Visiting National Parks With Dogs

The most important things to know when visiting national parks with dogs is that not all parks are created equal in terms of dog-friendliness. In fact, some are not dog friendly AT ALL! Here is what to consider when planning your next national park adventure with your dog plus some of our favorite dog friendly spots.

I know what you’re thinking, it’s outdoors – why wouldn’t I be able to bring my dog? The National Park Service evaluates each park to determine what is safe both to protect your dogs and also the natural landscape and wildlife of the park. Please do your research before visiting a park and follow all rules and posted signs. Each park does a good job laying out their policies and also explains why they are in place. Don’t be that person that gives dog owners a bad name by not doing your research or thinking that you don’t need to follow the rules.

Evaluating a Park’s Dog Friendly Options

These are the main policies that you’ll see when visiting a national park with your dogs:

• Dogs allowed on all trails and in campgrounds
• Dogs allowed on specific trails and in campgrounds
• Dogs only allowed in developed areas, roads, and campgrounds
• Dogs not allowed at all in park

Scenic Drives

So you’re planning to visit a certain national park with your dogs and you see that they are only allowed in developed areas, roads, and campgrounds – does this mean it’s not worth a stop? If the park has scenic drive, then it definitely can still be a good option! Scenic drives are often the best way to see the top sites of a park and our dogs love hanging their heads out the windows taking it all in. Even better, most scenic drives have developed overlooks and parking areas where you can take your dog out of the vehicle for some exploring. At these stops, just make sure to stay in the developed areas as dogs are typically not allowed on any paths.

Our Top 5 Spots

Here are the top 5 national parks that we’ve been to with our dogs. We have many more adventures planned and will keep this list updated!

• Grand Canyon National Park
  • One of the grandest national parks out there! Better yet, there are a handful of dog friendly trails and spots. We definitely found the money spot on our visit!
• Great Sand Dunes National Park
  • Dogs are allowed all throughout the park. The towering sand dunes are incredible to explore and even more fun to sled down.
• Zion National Park
  • There is only one trail that dogs are allowed by the visitor center in the park, but the scenic drive through the park is absolutely breathtaking and our dogs loved checking out the sites. As a bonus, stop by the dog-friendly Zion Brewery that’s within walking distance of the visitor center (just outside the park gate).
• Arches National Park
  • If you want the most bang for your buck when it comes to scenic drives, Arches is it! You’re transformed to another world while driving through the park. Unfortunately dogs are not allowed on any trails, but they can walk around the parking areas which are right next to many of the main arches.
• Bryce Canyon National Park
  • Another park that only offers a single dog friendly trail, but wow are the views great from this trail! Along with this there is a nice scenic drive with many developed overlooks you can stop with your dogs.

Additional Parks We’ve Visited With Dogs

Here’s a quick rundown of other parks outside of our top-5

Very Dog Friendly

• Hot Springs National Park
• White Sands National Park
• Congaree National Park
• Indiana Dunes National Park

Great Scenic Drives

• Rocky Mountain National Park (just outside of our top 5!)
• Badlands National Park
• Shenandoah National Park
• Canyonlands National Park
• Great Smokey Mountain National Park

Not Very Dog Friendly

• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• New River Gorge National Park

We hope this post helps you get the best adventure with your dogs! Check out our dog-friendly travel posts for more trip ideas and tips.