Pet Friendly Campgrounds At America’s National Parks

Camping is one of the most enjoyable and economical ways to experience America’s national parks! We’ve gathered information on pet friendly campgrounds at America’s national parks so you can start planning your trip.

 

Each year millions of families pitch a tent or park their camper and have the time of their lives exploring America’s national parks with their pets. And what dog doesn’t dream of the walks and hikes, campfire dinners, and sleeping under the stars? From seashores to deserts, and mountains to monuments – there’s no reason to leave your furry travel buddy behind! We’ve gathered information on all the pet friendly campgrounds at America’s national parks.

Finding Pet Friendly Campgrounds at America’s National Parks

As you plan your trip to pet friendly campgrounds at America’s national parks, keep in mind that most national parks have restrictions on where pets can go. These rules are in place to protect sensitive habitats and endangered species and can vary by site and time of year. We’ve provided a link to the pet policy for each national park in the information below. We encourage you to review the policies before making reservations.

Acadia is one of the country’s most pet friendly national parks, and a perfect place to go camping pets! With nearly all the trails and carriage roads open to pets on leashes, you’ll find plenty to do together.

Note that pets cannot be left unattended in vehicles and you must clean up after them. And neither pets or humans are allowed to swim in many of the bodies of water in the park, because provide drinking water for surrounding communities. Learn how your pup can become a BARK Ranger at Acadia!

>> View Acadia’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Things To Do While Camping At Acadia National Park Your Pet

Acadia National Park has three pet friendly camping options. All are wooded and within a short walk of the shoreline. The campgrounds all accommodate tents and small RVs and have flush toilets, running water, and dump stations. The only showers available are for a fee in surrounding private sites outside the park.

• Blackwoods Campground – Located on Route 3, the campground is 5 miles south of Bar Harbor. It is open all year, with some restrictions. Fee shower facilities and camping supply stores are located in the village of Otter Creek, 1/2 mile from the campground.
• Schoodic Woods Campground – Located on the Schoodic Peninsula, this campground is 3 miles southeast of Winter Harbor. It is open from late May through Columbus Day, and grocery and supply stores are located in Winter Harbor. This is the only campground in Acadia with electric sites, though there are currently no shower or laundry facilities nearby.
• Seawall Campground – Located on Route 102A, Sewall Campground is 4 miles south of Southwest Harbor. It is open from late May to the end of September, and fee shower facilities and camping supply stores are located 1 mile from the campground.

 

Amistad National Recreation Area is on the US side of the International Amistad Reservoir. Pets are allowed in all developed campsites, but must be on leash and cleaned up after. They are not allowed in archaeological sites, caves or rock shelters, marinas or docks (unless going to and from a boat), or administrative buildings.

>> View Amistad’s Pet Policy

There are five options for camping with pets within Amistad, and campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The campgrounds are generally open year-round and rarely fill up, except on holiday weekends. The only potable water and dump station available are near the Diablo East Boat Ramp at the Governors Landing Campground. The other campgrounds have vault toilets and no hook-ups.

• Governors Landing Campground – located off US-90 with 18 sites for tents or RVs under 28 feet long
• Rough Canyon Campground – located on the water, four sites suitable for tents or RVs
• San Pedro Campground – 30 sites suitable for tents or RVs, and 5 tent-only sites
• Spur 406 Campground – 6 sites suitable for tents or RVs
• 277 North Campground – 17 sites suitable for tents or RVs, each with a covered picnic table and a BBQ grill

Spread over 720 square miles in the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior, the National Lakeshore offers recreation, solitude, reflection, and beauty. The archipelago is comprised of 12 miles of mainland, accessible by car, and 21 islands, which can only be reached by water.

Pets are not allowed on the Apostle Island Cruises run by the National Park Service. However, they can join you on the following private charters, taxis, and ferries, which can take you to island camping areas:

Adventure Vacations – Dogs are allowed on boat tours and boat taxis. If you will be sharing a boat taxi with another party, you must get the agreement of the other passengers to bring your dog aboard.

Madeline Island Ferry – Pets are welcome but must be leashed or crated at all times.

PMG Charters – Dogs are permitted on water taxis.

>> View Apostle Islands’ Pet Policy

Camping with pets is an option on 18 of the Lakeshore’s 21 islands, and at one campsite on the mainland. All campgrounds have either vault toilets or privies. Only Sand Island and Stockton Island have water available and each also has a handicapped accessible campsite.

 

Arches National Park protects a landscape of contrasting colors, land forms, and textures unlike any other. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks.

Pets are welcome in Devils Garden Campground, at the picnic areas, and can explore all the unpaved roads in the park with you! Pets are not allowed at any overlooks, on any hiking trails or any off-trail areas, or in the visitor center. You also cannot leave your pet unattended, except in paid campsites, where they must not cause a disturbance.

>> View Arch’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting Arches National Park With Pets

Devils Garden Campground has 51 sites and is open year-round. From November through February, sites are first-come, first-served, but can be reserved from March through October. Located 18 miles from the park entrance, it’s one of the more remote pet friendly campgrounds at America’s national parks.

 

Assateague is know for its heard of wild horses, and pets on leashes are welcome in specific areas of the Maryland section of the National Seashore, including sections of the beach. Note that pets are not allowed in any part of the Virginia section of the park, including inside cars, so visitors traveling with pets must enter the park’s north entrance, on Route 611.

>> View Assateague Island’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒  Visiting Assateague Island With Dogs

There are four pet friendly campgrounds at Assateague, all of which have which have chemical toilets, cold water showers, and drinking water. Camping reservations are required from March 15 through November 15, and are available six months in advance.

• Oceanside Drive-in Sites: Tents, trailers and RVs (no hook-ups). Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring.
• Oceanside Walk-in Sites: Tent-only sites, located 100-200 feet from centralized parking areas. Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring.
• Bayside Drive-in Sites: Tents, trailers and RVs (no hook-ups). Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. The “Generator-Free Zone” is located in Bayside B Loop.
• Horse Camp: There are 2 campsites for horse camping available October 16 through April 14. Each site accommodates up to 6 people and 6 horses.

