While a road trip to your favorite national park seems like the perfect opportunity to bring Fido, you may be surprised that most national parks aren’t incredibly dog-friendly. Here are the best ones that are.
If you do your research ahead of time and plan well, you can enjoy a road trip for the books with your furry friend. Here, we’ve rounded up seven of the best national parks to visit with dogs, along with our favorite hikes and campsites at each.
And if you want your pup to pull their weight, check out our list of the best dog backpacks.
Best National Parks to Visit With Dogs
Acadia National Park, Maine
Located primarily on Maine’s Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park is a 47,000-acre recreation area along the Atlantic coast. Home to the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline, a variety of different habitats, and rich cultural heritage, the park is one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the U.S.
The park features 27 miles of historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads. Almost all of these welcome dogs — the only exceptions are a few hikes that require ropes and ladders.
Dogs are also invited on the shuttles and are free to roam all of the public areas in the park except for Duck Harbor Campground, Wild Gardens of Acadia, Echo Lake Beach, and Sand Beach during the high season.
Popular hikes include Bar Island Trail, Schooner Head Path, and Wonderland Trail. And a good place to lay your head at night is Blackwoods or Some Sound View Campgrounds.