A Dog Friendly Guide to U.S. National Parks

While national parks, in general, are not very dog-friendly there are usually a few dog-friendly activities you can find at each one. And if you’re like us, and don’t like to adventure anywhere without your furry friend, then this national parks guide is for you.

We’ll continue to update this guide as we cross more parks off our list, but for now, here are details on the national parks we’ve visited so far and the activities we enjoyed. It’s also worth noting a few parks we’ve visited that didn’t make the guide due to the lack of dog-friendly activities during our visit: Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks.

But before we get into all the dog-friendly activities, let’s go over the rules of visiting a national park with your dog.

Because these beautiful parks need to protect their ecosystems and wildlife, as well as manage a lot of visitation, there are places where your dog will not be allowed. However, as long as you follow some simple rules, you and your dog can have an enjoyable visit exploring somewhere new.

Dogs need to be on a short leash – not more than 6 feet (2 m) long.

Don’t leave your dog unattended.
Clean up after them. Carry poop bags and throw your pet’s bagged waste into the trash.
Be alert for wildlife.

Another important detail to remember is national parks have an entrance fee. The fee can vary by park, but generally, if you plan to visit more than one park a year it’s worth investing in the America the Beautiful Pass. One pass covers everyone in your car and is an $80 flat rate for as many park entrances as you’d like within a year of its purchase. You can even share the pass between two owners.

Now that we have some of the housekeeping items out of the way, let’s dive into the national parks and their dog-friendly activities. Let us know in the comments if you travel to any of these parks and which one is your favorite!

#1 | YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

Yosemite National Park tops our list as the most dog-friendly and worthwhile park to visit with enough activities to fill a weekend.

When visiting Yosemite National Park with your furry friend, you’ll want to head to Yosemite Valley for most of your visit. Yosemite Valley features much of the park's top attractions, including Tunnel View Outlook, a handful of Yosemite's most famous waterfalls, and the granite monoliths El Capitan and Half Dome.

Most lodging inside the national park is not dog-friendly, so opt to stay at the nearby Autocamp for a glamping experience you’re sure to love.

For more details on planning your weekend at Yosemite, check out our Dog-friendly Guide to Yosemite National Park.

#2 | BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

When visiting Bryce Canyon National Park, plan 3- to 4 hours for exploring with your pup. Dogs are only allowed on paved surfaces, including park roads and campgrounds, the Shared-use Path, paved viewpoints (all viewpoints except Piracy Point), and the 1/2 mile section of Rim Trail between Sunset and Sunrise Points.

You’ll want to drive at least the first 3-miles of the 18-mile scenic road that stretches north-south through the park. Plan to stop at Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point, and stretch your legs along the Rim Trail.

For more details, check out our Visiting Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks with Your Dog post for more details. If visiting the park with your dog, we recommend planning to visit Zion and Bryce Canyon on the same day by way of Hwy 9.

#3 | ZION NATIONAL PARK

Zion National Park, Utah’s first National Park, is a nature preserve distinguished by Zion Canyon’s steep red cliffs. It encompasses some of the most scenic canyon country in the United States. Like many National Parks, there is only one dog-friendly trail at Zion - Pa’rus Trail. It’s a paved path that starts at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and runs for 3.4 miles out and back along the Virgin River.

While there aren’t many dog-friendly activities at Zion, this National Park trail is one of our favorite dog-friendly paths. It’s a decent distance to make the visit worthwhile and the surrounding landscape really gives you a feel for the park and views of the geology.

#4 | CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK

Crater Lake National Park in Oregon is a natural wonder born out of a cataclysmic volcanic eruption that is known for its awe-inspiring blue lake which is the deepest lake in America.

Crater Lake is a park that has several dog-friendly activities for you and your companion to enjoy.

Walk along the 1/4-mile paved promenade at Rim Village, where you can take in great views of the lake.
Drive the historic Rim Drive - includes 33 miles (53-km) of lake views, panoramic vistas, forests, and meadows. The contours of the road were designed to compliment the natural landscape and disappear from view as you look across the lake from any point. There are 30 scenic pullouts to take advantage of. This drive-in itself can be an all-day adventure around the park.
Hike these dog-friendly trails:
- Lady of the Woods (as long as the trail is free of significant snow) - .7 mile loop
- Godfrey Glen (as long as the trail is free of significant snow) - 1.1 mile loop
- Annie Spur Trail (connects PCT hikers to Mazama Village) - 8.3 miles out and back
- Greyback Road (accessible when East Rim Drive is open) - 18.1 miles out and back
- Pacific Crest Trail (the official PCT, not the "alternate" PCT along the rim of the lake) - 31 mile loop

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to do all these activities when we visited. It was fire season and a big cloud of smoke rolled in an hour after we arrived. Despite our short visit, Crake Lake still makes our list for how beautiful if it is and the potential for many dog friendly activities.

#5 | JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

Joshua Tree is one of the most unique and photogenic national parks that got its name from the Joshua trees that are native to the area.

While pets aren’t allowed on most of the trails or in the backcountry, they are welcome to walk all the unpaved roads. Joshua Tree has miles and miles of dirt roads providing access to a great variety of terrain. The one dog-friendly trail in the park is the paved Oasis of Mara Trail that’s a .6mi loop trail. When you visit Joshua Tree with your dog, be sure to get a park map showing all the dirt roads you can walk. The rangers are also helpful in deciding which roads offer the best scenery and are appropriate for your skill level.