 

Covering 244,000 acres, the Badlands’ striking geologic deposits have been sculpted by the power of erosion. In contrast, the park’s extensive mixed-grass prairie is home to bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets.

In the Badlands, leashed pets can only join you in developed areas, such as campgrounds, picnic areas, and other areas open to motor vehicles. You cannot leave pets unattended, and they cannot join you on hiking trails, in buildings, or in backcountry areas, including the Badlands Wilderness Area and areas with prairie dog colonies.

>> View Badlands’ Pet Policy

For nearby camping options that offer more pet friendly activities, consider Custer State Park, Angostura Recreation Area, or the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.

Badlands National Park has two developed, pet friendly campgrounds:

• Cedar Pass Campground – 96 sites total, some designated for RV camping with electric hookups, cold water and flush toilets
• Sage Creek Campground – free, 22 sites, no water and only pit toilets available. Motor homes, pull behind trailers, and other recreational vehicles longer than 18 feet are prohibited.

With petroglyphs, dwellings carved into the soft rock cliffs, and ancient standing masonry walls, Bandelier National Monument protects over 33,000 acres of rugged but beautiful canyon and mesa country.

Pets are not permitted on any park trails at Bandelier. But they are welcome in Juniper campground, the parking lot in front of the visitor center, and in the Cottonwood Picnic Area across Frijoles Creek between the “No Dogs Permitted Beyond this Point” signs. All pets must remain on a leash no longer than 6 feet while in the park.

>> View Bandelier’s Pet Policy

Bandelier has one pet friendly campground:

• Juniper Campground has restrooms with running water, but no electric hook-ups or showers.

 

Comprised of 2.7 million acres on the Seward Peninsula in northwest Alaska, Bering Land Bridge is one of America’s most remote national parks. Travel into the preserve requires planning, flexibility, and most often, an airplane.

Bering Land Bridge places no restrictions on pets, except that they are not allowed in buildings. Only primitive dispersed camping is allowed. There are no designated camping areas and campers are expected to use leave-no-trace practices.

>> Bering Land Bridge provides no online pet policy

Big Bend National Park is a marvelous landscape that stretches from the meandering river that twists across the desert floor to the sky island ridge tops covered in pines. This isolated retreat offers a magnificent diversity of wildlife and recreational opportunities.

Pets are not permitted on trails or in buildings at Big Bend. However, they can join you for walks on the unpaved roads and are welcome in all the campgrounds. 

>> View Big Bend’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Exploring Big Bend, Texas With Dogs

Primitive roadside camping for small RVs and trailers is allowed in Big Bend. In addition, the Park offers three pet friendly camping options suitable for tents and RVs. Facilities include drinking water and restroom facilities.

• Rio Grande Village RV Campground – full hook-ups with 25 RV sites,  restrooms with running water and showers a short walk away.
• Cottonwood Campground – pit toilets
• Chisos Basin Campground – flush toilets and running water. Trailers over 20′ and RV’s over 24′ are not recommended here due to narrow, winding road to the Basin and small campsites at this campground.

In addition to the campgrounds, this park offers pet friendly accommodations in its lodge. At Chisos Basin Lodge, pets are allowed in the Roosevelt Stone Cottages 101-103. Be aware that pets cannot be left unattended in the room or in a closed vehicle.

 

The freshwaters of the Big Cypress Swamp, are essential to the health of the neighboring Everglades, They support a rich mixture of tropical and temperate plant communities and are home to diverse wildlife, including the Endangered Florida panther.

Pets cannot go on any hiking trails, on the boardwalks, or inside the buildings at Big Cypress. But can accompany you in the campgrounds, picnic areas, and at pullouts along the paved scenic drives. You can walk your pet along roads or in parking lots, but he must remain leashed at all times when outside a vehicle, and you cannot leave him unattended.

>> View Big Cypress’ Pet Policy

Learn how your pup can become a BARK Ranger at Big Cypress!

All eight national park campgrounds at Big Cypress are pet friendly, but only Midway has running water, electrical hook-ups, and a dump station.

• Bear Island Campground – accessed by a long, gravel road, sites are first-come, first-served. Primitive camping with no water or electric and vault toilets.
• Burns Lake Campground – Primitive camping with no water or electric and vault toilets.
• Gater Head Campground – Primitive camping with no water or electric and vault toilets.
• Midway Campground – 26 RV and 10 tent sites, restrooms, drinking water, day-use area, and dump station. RV sites have electric hook-up.
• Mitchell Landing Campground – 11 sites accessed by a secondary gravel road. Primitive camping with no water or electric and vault toilets.
• Monument Lake Campground – 26 RV and 10 tent sites, restrooms, drinking water. No hook-ups for electricity, sewer, or water are available.
• Pinecrest Campground – Four group sites with no water or electric and vault toilets.
• Pink Jeep Campground – Primitive camping with no water or electric and vault toilets.

This National River and Recreation Area protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. With miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, it provides a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.

Pets can enjoy exploring with you at Big South Fork! Though some trails have steep ladders and rock ledges that pets might not be able to negotiate without your help. Check with park rangers for trail information. And keep in mind that pets must remain on leash at all times and need to have identification and rabies tags on their collars.

>> View Big South Fork’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Tips for Canoeing or Kayaking with Dogs

Big South Fork offers pet friendly campgrounds with both primitive facilities and developed campsites, plus two equestrian campgrounds with full amenities:

• Alum Ford – Located west of Whitley City, Kentucky. The campground has six campsites each with picnic table and fire ring. Pit toilets are available, but no drinking water.
• Bandy Creek – Located west of Oneida, Tennessee. Some sites have electric and water, but no sewer hook-ups are available. All campsites include picnic tables, fire rings, and access to restrooms and showers. A dump station is located near the registration kiosk.
• Bear Creek – Located west of Stearns, Kentucky. Each site has water and electric hook-ups, picnic table, grill, tie-outs for 4 horses, access to miles of horse trails, modern restrooms with hot showers, and a dump station.
• Blue Heron – Located west of Stearns, Kentucky. All sites have electric and water hook-ups with access to restrooms, hot showers, and dump station.
• Station Camp – Located west of Oneida, Tennessee. Each of the 24 sites has water and electric hook-ups, picnic table, grill, tie-outs for 4 horses, access to miles of horse trails, modern restrooms with hot showers, and a dump station.

