10 National Parks You Can Visit and Hike With Your Dog
Sam and I are thrilled to be bringing home the newest member of our adventure crew today -- Toby! We both grew up with dogs and are dog lovers to the core. So, we are so excited to be adding this adorable pup to our family! That being said, we hope Toby will grow to have an adventurous spirit and will enjoy hiking with us so he can join us on as many of our future trips as possible.
In thinking about our bucket list and upcoming travel plans, we are hoping to visit some more national parks in the upcoming year. However, we know that finding a national park where dogs are allowed on the hiking trails can be a bit “ruff”. National Parks are not always the most pet friendly, as pets can disturb wildlife and vegetation that the NPS is working hard to preserve. If you go onto the NPS website, most national parks do technically “allow” dogs, BUT they are most often restricted to only the campgrounds and paved roads. Think: wherever your car can go, your dog can go. So, with a little research, I created a list of 10 National Parks where dogs are allowed on all or majority of the hiking trails!
TREKKN
As always, to protect the health and wellbeing of your pet, other visitors, and the park’s wildlife, it’s important to travel responsibly with your pet and follow all NPS rules. The National Park Service created the catchy “B.A.R.K. Ranger” program to educate park visitors on how to have a safe and “pawsitive” visit with your pet at a national park. B.A.R.K. stands for:
Bag your pet’s waste
Always leash your pet
Respect wildlife
Know where you can go
Below is a list of 10 National Parks Where You Can Actually Hike With Your Dog!
1. Acadia, Maine
Main note: Pets are allowed on most trails, if leashed. There are over 100 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of carriage roads in the park where pets are permitted.
NPS/Kent Miller
Acadia National Park is located on the Atlantic coast in Northern Maine. The park preserves about 49,000 acres of mountains, ocean coastline, woodlands, lakes, ponds, and wetlands. It was the first national park in the United States east of the Mississippi River. There are a variety of hiking trails, which range in difficulty. More information on the hiking trails in Acadia National Park can be found here.
There’s a small number of park trails and areas that are closed to pets. These are:
Precipice Trail
Beehive Trail
Ladder Trail to Dorr Mountain
Beech Cliffs Trail
Perpendicular Trail (Mansell Mountain)
Jordan Cliffs Trail between Penobscot East Trail and the carriage road
Swimming in lakes
Sand Beach (June 15-Sept 8) and Echo Lake (May 15-Sept 15)
2. Congaree, South Carolina
Main note: Pets are allowed on all trails, including the boardwalk, if leashed.
NPS
Congaree National Park is located in central South Carolina and the park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. The park contains over 25 miles of hiking trails and a 2.4 mile boardwalk loop that provides access to Weston Lake. Trails lead hikers to oxbow lakes, to Congaree River, or stands of old-growth trees. Further information on the hiking trails in Congaree National Park can be found here.
If your dog enjoys kayak or canoe rides, there’s also the opportunity to paddle down the Cedar Creek Canoe Trail, which runs for approximately 15 miles through the Congaree Wilderness.
3. Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio
Main note: Pets are allowed on most trails, if leashed. There are over 110 miles of hiking trails and 20 of the Towpath Trail in the park where pets are permitted.
NPS/Tom Jones
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is located in Ohio between the cities of Cleveland and Akron. The park protects over 33,000 acres along the banks of the Cuyahoga River and offers over 125 miles of hiking trails of varying difficulty. Pets are permitted on all trails, with the exception of the East Rim mountain bike trail. Additionally, pets are prohibited on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Train, which runs through the park from Independence, OH to Akron, OH. Further information on the hiking trails in Cuyahoga Valley National Park can be found here.
4. Gateway Arch, Missouri & Illinois
Main note: Dogs are allowed, if leashed.
NPS/Missouri Division of Tourism
Gateway Arch National Park was formerly known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial until it was designated a national park in 2018. It is located in St. Louis, Missouri near the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The park consists of the Gateway Arch and a 91-acre park along the Mississippi River. The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot catenary arch built to commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the subsequent westward expansion of the country, Although the park is significantly smaller than the remaining 61 national parks in the United States, it is one of the few national parks where dogs are permitted.
5. Grand Canyon, Arizona (South Rim)
Main note: Pets are allowed at the South Rim on trails above the rim and throughout developed areas, if leashed.
NPS
Grand Canyon National Park is located in northern Arizona and was the second most visited national park in 2019. The canyon was carved out by the Colorado River about six million years ago and, today, the canyon is over a mile deep and up to 18 miles wide in certain areas. Currently, Grand Canyon National Park encompasses over 1,900 square miles and 277 miles of the Colorado River. The South Rim is much more popular among visitors and offers a greater variety of lodging options.
The best viewpoints of the Grand Canyon can be viewed from the Rim Trail. This trail runs for approximately 13 miles from the South Kaibab Trailhead, passing by Grand Canyon village, and continues west to Hermits Rest. The trail is well defined, mostly paved, and is relatively flat. Leashed dogs are allowed on the Rim Trail, however, they are not permitted on the shuttle buses.
