Pets in U.S. National Parks, Forests, Monuments, Recreation Areas, National Historical Parks & Historic Sites

In general, pets are only permitted in National Parks along roadways, in developed areas and in campgrounds, and must be restrained on a leash no longer than 6 feet in length, caged or crated at all times. Pets are not permitted inside buildings, on most trails, on beaches, or in the backcountry.

In National Forests pets must be restrained or on a leash at all times while in developed recreation areas. Dogs are permitted on national forest trails, but are not permitted in swimming areas or sanitary facilities.

Always clean up after your pet and never leave your pet unattended.

The National Park Service: Visiting Parks with Your Pets

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ALABAMA

Bridgeport: Russell Cave National Monument
Pets on a leash are allowed on the tour to the cave shelter and the hiking trail, but are not permitted inside the visitor center.

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ALASKA

Denali National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on roadways and in campgrounds, but are not permitted on buses, trails, or in the backcountry.

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ARIZONA

Bowie: Fort Bowie National Historic Site
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Pets on a leash are allowed in most parts of the recreation area.

Grand Canyon National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park.

Petrified Forest National Park
Pets are permitted on maintained trails and must be kept on a leash. Pets are not allowed within the Wilderness Area nor on the Wilderness Access Trail near Painted Desert Inn. Pets are not allowed in buildings, unless they are service animals.

Willcox: Chiricahua National Monument
Pets on a leash are allowed on the lower canyon trails between the campground, visitor center, and entrance station, but are not permitted on any of the wilderness trails among the rock formations in the upper canyon areas.

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ARKANSAS
No listings at this time.

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CALIFORNIA

Independence: Manzanar National Historic Site
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted in buildings or within the fenced cemetery area.

Joshua Tree National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed within 100 feet of legally open roads and campgrounds, but are not permitted on trails.

Lake Tahoe
Pets on a leash are allowed almost anywhere within the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, with the notable exceptions of swimming beaches and areas that are restricted for wildlife protection.

Martinez: John Muir National Historic Site
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted in the Muir home or the Martinez Adobe.

Pacific Palisades: Will Rogers State Historic Park
Dogs on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted on the trails.

Redwood National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on Crescent and Gold Bluffs Beaches; the parking and picnic areas of Redwood Information Center and Lost Man Creek; the Freshwater Spit Overnight Use Area; in the state park campgrounds and on roads; at Point St. George and Lake Earl State Wildlife Refuge near Crescent City and in the nearby Smith River National Recreation Area.

San Francisco: Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Dogs under voice control are allowed in Fort Funston (excepting the 12-acre closure in northwest Ft. Funston), Ocean Beach, Lands End, Fort Miley, the north end of Baker Beach, Crissy Field (San Francisco); Rodeo Beach, Oakwood Valley Road, Muir Beach, Homestead Valley, Alta Avenue, specific trails in Marin Headlands (Marin County). Dogs must be on a leash on all other areas of the park that allow dogs.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area ("Where Can I Take My Dog?" brochure)
Pets on a leash are allowed in the national recreation area, but are not permitted on state park trails.

Yosemite National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in developed areas, on roads, and in campgrounds (except Tamarack Flat, Porcupine Flat, and walk-in campgrounds). Pets are not permitted on most unpaved trails and roads, except on the Meadow Loop and Four Mile fire roads in Wawona, on the Carlon Road, and on the Old Big Oak Flat Road between Hodgdon Meadow and Hazel Green Creek.

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COLORADO

Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests
Pets on a leash are allowed on trails and in the backcountry. Dogs are allowed off-leash if under voice control on the following trails: Lion Gulch & Homestead Meadows Trails (Highway 36), Lower Dadd Gulch Trail (Poudre Canyon), Young Gulch Trail (Poudre Canyon), Roaring Creek Trail (Poudre Canyon), Mount Margaret Trail (Red Feather Lakes Road).

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on roads, in campgrounds, to the overlooks, and on the Rim Rock Trail, Cedar Point Nature Trail, and North Rim Chasm View Nature Trail, but are not permitted on any other hiking trails, inner canyon routes or in the wilderness area within the park.

Great Sand Dunes National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed anywhere in Great Sand Dunes. Your pet's feet are sensitive to burns; avoid hiking with your pet on the dunes during the hottest parts of the day.

Rocky Mountain National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in areas accessed by vehicles, including roadsides, parking areas, picnic areas and campgrounds. Pets are not permitted on trails or in the backcountry.

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CONNECTICUT
No listings at this time.

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DELAWARE
No listings at this time.

DIST. OF COLUMBIA
No listings at this time.

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FLORIDA

Apalachicola National Forest
Pets on a leash are allowed on the trails and in the campsites.

Everglades National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in parking lots and campgrounds, but are not permitted on trails or in wilderness areas.

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GEORGIA

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Pets on a leash are allowed on the trails.

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HAWAII
No listings at this time.

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IDAHO
No listings at this time.

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ILLINOIS
No listings at this time.

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INDIANA
No listings at this time.

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IOWA

West Branch: Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted in buildings.

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KANSAS

Fort Scott National Historic Site
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted inside the buildings.

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KENTUCKY

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is a pet friendly park. Pets on a leash or in a carrier at all times are welcome.

Mammoth Cave National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park campgrounds, but are not permitted in any cave.

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LOUISIANA
No listings at this time.

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MAINE

Acadia National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the campgrounds and many hiking trails and carriage roads, but are not permitted in lakes, on swimming beaches from May 15 to October 15, or in public buildings.

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MARYLAND

Catoctin Mountain Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, in Owens Creek Campground and on park trails.

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MASSACHUSETTS

Boston: Boston National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted in any buildings.