In addition to the campgrounds, this park offers pet friendly accommodations in its lodge. Charit Creek Lodge – a pet friendly rustic backcountry lodge – is only accessible by hiking, biking or horseback.

 

Boat across the waters of Bighorn Lake, while you take in awe inspiring views of the massive canyon walls! Or choose from over 17 miles of trails, ranging from short walks to dramatic overlooks.

Leashed pets are welcome aboard boats on the lake and on all the trails in Bighorn Canyon, as long as you clean up after them.

>> View Bighorn Canyon’s Pet Policy

Bighorn Canyon’s pet friendly campgrounds offer a variety of setting and different amenities.

The following sites can be reached by vehicle:

• Afterbay Campground – sites for tents and RVs with electricity, drinking water, and vault toilets
• Barry’s Landing & Trail Creek Campground – sites for tents and small RVs. Vault toilets only, no running water or electricity.
• Grapevine Campground – sites for tents and RVs with vault toilets. No hookups.
• Horseshoe Bend Campground – some sites have electric hook-ups. There are also modern restrooms, an RV dump station, drinking water, and a swim beach. (Pets are not allowed at the beach.)

The park also has three waterway campsites, which are only accessible by boat or hiking:

• Black Canyon Campground – only accessible by boat. It has vault toilets but not drinking water.
• Day Board Nine – a developed campground with bear boxes, a dock, and floating restrooms.
• Medicine Creek Campground – primitive sites, reached only by hiking or boating in.

Finally, dispersed/ backcountry camping is allowed on Bighorn Lake in undeveloped areas, below the high water mark of 3,640 feet elevation. Dispersed/ backcountry camping is free, does not require a permit, and is available on a first come first serve basis. Remember to pack out everything you bring in!

With 95% of its 173,000 acres covered by water, Biscayne National Park welcomes leashed pets on the grounds surrounding the visitor center and in the developed areas of Elliott Key.

With the exception of service animals, pets are prohibited on other islands in the park.

>> View Biscayne’s Pet Policy

There is one pet friendly campground at Biscayne National Park:

• Elliott Key Campground – accessible only by shallow-draft boats, sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tent campers have access to restrooms with running water and cold water showers. Drinking water is available on the island, but bringing water is suggested if the system goes down.

 

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park exposes you to some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. Over two million years, the Gunnison River and Mother Nature have sculpted this vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky.

In Black Canyon of the Gunnison, pets on leash can walk along roads, in campgrounds, to the overlooks, and are allowed on the Rim Rock Trail, Cedar Point Nature Trail, and North Rim Chasm View Nature Trail. Pets cannot go on any other hiking trails, inner canyon routes, or in the wilderness area.

Dog Restrictions
From June 1 to August 15, dogs are allowed in campsites, but might not be allowed on walks (even on leash) or carried around the South Rim Campground or on the Rim Rock Trail due to potentially aggressive deer protecting their fawns.

>> View Black Canyon of the Gunnison’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Camping With Dogs – A Beginner’s Guide

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park offers three pet friendly camping options:

• North Rim Campground – Located approximately 16 miles southwest of Crawford, Colorado. The last 7 miles of North Rim Road are unpaved. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and have a maximum 14 consecutive day stay in a 30 day period. RVs greater than 22 (or cars and trailers combined) feet are not recommended, and no electric or sewer service is provided. Generator use is allowed within designated hours, and water is brought in by truck, so RV water filling is not available. All sites have vault toilets.
• South Rim Campground – Located approximately 6 miles north of the intersection of CO Hwy 347 and U.S. Hwy 50 east of Montrose, Colorado. Reservations can be made for Loops A and B only, and must be made at least 3 days in advance. Loop C is first-come, first-served. All sites have a maximum 14 consecutive day stay in a 30 day period. Electrical hook-ups (20, 30, and 50 amp) are available during the summer in Loop B only. Generator use is not allowed, and vehicles longer than 35 feet are not recommended. All sites have vault toilets.
• East Portal Campground – Technically located within Curecanti National Recreation Area, this campground is adjacent to and only accessible from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This small campground is at the bottom of the canyon, along the Gunnison River, and is box elder trees. Note that dogs are allowed in the campground, but cannot cross the river into the Wilderness Area.

The Blue Ridge Parkway meanders for 469 miles, revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains of the Appalachian Highlands. Visitor centers, campgrounds, and hiking trails are scattered along the way. 

Pets can join you on all trails, but must remain leashed and under your control.

>> View The Parkway’s Pet Policy

The Blue Ridge Parkway has eight pet friendly campgrounds that are all open from May through late October, weather permitting. Every campground has drinking water, restrooms with running water, and a dump station, but only Julian Price and Mount Pisgah Campground have showers.

• Otter Creek – Milepost 60.8 – 45 tent sites and 24 RV sites
• Peaks of Otter – Milepost 85.9 – 86 tent sites and 58 RV sites
• Rocky Knob – Milepost 167.1 – 81 tent sites and 28 RV sites
• Doughton Park – Milepost 239.2 – 110 tent sites and 25 RV sites
• Julian Price – Milepost 297.0 – 119 tent sites and 78 RV sites
• Linville Falls – Milepost 316.4 – 50 tent sites and 20 RV sites
• Crabtree Falls – Milepost 339.5 – 70 tent sites and 22 RV sites; first-come, first-served
• Mount Pisgah – Milepost 408.8 – 64 tent sites and 62 RV sites

In addition, the park has three backcountry campgrounds available. Backcountry camping permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis from May 1 to October 31.

• Rock Castle Gorge – Milepost 167.1 – 8 sites
• Basin Cove – Milepost 244.7 – 8 sites
• John’s River Road – Milepost 296.9 – 2 sites

 

Bryce Canyon National Park is home to the greatest number of hoodoos on Earth! The magic of these geological wonders defy description.

Pets are permitted on all paved surfaces at Bryce Canyon: campgrounds, parking lots, paved roads, paved overlooks, on the paved trail between Sunset Point and Sunrise Point, and on the paved Shared Use Path between the park entrance and Inspiration Point. Leashes are required, and pets are not permitted on unpaved trails or viewpoints, in public buildings, or on public transportation vehicles.

