Intel: Pet Friendly National Parks
The rules on where Fido can and cannot go.
When we’re considering a grand road trip across the national parks of the West, perhaps in an RV or our own vehicles, and we might be gone for a long time, we might consider bringing our pets along with us. After all, the great outdoors is as much a refreshing space for a dog as it is for a human. But, as you can imagine, for both the safety of wildlife and for your pets as well, domestic animals are limited to certain spots when it comes to visiting the parks. As we traversed the country with our dogs, we found that we could walk them only on certain designated trails; or in other places, the dogs were only allowed within a few meters of the main roadways; and then, there were some places where we had free range. But figuring out each of the park’s rules can require a bit of research.
Luckily, some creative users on Reddit have created resources to help. One Google Map, in particular, has a helpful key to determine which parks are more or less restrictive. The legend on this map indicates:
Green: Pets allowed (almost) everywhere (ex: Acadia, Indiana Dunes, Olympic)
Blue: Pets allowed on one or more trails (ex: Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Yosemite)
Yellow: Pets allowed where cars can go (ex: Badlands, Glacier, Joshua Tree)
Red: Pets not allowed (ex: Redwood, Isle Royale, Channel Islands)
For precisely what trails and what areas are pet friendly in each individual park, you’ll need to consult each park website in the “plan your visit” section.
Specific Pet Details for Each Western Park from the NPS:
Photo Credit: Syllogi
In each publication, Syllogi will share various tips, resources, and other odd bits of helpful information we have happened across in our research.
