Best Dog Friendly Trails Shenandoah National Park – A trip to your favorite national park might seem like the perfect opportunity to bring Fido, but you might be surprised to learn that many national parks aren’t dog-friendly. Here are the best of them.
If you do your research ahead of time and plan well, you can enjoy a book tour with your furry friend. Here, we’ve rounded up the seven best national parks to visit with dogs, along with our favorite hikes and campsites in each.
Best Dog Friendly Trails Shenandoah National Park
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Located along the Atlantic coast, Acadia National Park is mostly located on a deserted mountain island in Maine. The park is one of the 10 most visited national parks in the United States, with the highest rocky mountains on the Atlantic coast, diverse habitats and a rich cultural heritage.
The park has 27 miles of historic highways, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of vehicle trails. Almost all of these dogs are welcome. some hikes require ropes and ladders.
Dogs are allowed in all public areas of the park except Duck Harbor Campground, Wild Gardens of Acadia, Echo Lake Beach and Sand Beach.
Popular hikes include the Bar Island Trail, Schooner Head Trail, and Wonderland. A good place to lay your head for the night is Blackwoods or Sound View Campgrounds.
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Home to the tallest sand dunes in North America, Great Sand Dunes National Park offers a diverse landscape of wetlands, conifer and aspen forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the park spans 30 miles and is open 24 hours a day.
Pets are welcome in the park between High Dune and the Castle Creek picnic area, as well as in the nearby Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. For a full view of the roof, there is a popular hike to the top, a 2.5 mile round trip and about 700 feet of ascent.
Hint. Go at sunrise or sunset for the best views. Rooftops can be hot in the summer months, so make sure it’s safe for your pup before going outside.
Fifty miles from Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park includes 200,000 miles of protected land and a diversity of flora and fauna. Shenandoah is known for its waterfalls, forests, pastoral landscapes and the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains.
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The park has more than 500 miles of trails, only 20 of which are off-limits to dogs. Little Rock Man, Hawksbill Gap Trail, and Rose River Loop are popular hikes to take your pup. Or, if you’re feeling lazy, cruise the famous Skyline Drive and take in the sites.
The park’s campgrounds are dog-friendly, and Skyland, Big Meadows Lodge, and Lewis Mountain Cabins all have dog-friendly cabins.
Perrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona gets its name from the large deposits of petrified wood found in the park.
The park is a journey through time and contains historical structures, archaeological sites, 200 million year old fossils and remnants of 13,000 years of human history. It has a specially designed park ranger program for pets that can be used on all of the park’s official trails, paths and official forest areas.
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Visit Tibony Point, Painted Desert Rim Trail, Puerco Pueblo, Newspaper Rock, Tepees, Blue Forest Hike, Blue Mesa Trail, Crystal Forest, and Drive Route 66 while visiting the park.
Dogs are welcome in the backcountry, so if you plan to spend the night, put up a tent for you and your pup.
Located 18 miles from South Carolina’s capital, Congery National Park is a 26,276-acre national park that protects the largest area of old-growth forest in the United States.
The Conger and Water rivers run through the park, allowing visitors to kayak, canoe and fish the waterways. The park is also friendly to furry friends, as pets are allowed on all trails, including the deck, river and all campsites.
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Popular day hikes include the Boardwalk Loop, Weston Lake Loop, River Trail, and Kingsnake Trail, all of which showcase the amazing biodiversity the park has to offer.
In addition to outdoor camping options, Congery has two dedicated campgrounds: Longleaf Campground and Bluff Campground.
Hint. Be aware that many trails flood in the spring. So, if you are planning to hike, you can plan your trip for a different time of the year.
Home to the largest known cave system in the world, Mammoth Cave National Park is a gem in western Kentucky. In addition to spectacular caves, the park has rolling hills, deep river valleys, a wide variety of flora and fauna, and thousands of years of human history. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve.
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Although the caves are not dog-friendly, there are many dog-friendly trails around the visitor center, including the popular Green River Bluffs Trail and the North Side Trail. If you want to visit the caves (and we highly recommend it), Mammoth Cave Lodge offers a kennel where your dog can stay while you tour the cave.
At the end of the day, relax at Mammoth Cave Campground, Mammoth Cave Horse Camp, Maple State Park or Lake Nolin State Park.
White Sands National Park is dog friendly. Pets are allowed anywhere in the park except in the visitor center and gift shop. Located in southern New Mexico, the 145,762-acre park is surrounded by white sand dunes and includes the world’s largest gypsum sand dune valley.
While at the park, take some time to play in the hills or explore one of the five official hiking trails on offer. It is best to visit in autumn, winter or spring as temperatures can be dangerous in the summer months. If you want to stay overnight, there are 10 campsites available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are over 480 miles of dog-friendly trails. Co-pilots from sunrise to sunset.
Shenandoah Nat. Park
When the day’s adventure is over, the area is full of pet-friendly cabins near Shenandoah National Park, so pups and their owners have a comfortable place to rest their heads.
We’ve compiled a list of pet-friendly places in Shenandoah National Park that are perfect for relaxing and beautiful vacations. Read about the best pet-friendly riverfront cabins and unique luxury accommodations with views of the Mazanutton Range and Shenandoah National Park.
These lodges are perched on a scenic bluff with unobstructed views of the Massanutton Range and Shenandoah National Park. Each has a unique draw that sets it apart from other Shenandoah resorts, so you can choose the best option for your group.
This adorable pet-friendly cabin has not one…not two…three decks for relaxing and breathing in the fresh forest air.
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This option is ideal for groups of six who want to enjoy the space and multiple comfortable beds. You can cook meals in the full kitchen, sit by the gas fireplace in the living room, and dine at night with clean sheets and blankets on each bed.
Amenities include towels, coffee, popcorn, Wi-Fi, an outdoor grill, and a DVD player for retro movie night.
There’s nothing like enjoying a cold drink on the porch with the dog at your feet, all with gorgeous Shenandoah National Park views for your company. Fortunately, three smokehouses near Shenandoah National Park can help you make that happen.
This amazing one bedroom log cabin allows you to keep the creature comforts while enjoying the nature around. Sleep on fresh sheets in the master bedroom or put your feet up in the living room with gas fireplace, DVD player and central heating.
Us Dog-friendly National Parks
Perfect for couples, solo adventurers, or small groups with dogs, you’ll find the beauty of the Shenandoah right at your screen door.
Bluff style overlooking the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. These glamping options are pet-friendly and offer fantastic views that you and your four-legged friend will love.
All of our pet-friendly Shenandoah glamping tents have a great patio to enjoy your morning coffee on and a cozy interior that protects you from the elements. With amenities like picnic tables, yard games, outdoor grills and fire pits, you have everything you need to relax in beautiful nature.
Now that you have a place to stay, it’s time to fill out your itinerary with nearby pet-friendly activities.