>> View Bryce’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ For Dog Friendly Trails Near Bryce, Visit Dixie National Forest!

Bryce Canyon National Park has two pet friendly camping options: North Campground and Sunset Campground. Neither has electric service, but North Campground has flush toilets, laundry, and coin-operated showers. It is open year-round.

Established in 1972, Buffalo National River flows freely for 135 miles and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48 states. From running rapids to quiet pools surrounded by massive bluffs it cuts a path through the Ozark Mountains down to the White River.

At the Buffalo National River, pets can go in campgrounds and on gravel bars up to 100 feet from the water’s edge, as long as they remain leashed. You cannot leave your pets unattended and they cannot go in any buildings or caves.

These trails are pet friendly: Tyler Bend Campground trails (Spring Hollow, Buck Ridge, and Rock Wall in the Middle District), and all three Buffalo Point Campground trails (Forest Trail, Overlook Trail, and Campground Trail in the Lower District)

Pets are prohibited in the designated wilderness area, with the exception of gravel bars along the river corridor in those areas.

>> View Buffalo National River’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Canoeing The Buffalo National River With Dogs

Buffalo National River offers pet friendly campgrounds with varying amenities. From north to south by location along the river:

• Steel Creek Campground – Tents only – water and flush toilets available from March – November
• Kyles Landing Campground – Tents only – water and flush toilets available from March – November and vault toilets off-season. Road access requires high clearance vehicle.
• Erbie Campground – Drive-in sites available for RV or tent camping – no hook-ups, running water, or dump station. There is a vault toilet at the boat launch.
• Ozark Campground – Open year round for tents and RVs – flush toilets and drinking water from mid-March to mid-November. Vault toilets available after water shut off.
• Carver Campground – 8 sites open year round with vault toilets. No trash service.
• Tyler Bend Campground – Walk in and drive in sites available for reservations from March – November and on a first-come, first-served basis off-season. The campground provides flush toilet restrooms, one with hot showers. A dump station and water tank fill is located near the park entrance at Highway 65, but there are no RV hook-ups in the campground.
• Mt. Hersey Campground – Primitive sites available year-round with no running water or services
• Woolum Campground – Primitive sites available year-round with vault toilets
• Grinders Ferry, Shine Eye, and Gilbert gravel bars – Available year-round for free with vault toilets and limited or no services. Vehicle access is limited.
• South Maumee Campground – Free sites with vault toilets and no services
• Spring Creek Campground – Tents only – free sites with vault toilets and no services
• Buffalo Point Campground – 100 sites, including some with RV hook-ups
• Rush Campground – 12 sites for tents with vault toilets and no services

In addition to the campgrounds, this Park offers pet friendly cabins at Buffalo Point Cabins. They charge a $50 per pet fee, which covers the entire stay.

 

Canyonlands encompasses a wilderness of countless canyons and buttes carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries. 

There is very little you’re allowed to do with pets at Canyonlands National Park. Pets can only join you along paved drives and in parking lots, at picnic areas, inside your vehicle on Shafer Trail to Potash Road at Island in the Sky, and at Willow Flat and Squaw Flat campgrounds.

You cannot take your pet with you to overlooks, on any hiking trails, anywhere in the backcountry, on the rivers, or on any other backcountry roads – even inside your vehicle.

>> View Canyonland’s Pet Policy

For more fun camping and activities in the area, consider pet friendly Moab!

READ MORE ⇒ Your Ultimate Guide To Dog Friendly Moab

Canyonlands National Park offers pet friendly camping at Island in the Sky (Willow Flat) and The Needles campgrounds. Both have vault toilets and drinking water, but neither have RV hook-ups.

At Cape Hatteras National Seashore, pets can enjoy all the trails and any beach not designated as a swimming beach! Though keep in mind that pets must remain leashed at all times and cannot go into any resource closure.

>> View Cape Hattaras’ Pet Policy

The National Seashore has four pet friendly campgrounds for tents and RVs. Two are open year-round and two are available from early-April to late November. Facilities include running water and showers, and all campgrounds are a short walk to the beach.

• Cape Point Campground – 202 reservable sites, no hook ups
• Frisco Campground – 127 reservable sites located among the sand dunes, no hook ups
• Ocracoke Campground – 136 reservable sites, accessible only by pet friendly ferry, no hook ups
• Oregon Inlet Campground – 107 reservable sites, 47 have hook ups

 

Accessible only by ferry or private boat, Cape Lookout National Seashore protects remote beaches on a chain of barrier islands. Though most visitors come for the solitude, you can also go shelling, fishing, birding, camping, lighthouse climbing, and touring historic villages. 

Pets must remain leashed at all times, and are not permitted in buildings (except the pet friendly cabins). There is little to no shade on the islands. And you will need to bring fresh water for yourself as well as your pet, as there is little available on the island.

>> View Cape Lookout’s Pet Policy

All camping at Cape Lookout is primitive beach camping. There are no designated campgrounds. Please use leave-no-trace practices.

In addition to primitive beach camping, this park offers pet friendly cabins. Great Island and Long Point Cabins – pet staying in the cabins must be kept in a crate.

Reaching the Cape requires a ride on one of these pet friendly ferries:

Davis Shore Ferry Services – vehicle and passenger service from Davis, North Carolina to Great Island cabin area with vehicle access to South Core Banks.

Island Express – round-trip passenger ferries leave from Harkers Island and Beaufort, North Carolina, and provide scenic rides to Cape Lookout Lighthouse and Shackleford Banks.

Cape Lookout Cabins & Camps Ferry Service – vehicle and passenger service from Davis and Atlantic, North Carolina. The Davis route serves the Great Island cabin area with vehicle access to South Core Banks. The Atlantic route serves the Long Point cabin area with vehicle access to North Core Banks/Portsmouth Island.

Reservations should be made in advance, and the ferry services note that their boats’ steel decks can become hot in the sun, plan to take steps to keep your pet’s paws comfortable on your trip.