We’ve visited the park several times for exploring and photoshoots. No matter how many times we visit, we always enjoy the scenery.

We typically enter at the Twentynine Palms entrance because most of the attractions are in the northern area of the park. You can get a great sense of the park in a couple of hours by driving Park Boulevard. We’d recommend visiting Keys View at sunrise or sunset (the parking lot is tiny so be prepared to circle for a spot), exploring the rock formations at Split Rock Picnic Area, and venture 100 ft from your car anywhere along Park Blvd.

For more details for planning your visit to Joshua Tree National Park, check out our Dog-friendly Guide to Joshua Tree National Park .

#6 | WHITE SANDS NATIONAL PARK

White Sands National Park is really accessible (you can drive the entire park in 30 mins) even though it’s home to the world's largest gypsum dune field. And did we mention it’s super dog-friendly? Dogs are allowed everywhere on-leash except the visitor center.

The sand stays cool year-round, so you’ll see a lot of people enjoying the dunes barefoot. A popular activity outside of hiking is sand sledding. You can get sleds from the visitor center, but you also might find some left behind at trailheads. There are three key trails to explore when visiting White Sands National Park:

1. Alkali Flat Trail: If you only do one trail, do this one. This is a 5-mile round-trip hike that can be strenuous. You’ll be hiking up and down sand dunes the whole time but will be rewarded with pretty views. If you’re short on time, you should still do this one for the best photo spots/views and sledding opportunities. Just hike as far as you can and turn around when you need to!

2. Playa Trail: An easy .5mi round trip flat trail that has outdoor exhibits along the way.

3. Interdune Boardwalk: An easy .4mi round trip stroll that’s wheelchair and stroller accessible.

#7 | GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

Glacier National Park is a beautiful park with a handful of dog-friendly activities that make a day trip worthwhile. Before you even make it inside the park, you’ll pass the large entrance sign on the right at the West entrance via the Going to the Sun Road. There’s space to pull over and snap a quick picture before entering the park.

After entering the park, you’ll want to head to Apgar Village, Lake McDonald, and the bike path before you start your trek on the Going to the Sun Road. Make sure you get an early start because just hitting these activities will take all day.

For more details, check out our Visiting Glacier National Park with Your Dog post.

#8 | GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

The Grand Canyon is a mile-deep gorge in northern Arizona that became a national park in 1919. The canyon stretches 277 miles long,18 miles wide, and is one of the most visited national parks.

When visiting, keep in mind that it is very hard to visit the north and south rims on the same day. We visited the Southern Rim trail on our way from Sedona to Page, AZ.

Pets are not allowed below the canyon rim or on shuttle buses, but there are dog-friendly trails that allow you to enjoy the canyon views with your dog.

The Southern Rim Trail at the Grand Canyon is dog friendly and has 12.7 miles of canyon viewpoints stretching from South Kaibab trailhead to Hermit’s Rest. You can easily park at the visitor center and start the trail near Mather Point. The trail is paved, so be prepared in the summer when it heats up. After your walk, if you want to cool off, head to the Mather Point Cafe for some ice cream to go.

#9 | ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

If you have some extra time when visiting Moab, we definitely recommend driving through Arches National Park.

Arches National Park is just outside of downtown Moab and features a scenic out-and-back drive that you can do in an hour. Along the scenic drive, there are overlooks for Courthouse Towers, Balanced Rock, Delicate Arch, Fiery Furnace, and Sand Dune Arch. All of these can be viewed from your car except for Delicate Arch - you’ll need to walk a few minutes from the parking lot up to the viewing point for this one (dogs are not supposed to leave the parking lot).

If you’re looking to hike near the rock arch formations Moab is so famously known for, Corona Arch Trail is a great alternative to Arches. Check out our Dog-friendly Guide to Moab for more details.

#10 | SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti - the giant saguaro. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of the city of Tucson.

Saguaro National Park is split into two districts, Tucson Mountain to the west and Rincon Mountain to the east. Tucson Mountain District is more accessible and has a vehicle-friendly loop drive that offers a scenic sampling of the park. The eastern section is larger and more mountainous, and the western portion is lower in elevation and boasts a denser saguaro forest. The east has more hiking trails and is the only region where backpacking is allowed, the west is the better choice if time is short.

Pets are allowed only on roadways, picnic areas (except Mam-A-Gah picnic area in the Tucson Mountain District-west), and paved trails (Desert Ecology Trail & Desert Discovery Trail).

When visiting, we opted for the Tucson Mountain district because we were short on time, but still wanted to get a feel for the park. It was a hot day, so we drove the Cactus Forest Scenic Loop Drive and quickly explored the Desert Discovery Nature Trail that’s a .4 mi roundtrip.

#11 | GATEWAY ARCH NATIONAL PARK

The Gateway Arch is an urban national park site in downtown St. Louis, MO (our hometown!). Gateway Arch National Park is one of the newer national parks added to the system in 2018.

The main attraction is the Arch which stands 630 feet (192 meters) tall. Leashed pets are welcome to explore the extensive grounds at Gateway Arch Park, on the Riverfront Trail, and the one-hour scenic riverboat cruises. Pets are not allowed inside the Arch, Old Courthouse, Museum of Western Expansion, or other buildings. While many parks do have an entrance fee, you only have to pay at Gateway Arch National Park if you go up to the Arch.