Concord: Minute Man National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted in any of the visitor centers.

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MICHIGAN

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Munising
Pets on a leash are allowed along roads and in designated visitor facility areas, but are not permitted in the backcountry.

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MINNESOTA
No listings at this time.

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MISSISSIPPI
No listings at this time.

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MISSOURI
No listings at this time.

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MONTANA

Glacier National Park
Pets on a leash are only allowed in developed areas of the park, including, picnic areas, frontcountry campgrounds, and road surfaces. Pets are not permitted on trails, with the exception of the Apgar/West Glacier Bicycle Path from park headquarters to Apgar (when not a ski trail).

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NEBRASKA
No listings at this time.

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NEVADA

Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Pets on a leash are allowed in the recreation area.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE
No listings at this time.

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NEW JERSEY

Morristown: Morristown National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted in park buildings.

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NEW MEXICO

Albuquerque: Petroglyph National Monument
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted in Boca Negra Canyon, or inside public buildings such as the visitor center, offices, and public restrooms.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Pets are not permitted in the cave, at bat flight programs, on park trails or in the backcountry. During the day pets may be cared for at the kennel for a small fee.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on four backcountry trails and in the campgrounds.

El Malpais National Monument
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park. The Park recommendeds not to hike out on the lava with pets as the rugged terrain can easily injure them.

Pecos National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on trails and throughout the developed areas, but are not permitted inside public buildings such as the visitor center, offices, museum and public restrooms.

White Sands National Monument
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park.

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NEW YORK

Gateway National Recreation Area
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park except on ocean beaches during the Piping Plover nesting season from March 15 through September 15, and are prohibited at all times from all areas in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

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OREGON

Crater Lake National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in developed areas, but are not permitted on trails or in the backcountry.

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NORTH CAROLINA
No listings at this time.

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NORTH DAKOTA
No listings at this time.

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OHIO
No listings at this time.

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OKLAHOMA
No listings at this time.

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OREGON
No listings at this time.

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PENNSYLVANIA

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Pets on a leash are allowed at certain sites.

Elverson: Hopewell Furnace National HIstoric Site
Pets on a leash are allowed in all outdoor areas of the park open to the public, but are not permitted inside any public use buildings.

Philadelphia: Independence National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on park grounds, but are not permitted in any park buildings.

Valley Forge National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park.

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RHODE ISLAND
No listings at this time.

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SOUTH CAROLINA
No listings at this time.

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SOUTH DAKOTA

Hot Springs: Wind Cave National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on established roadways and roadway corridors, and on the Elk Mountain and Prairie Vista Nature Trails. Pets are not permitted in public use buildings, caves, or in the backcountry.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Pets are no longer allowed in the developed areas of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Pet walking areas are located at each end of the upper parking ramp. Visitors are encouraged to use kennels or pet services found in local communities if they are planning a lengthy stay at the memorial. Area kennels are listed on the website.

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TENNESSEE

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed along roads, in campgrounds, picnic areas, parking areas, and on the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail, but are not permitted on any other park trails.

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TEXAS

Big Bend National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted on trails, off roads, or on the river.

Fort Davis: Fort Davis National Historic Site
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the campground, but are not permitted on park trails or in the backcountry.

Johnson City: Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on the Johnson Settlement trail and the walking trails at the LBJ State Park and Historic Site, but are not permitted on LBJ Ranch Tour buses or in park buildings.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on the grounds of the four missions, but are not permitted in park buildings, in churches, or on the Yanaguana Nature trail at Mission San Juan.

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UTAH

Arches National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the campground, on roads, in parking lots, and at overlooks and pullouts along the paved scenic drives, but are not permitted on any hiking trails.

Bryce Canyon National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed along roads, in campgrounds, and parking lots, but are not permitted on park trails or at view points.

Canyonlands National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed along paved roads and in the developed campgrounds, but are not permitted on hiking trails, in the backcountry, or with groups traveling by four-wheel-drive vehicle, mountain bike or boat.

Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Dogs must be on a leash in all campgrounds, picnic areas and trailheads at all times. However, in Millcreek Canyon, dogs can go unleashed on odd days, and must be leashed at all times on even days. Dogs are not allowed, at any time, in Big Cottonwood or Little Cottonwood canyons.

Zion National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park.

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VERMONT

Woodstock: Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on park trails and carriage roads.

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VIRGINIA

Shenandoah National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on most trails and in campgrounds, but are not permitted in lodging units.

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WASHINGTON

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park except in designated picnic and developed swim beach areas.

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Pets on a leash are allowed on the trails and in the campgrounds, but are not permitted in swimming areas.

North Cascades National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on the Pacifc Crest Trail and on trails within Ross Lake and Lake Chelan Recreation Areas, but are not permitted on any other trails or in cross-country areas within the park.

Olympic National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in developed areas, campgrounds, at Rialto Beach to Ellen Creek, and on the Kalaloch beaches, but are not permitted on any other beaches, trails, meadows, or in any undeveloped area of the park.

Olympic National Forest
Pets on a leash are allowed on trails in Olympic National Forest.

San Juan Island National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted in park buildings. An off-leash area is located at South Beach, east of the main parking area below the tide line.

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WEST VIRGINIA

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Pets on a leash are allowed in the park, but are not permitted on the park shuttle buses or in park buildings.

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WISCONSIN
No listings at this time.

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WYOMING

Grand Teton National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed on roads, campgrounds, picnic areas, and in parking lots, but are not permitted on any park trails or in the park backcountry.

Yellowstone National Park
Pets on a leash are allowed within 100 feet of roads, parking areas and campgrounds, but are not permitted in the backcountry and on trails and boardwalks. Thermal areas pose particular hazards to pets.

More coming soon!