Located in the heart of Utah’s red rock country, Capitol Reef National Park is filled with cliffs, canyons, domes and bridges. These formations all result from a geologic monocline (a wrinkle on the earth) extending almost 100 miles.

Leashed pets can enjoy the developed areas of the Park: within 50 feet of center line of roads (paved and dirt) that are open to public vehicles, parking areas open to public vehicles, unfenced and/or unlocked orchards, the Chestnut and Doc Inglesbe picnic areas, the trail from the visitor center to the Fruita Campground, the Fremont River Trail from the campground to the south end of Hattie’s Field, and the campgrounds. Pets cannot join you on any other hiking trails, in public buildings, or in the backcountry.

>> View Capitol Reef’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Car Camping With Pets: Prep The Car, What to Pack, and More

Capital Reef National Park offers pet friendly camping at Fruita Campground. This campground has 64 RV/tent sites and 7 walk-in tent sites, each with a picnic table and fire pit or grill. There are no individual water, sewer, or electrical hook-ups. There is a RV dump and potable water fill station near the entrance to Loops A and B. The restrooms have running water and flush toilets, but no showers. The campground is open year-round, and sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. They often fill by early to mid-morning in the spring and fall seasons.

In addition, there are two primitive campgrounds.

Cathedral Valley Campground is located about 36 miles from the visitor center on the Cathedral Valley Loop Road. Access this campground requires a high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle. This primitive, no-fee campground is open year-round and has six sites, each with a picnic table and fire grate. There is a pit toilet, but no water available.

Cedar Mesa Campground is located approximately 23 miles south of Utah State Highway 24 on the Notom-Bullfrog Road. Two-wheel drive vehicles can usually access this campground, but sometimes the road requires high clearance. This primitive, no-fee campground is open year-round and has five sites, each with a picnic table and fire grate. There is also a pit toilet, but no water is available.

 

Perched at over 10,000 feet, Cedar Breaks looks down into a half-mile deep geologic amphitheater. Admire timeless bristlecone pines, stand in meadows of wildflowers, and ponder crystal-clear night skies in this subalpine forest.

Cedar Breaks welcomes pets on leashes in all the paved areas of the park, including the overlooks located throughout the Monument. Pets are also allowed on the Sunset Trail, which runs from the Information Center to the campground.

>> View Cedar Breaks’ Pet Policy

Pet friendly camping at Point Supreme Campground is available from mid-June to mid-September (weather permitting). Each of the 25 campsites has a picnic table, fire pit or grill, and access to restrooms with showers, chopped firewood, and water spigots. Note that pets cannot be left in the campground unattended.

At Chaco, the massive buildings of the Ancestral Puebloan people stand as testimony to organizational and engineering abilities unrivaled anywhere else in the American Southwest. Explore the canyon that was central to thousands of people between 850 and 1250 A.D., through guided tours, hiking & biking trails, evening campfire talks, and night sky programs.

Leashed pets can join you on the Pueblo Alto, Peñasco Blanco, South Mesa, and Wijiji backcountry hiking trails. You must carry out all pet waste and keep your pets under control at all times.

Pets are not allowed in the principal Chacoan sites (Pueblo Bonito, Chetro Ketl, Casa Rinconada, Pueblo del Arroyo, Hungo Pavi, and Una Vida) located along the Canyon Loop Drive.

>> View Chaco’s Pet Policy

The Gallo Campground at Chaco is pet friendly and open year-round. Each site has a picnic table, fire grate with a grill, access to water, restrooms with flush toilets, and a dump station. There are no showers. Trailers and RVs over 35 feet in length cannot be accommodated.

A commercial waterway for nearly 100 years, the 184.5-mile canal is now a recreational treasure for boaters, bikers, and walkers. The only places leashed pets cannot go are on Section A of the Billy Goat Trail and on the overlook trail to Great Falls.

>> View Chesapeake & Ohio Canal’s Pet Policy

Pet friendly Hiker-Biker and Drive-In campsites are available every few miles along the canal and are open year round. Drive-in sites must be reserved. The only campgrounds that can accommodate RVs are Fifteen Mile Creek Campsite in Little Orleans (mile 140) and McCoy’s Ferry Campground in Big Spring (mile 110.4). All campgrounds have chemical toilets and drinking water in season.
View the full list of campgrounds online.

 

Water has always been the reason people are drawn to Chickasaw. Many of the park trails in the Platt Historic District hug the banks of the streams, pass by rushing waterfalls, and meander along mineral water and freshwater springs. In the Arbuckle District the trails offer panoramic views of Lake of the Arbuckles.

Leashed pets can explore most of the park with you. The only exceptions are within the Travertine Nature Center, on the trails east of the Travertine Nature Center, and in all swimming areas along Travertine Creek east of US 177.

>> View Chickasaw’s Pet Policy

Chickasaw offers six pet friendly national park campgrounds, each with different amenities:

• Central Campground – Ten group sites available by reservation only.
• Cold Springs Campground – Open from May through early-October, this campground has non-electrical sites that are best for tent camping, though small RVs and pop-up campers (less than 20′) might fit. Restrooms and water spigots are close to campsites.
• Rock Creek Campground – Open year-round, this campground has 99 non-electrical sites that can accommodate some RVs, but are mainly for tent camping. Restrooms and water spigots are close to campsites.
• Buckhorn Campground – This campground has 134 sites, 42 with electrical and water hook-ups. Loop C has mostly 50 amp sites, while all other electric sites are 30 amp. Showers are available, and a dump station is located nearby.
• Guy Sandy Campground – Open from May through early-October, this campground has 40 first-come, first-served campsites with water faucets and pit toilets.
• The Point Campground – Lower Loop has 9 water/electric sites and 28 tent sites. Upper Loop has 12 water/electric sites (50 and 30 amp) and 9 tent sites, including 2 handicapped accessible sites; these sites are reservable. Showers are available, and there is a dump station nearby.

By far the most noticeable natural features in Chiricahua are the rhyolite rock pinnacles that the Monument was created to protect. Some rise hundreds of feet into the air, and many balance on a small base, seemingly ready to topple over at any time. 

At Chiricahua pets can hike all the trails in the lower canyon: Silver Spur Trail, Faraway Ranch, Bonita Creek, and the trail connecting the visitor center to the campground.