Dogs are not allowed on any trails in the canyon. If you decide to hike into the canyon while visiting (such as the Bright Angel Trail or South Kaibab Trail), you can easily board your dog for the day or overnight at Grand Canyon Kennel, located in the Grand Canyon Village near Maswik Lodge. For reservations or further information, call 928-638-2631.
6. Hot Springs, Arkansas
Main note: Dogs are allowed on all 26 miles of the Hot Springs National Park trails, if leashed. However, pets are not permitted in any federal buildings.
NPS/Mitch Smith
Located in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas, Hot Springs National Park is an urban park surrounded by shops, restaurants, and other natural attractions. Despite being located in an urban area, there is a network of 26 miles of hiking trails and mountain overlooks that can be enjoyed with your dog. The hiking trails are broken up into three different areas; (1) Hot Springs and North Mountain Trails, (2) West Mountain Trails, and (3) Sunset Trail. Further information on the hiking trails in Hot Springs National Park can be found here.
7. Indiana Dunes, Indiana
Main note: Pets are allowed, if leashed, on all trails except the Pinhook Bog Trail. Pets are also allowed year round on beaches and in the water as long as they are leashed.
NPS
Indiana Dunes National Park is located in Northwestern Indiana and runs for 25-miles along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The park was designated as the nation's 61st national park in 2019 and encompasses approximately 15,000 acres. In addition to the famous sand dunes, there are 14 distinct trail systems covering more than 50 miles of trails. Pets, if leashed, are allowed on all trails (except Pinhook Bog and the equestrian sections of Glenwood Dune), on the beaches, and in the water. More information on the trails at Indiana Dunes National Park can be found here.
8. Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
Main note: Pets are allowed on all surface trails, if leashed. However, pets are not permitted in the caves or park buildings.
NPS/Nathaniel Leies
Mammoth Cave National Park is located in central Kentucky and it encompasses portions of Mammoth Cave, the longest known cave system in the world. Cave tours are extremely popular here, however, pets are not permitted in the caves. If you opt to take a tour of the caves while visiting, you can easily board your dog for a few hours at Mammoth Cave Kennels, located at The Lodge at Mammoth Cave right across from the Visitor’s Center. Rates are by the hour at $3.50 for the first hour, $1 per hour thereafter.
Aside from touring the caves, this national park has a plethora of hiking trails, all of which pets are permitted, if leashed. The hiking trails are broken up into two different areas; (1) Visitor Center Area & South Side Trails, and (2) Backcountry Trails. The Visitor Center Area & South Side Trails feature over 18 miles of scenic trails and forested trails. The Backcountry Trails include over 60 miles of trails that are accessible on the north side of the park. Further information on the hiking trails in Mammoth Cave National Park can be found here.
9. Petrified Forest, Arizona
Main note: Pets are allowed on all trails and paved roads as well as all official Wilderness areas in the park, if leashed.
NPS
Petrified Forest National Park, located in northeastern Arizona, is famous for its large deposits of petrified wood. These fossils are primarily from fallen trees that lived in the Late Triassic Epoch, about 225 million years ago! The park emcompasses around 221,391 acres and 600 archeological sites, including petroglyphs, have been discovered within the park boundaries. There are several developed walking trails throughout the park, all of which are open to pets if they are leashed. More information on the hiking trails in Petrified Forest National Park can be found here.
10. Shenandoah, Virginia
Main note: Pets are allowed on most trails, if leashed.
NPS
Shenandoah National Park is located in Virginia along the Blue Ridge Mountains. The park preserves 311-square-miles of forest, rocky mountains, waterfalls, and wetlands. In total, there are over 500 miles of hiking trail, which vary in difficulty, including a 101-mile portion of the Appalachian Trail. Shenandoah NP is also home to a variety of wildlife, including black bears, so be sure to hike safe. Further information on the hiking trails in Shenandoah National Park can be found here.
Pets are permitted on most of the hiking trails in Shenandoah, but there is a small number of park trails that are closed to pets. This list totals fewer than 20 miles of the 500+ miles of trails in the Shenandoah National Park. These trails are:
Fox Hollow Trail (mile 4.6)
Stony Man Trail (mile 41.7) except for portion that follows the Appalachian Trail
Limberlost Trail (mile 43)
Post Office Junction to Old Rag Shelter
Old Rag Loop (Ridge Trail, Saddle Trail, Access Trail) & Ridge Access Trail (Old Rag Area)
Dark Hollow Falls Trail (mile 50.7)
Story of the Forest Trail (mile 51)
Bearfence Mountain Trail (mile 56.4)
Frazier Discovery Trail (mile 79.5)
As a reminder: Pets should never be left unattended in vehicles, as heat poses a serious threat to pets.
We are so excited to be bringing Toby into our family and can’t wait to include him on our hiking adventures once he’s a little bit older. I hope this list of National Parks that allow dogs on the trails helps inspire you go explore and hit the trails with your pup!
