national park allows dogs on all trails, but as it was a hot day and Junior is a bit older, we opted to not take him on the longer hikes. Junior drove on the Fayette Station Road and walked the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk, but skipped the Long Point Trail.
To read up on all the info, visit the New River Gorge Pet Policy page.
PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona is another completely dog-friendly national park! Dogs are welcome on all trails and wilderness areas of the park. This is a great national park to visit if you are driving through on a road-trip as it is easily drivable and the hikes are not too strenuous. Perfect for stretching your legs after a few hours in the car! It is also one of the few areas of the country where you can see petrified trees. Junior hiked the Blue Mesa and Crystal Forest Trails, but was too tired to do the Long Logs Trail.
Get all the details for bringing your dog on the Petrified Forest Pet Policy page.
SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK
If you’ve got a pup that loves car rides – Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is the place to be! One of the main activities (and our favorite) was the 105-mile scenic drive that runs the length of the national park. With 70+ pull-outs and overlooks, winding roads through forests, you’ll get to see it all without having to leave the car. But should you want to get out, there are also dog-friendly trails! Upper Hawksbill Trail was the perfect trail for Junior and had incredible views from the top.
Some areas and trails are off limits, so be sure to check the Shenandoah Pet Policy page before you go!
WHITE SANDS NATIONAL PARK
White Sands National Park is by far our favorite dog-friendly national park! We like to think that the sand feels better on Junior’s toes than a rocky path. Plus we don’t want to wonder if a wild animal will run out from the forest – you can see in every direction! It is also a magically unique park with unbelievable sunsets. If you can only visit one dog-friendly national park with your adventure pup – try to make it White Sands! Be sure to monitor temperatures when you visit this national park, and bring more water than you think you’ll need for you and your dog.
Get the full scoop on the White Sands Pet Policy page.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
Yosemite National Park is one of those iconic places that you need to experience at least once in your life. And if you get to show it off to your dog as well, even better! Yosemite is a huge national park with tons of trails – but only some are dog-friendly. Dogs are welcome at most campgrounds, in developed areas, and on paved roads, sidewalks, and bike paths, as well as one lodge within the park has dog-friendly accommodations.
For all the specifics, check the Yosemite Pet Policy.
WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK
While we haven’t visited Wrangell-St. Elias National Park – or any national park in Alaska for that matter – it shows up on many lists of dog-friendly national parks! Upon reviewing the website, it states that dogs are welcome on all trails as well as in the backcountry. Junior doesn’t love the cold or snow, so it’s likely if we do get him out to visit this one, we’d make sure it’s the warmest time of year possible!
You can check out the details for yourself at the Wrangell-St. Elias Pet Policy page.
MOST DOG-FRIENDLY NATIONAL PARKS
So pack up your dog, grab their adventure gear, and hit the road to one – or ALL – of these dog-friendly national parks! If you’re new to adventuring with your dog, you can check out everything we travel with for Junior! There’s no shortage of amazing and beautiful places to visit with your furry best friends – so let’s start exploring with our adventure pups at these dog-friendly national parks!
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