Beyond that, pets can go anywhere a car can go: roads and road shoulders, picnic area turnouts, campground, and parking lots. Pets are not permitted on other hiking trails in the park, inside the visitor center or public buildings, on interpretive walks/programs, or in the wilderness area.

>> View Chiricahua’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ 15 Pet Friendly Things To Do Around Tucson, AZ

Pet friendly Bonita Canyon Campground at Chiricahua has sites for tents and RVs up to 29 feet. Though there are no hook-ups, campers have access to flush toilets and water.

 

Emigrants following the California Trail described the rocks here as “a city of tall spires,” “steeple rocks,” and “the silent city.” Today, this park attracts rock climbers, campers, hikers, hunters, and those with the spirit of adventure who are looking to get off the beaten path.

Pets can explore the park with you, but must remain on a leash no longer than six feet when outside your camper.

>> View City of Rocks’ Pet Policy

The City of Rocks Campground has 64 pet friendly campsites for tents and small- to medium-sized RVs. There are no hook-ups, but campers have access to vault toilets and drinking water. Reservations are advised during the summer. The remainder of the year, sites are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Pets are allowed on a limited basis at the Lodge at Castle Rock Ranch and the Willow Glamping Yurt in nearby Castle Rocks State Park.

Colorado National Monument preserves a grand landscape of towering monoliths overlooking a vast plateau and canyon panorama. As you navigate the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, watch for bighorn sheep and soaring eagles!

At Colorado National Monument, leashed pets can accompany you in the developed campground area and can be walked along paved roads. Pets cannot go on hiking trails or anywhere in the backcountry. Additionally, pets may not accompany cyclists while riding on Rim Rock Drive.

>> View Colorado National Monument’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting Colorado National Monument With Dogs

Colorado National Monument offers pet friendly camping at Saddlehorn Campground. There are three loops of campsites, though only one is open year-round. Sites are suitable for tents and RVs, and have picnic tables and charcoal-only grills. Some pull-through sites are available, and campers have access to restrooms with running water during the summer, but no showers.

 

Congaree boasts the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States! And pets can join you on ALL trails – including the boardwalk – as long as they remain leashed and you clean up after them.

>> View Congaree’s Pet Policy

Congaree National Park has two developed, pet friendly campgrounds, as well as primitive, backcountry campsites. Camping in this park is for tents only – no RVs permitted.

• Longleaf Campground – vault toilets and no running water
• Bluff Campground – walk-in sites with no restrooms or water

A violent eruption triggered the collapse of a tall peak, and that is how Crater Lake began. Fed by rain and snow, it’s now the deepest lake in America, and one of the most pristine on Earth.

At Crater Lake, leashed pets can walk the 1/4-mile paved promenade at Rim Village, which offers fine views of the lake. Dogs can also hike the Godfrey Glen Trail, Lady of the Woods Trail, Grayback Drive, and Pacific Crest Trail (the official PCT, not the “alternate” PCT along the rim of the lake), though none of these trails provide lake views.

Pets can also join you for a walk along paved roads and in parking lots, and up to 50 feet from any paved areas.

>> View Crater Lake’s Pet Policy

Crater Lake National Park offers two pet friendly campgrounds.

• Mazama Campground has sites that can accommodate RV’s and tents. Some sites have water and electric hook-ups, and campers have access to flush toilets.
• Lost Creek Campground (16 sites for tents only) is located 3 miles southeast of the lake along the Pinnacles Road. It is typically open from early July to mid-October, but it will be closed in 2022.

Craters of the Moon is a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush. Pets can go in the campground and along paved roads, but not in buildings or on hiking trails.

Learn how your pup can become a BARK Ranger at Craters of the Moon!

>> View Craters of the Moon’s Pet Policy

Lava Flow Campground at Craters of the Moon is pet friendly and has 42 campsites for RVs and tents, available on a first come-first served basis. Large RV’s and trailers can be accommodated on a limited number of sites, and there are no hook-ups available. Campers have access to water and restrooms, but no showers.

 

Touching three states, Cumberland Gap National Park has miles of trails and activities to enjoy, and leashed pets can explore the entire park with you!

>> View Cumberland Gap’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting Pet Friendly Cumberland Gap National Historic Park

Cumberland Gap’s pet friendly Wilderness Road Campground is located off Hwy 58 near the park visitor center in Ewing, Virginia. Open from mid-May to late November, sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Forty-one sites have electrical hook-ups (20, 30 and 50 amp), and RVs up to 50 feet can be accommodated. Hot showers and potable water are also available.

Curecanti is a series of three reservoirs along the once wild Gunnison River. Best known for salmon and trout fishing, this park also offers opportunities for hiking, boating, camping, and bird watching.

Leashed pets can explore all Curecanti’s hiking trails with you, however pets cannot go on the Morrow Point Boat Tour.

>> View Curecanti’s Pet Policy

Curecanti National Recreation Area has ten pet friendly campgrounds suitable for tents or RVs. In addition, each reservoir has established boat-in campsites available. Campground amenities vary by location:

• Elk Creek Campground – 160 sites for RVs and tents with electric hook-ups and showers
• Lake Fork Campground – No electric hook-ups, but water and showers during summer season
• Stevens Creek Campground – Drinking water available from May to September; vault toilets and no electric hook-ups
• Cimmaron Campground – Non-electric sites for tents and medium sized RVs with flush toilets and water
• Ponderosa Campground – Sites for small RVs and tents with vault toilets and no water
• Dry Gulch Campground – Sites for small RVs and tents with vault toilets and no water
• East Portal Campground – 15 sites for tents only; drinking water and vault toilets
• East Elk Creek Group Campground – 1 campsite that can accommodate a total of 50 people with space for tents or RVs
• Red Creek Campground – A single site for a tent or an RV less than 22 feet long with vault toilets and no water
• Gateview Campground – Six sites only suitable for tents with vault toilets and water

 

Drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Winter frosts its towering peaks with snow, and summer rainstorms, though rare, bring vast fields of wildflowers. Despite its name, life thrives in Death Valley.

Leashed pets are welcome in Death Valley National Park, though they are restricted to developed areas: along roads (paved and dirt), in campgrounds, picnic areas, and other developed areas of the park.

>> View Death Valley’s Pet Policy

As with other pet friendly campgrounds in America’s national parks, pets are welcome in Death Valley’s campgrounds. But pets must be leashed anytime they are outside your camper. No more than four pets are allowed per campsite, and pet owners should be good neighbors by keeping their pets quiet, cleaning up after them, and never leaving pets unattended. Food and water bowls must not be left outside.

Each of Death Valley’s pet friendly campgrounds offers different amenities:

• Furnace Creek Campground – Full hook-ups with pull-through RV sites and tent sites, restrooms, and water
• Texas Springs, Sunset, Stovepipe Wells, and Mesquite Spring Campgrounds – Tent and RV sites with restrooms and water
• Wildrose Campground – Sites for tents and small RVs (less than 25 feet long) with pit toilets and water
• Emigrant Campground – Tents only with restrooms and water
• Thorndike, Eureka Dunes, Homestake, Saline Valley, and Mahogany Flat Campgrounds – Primitive campsites accessible only to high clearance vehicles no longer than 25 feet. 4-wheel drive may be necessary.

In addition to camping, this park offers pet friendly hotel options. Stovepipe Wells Village  is a rustic hotel with clean, comfortable rooms.

Panamint Springs Resort is a small, western-style, resort in the beautiful Panamint Valley. Additional pet fee: $5 per night per pet in a motel room or tent cabin, and $5 per pet per visit in RV or tent sites.

Denali is six million acres of Alaskan wilderness, bisected by a single ribbon of road. Pets visiting Denali can go in campgrounds accessed by private vehicles, along roads, and on the Roadside Trail and Bike Path, but not on any other trails. Pets must be leashed at all times and are not allowed on Denali’s busses.

>> View Danali’s Pet Policy

None of Denali National Park’s pet friendly campgrounds have hook-ups, but there are several to choose from:

• Riley Creek Campground – Sites for tents and large RVs with seasonal access to restrooms and showers
• Savage River Campground – Sites for tents and large RVs with seasonal access to restrooms, but no showers
• Teklanika River Campground – Though nearly all private vehicles must turn around at Savage River Campground, Tek campers are an exception to that rule. The trade-off for experiencing this section of Denali Park Road is that you must stay at least three nights, and your vehicle must stay in your campsite for the duration of your stay. Teklanika has seasonal water for drinking and vault toilets.

 

The Delaware Water Gap protects 40 miles of the Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River, offering stunning scenery to hikers on the peaks and kayakers in the valleys. And with 100+ miles of pet friendly trails, you’ll find plenty to explore with your pet!

>> View Delaware Water Gap’s Pet Policy

Pet friendly camping in the Delaware Water Gap is available at the campgrounds listed below. In addition, there are 62 primitive campsites along the Delaware River, and backcountry camping is permitted along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, but only for hikers on extended trips.

• Dingmans Campground – most sites are rustic, but there are a few RV sites with electric and water hook-ups. Access to showers and running water. Additionally, there are many spots for backcountry campers and their pets.
• Mohican Outdoor Center – 11 primitive walk-in campsites in a wooded setting. Drinking water is available and limited supplies can be obtained at the camp store (open during business hours).
• Worthington State Forest – 69 primitive campsites in a wooded setting with a number of sites along the Delaware river. Restrooms and drinking water are available by a short walk from most campsites.

Devils Postpile National Monument protects and preserves one of the world’s finest examples of columnar basalt, with columns up to 60 feet high. Also within the park is the 101-foot high Rainbow Falls, all surrounded by pristine mountain scenery.

Leashed pets visiting Devils Postpile can join you in the day-use areas, on the trails, and in the campground. Dogs can even ride the shuttle buses, as long as they’re leashed and muzzled.

>> View Devils Postpile’s Pet Policy

Devils Postpile closed its campground. However, there are four pet friendly national forest campgrounds nearby: Pumice Flat, Minaret Falls, Upper Soda Springs, and Reds Meadow.

Devils Tower is a magnificent geological feature, rising over the rolling plains. Leashed pets can join you in the picnic area, parking areas, along the roads, and in the campground, but not on trails or in buildings.

>> View Devils Tower’s Pet Policy

The pet friendly Belle Fourche River Campground at Devil’s Tower is open mid-May through mid-October (weather permitting). It’s a 2-loop, 50-site campground that can accommodate tents and RVs up to 35 feet. Sites are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, there are no hook-ups, and campers have access to restrooms but no showers. Leaving pets unattended in the campground is not allowed.

 

Dinosaurs once shook the Earth, and your dog can join you for a walk in their footsteps at Dinosaur National Monument.

Leashed pets are allowed on the Cold Desert, Plug Hat Butte and other trails at the Plug Hat Picnic Area, Echo Park Overlook, and Iron Springs Bench Overlook on the Colorado side of the park. In Utah, pets are welcome on the River Trail and on the short trail to Swelter Shelter Petroglyphs. In addition, pets can go in day-use areas, river launches, campgrounds, parking areas, and within 100 feet of all roads.

>> View Dinosaur National Monument’s Pet Policy

Campers with pets have plenty of options, with three pet friendly campgrounds in Colorado and three in Utah:

• Deerlodge Park, Colorado – Walk-in sites for tents only with seasonal water and vault toilet
• Echo Park, Colorado – Sites for tents and truck campers with seasonal water and vault toilets.
• Gates of Lodore, Colorado – Sites for RVs and tents with seasonal water and vault toilets
• Green River Campground, Utah – Sites for tents and RVs with restrooms but no showers
• Rainbow Park, Utah – Walk-in sites for tents only with no water and vault toilets. Road is impassable when wet.
• Split Mountain Campground, Utah – Sites for tents and large RVs with seasonal restrooms and vault toilets in the off-season

A reliable waterhole hidden at the base of a sandstone bluff made El Morro (the headland) a popular campsite for hundreds of years. Now you and your leashed pets can explore the trails where ancestral Puebloans, Spanish, and American travelers have carved over 2,000 signatures, dates, messages, and petroglyphs in the stone.

>> View El Morro’s Pet Policy

El Morro’s free, nine-site, pet friendly campground is open year-round and accommodates tents and RVs under 27 feet on a first-come, first-served basis. Each site has a graveled tent pad, picnic table, and ground grill for fires. The campground has two vault toilets and drinking water is available during the summer season.

Everglades National Park protects an unparalleled landscape that provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee,  American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther.

To protect wildlife and visiting pets, leashed dogs are restricted to maintained grounds surrounding public facilities, residential areas, roadside picnic areas, campgrounds, along roadways open to public vehicles, and aboard boats. All pets must remain leashed and under close supervision, even in designated pet friendly areas.

Pets cannot go on the boardwalk, on paved and unpaved trails, on unpaved roads, or on the Shark Valley Tram Trail/Road.

>> View the Everlades’ Pet Policy

There are two pet friendly campgrounds at Everglades National Park: Long Pine Key Campground and Flamingo Campground. Both are accessible from the Homestead entrance of the park and have tent and RV sites, restrooms, showers, water, and a dump station with fresh water fill. Only Flamingo campground has electric hook-ups.

 

Far from the pressure of nearby big-city life, Fire Island’s beaches offer rhythmic waves, high dunes, historic landmarks, and glimpses of wildlife.

Pets visiting Fire Island must remain on a six-foot leash at all times and you must clean up after them. They can join you on the ferries and water taxies, on your boat in the park’s concession-operated marinas, on park boardwalks, and on bayside beaches at the Fire Island Lighthouse, Sailors Haven, Talisman/Barrett Beach, and Watch Hill.

Pets are not allowed in buildings, picnic areas, areas closed for wildlife protection, or on oceanside beaches (Lighthouse, Sailors Haven, Watch Hill, Talisman, and Wilderness) from March 15 through Labor Day .

>> View Fire Island’s Pet Policy

The 26 beach tent sites at Fire Island’s pet friendly Watch Hill Campground can be reached by boat or pet friendly ferry. The campground is a 1/4-mile walk from the ferry dock.

Passing through scenic gorges and valleys, this park protects 25 miles of the free-flowing Gauley River and the six miles of the Meadow River. The Gauley River contains several class V+ rapids, making it one of the most adventurous white water boating rivers in the east.

Pets on leashes no longer than six feet are welcome in the park, though they cannot go inside the buildings. Gauley River does not provide an online pet policy.

READ MORE ⇒ Renting an Adventure Van with Pets

You’ll find 18 primitive campsites for tents and RVs at pet friendly Gauley Tailwaters Campground. From April through October there is a restroom less than a hundred yards from campground with potable water and flush toilets. The remainder of the year campers have access to a vault toilet and non-potable water from rainwater collection system.

 

Glacier National Park is a showcase of glaciers, alpine meadows, carved valleys, and spectacular lakes.

Leashed pets visiting Glacier are limited to developed areas, front country campgrounds, picnic areas, along roads, in parking areas, on boats on lakes allowing motorized watercraft, and on the McDonald Creek Bike Path between West Glacier and Apgar Village, but only when it’s not covered with snow.

Pets cannot go on trails, along lake shores in undeveloped areas, in the backcountry, or in any building. Further, roads closed to vehicle traffic in winter are considered backcountry trails, so pets cannot walk on them. Finally, you cannot tie your pet to an object and leave him unattended.

>> View Glacier’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting Glacier National Park With Dogs

Glacier National Park offers 13 front-country, pet friendly campgrounds, though none of the campgrounds have water or electric hook-ups.

• Apgar Campground – the largest campground at Glacier with 194 sites; 25 can accommodate vehicles up to 40 feet. Near Apgar Village, facilities include potable water, restrooms with flush toilets, sinks with running water, and dump station (seasonal).
• Avalanche Campground – 87 sites; 50 can accommodate vehicles up to 26 feet. Campground has potable water, restrooms with flush toilets, and sinks with running water.
• Bowman Lake Campground – the drive to Bowman Lake is a very slow, dusty, and bumpy on dirt roads, and the 46 campsites are for tents only. Potable water is available during the summer season only. Pit toilets nearby. 
• Cut Bank Campground – accessed by a 5 mile dirt road off Highway 89, RVs are not recommended for these 14 sites, and there are no water or restroom facilities.
• Fish Creek Campground – the second largest campground at Glacier with 173 reservable sites; 18 can accommodate vehicles up to 35 feet. Campground has potable water and restrooms with flush toilets and sinks with running water, showers in Loop A, and a dump station.

READ MORE ⇒ Beyond Glacier – More Pet Friendly Activities In The Area

• Kintla Lake Campground – the most remote of Glacier’s front-country campgrounds. Thirteen sites accessed by bumpy dirt roads. RVs are not recommended. Pit toilets are available, and there is a hand pump for potable water during the summer.
• Logging Creek Campground – seven sites accessed by narrow, winding road. RVs are not recommended. No water or restroom facilities.
• Many Glacier Campground – 109 reservable sites; 13 can accommodate vehicles up to 35 feet. Campground has potable water, restrooms with flush toilets, sinks with running water (seasonal). Token-operated showers and dump station available at nearby Swiftcurrent Motor Inn.
• Quartz Creek Campground – the smallest of Glacier’s campgrounds. Seven tent sites with pit toilets and no water. Accessed by a rough dirt road with blind curves and few pullouts.
• Rising Sun Campground – 84 sites; 10 can accommodate vehicles up to 25 feet. Campground has potable water, restrooms with flush toilets, and sinks with running water. Camp store adjacent to campground with casual restaurant, token-operated showers, and dump station.
• Sprague Creek Campground – 25 tent sites. Campground has potable water, restrooms with flush toilets, and sinks with running water. Camp store, restaurant, gift shop, tour buses, boat tours, and horse rides at Lake McDonald Lodge are about a mile away.
• St. Mary Campground – 148 reservable sites; 3 can accommodate vehicles up to 40 feet, and 22 can accommodate vehicles up to 35 feet. Open year-round. During summer facilities include potable water, restrooms with flush toilets, sinks with running water, and showers in Loop C. Camp store, restaurants, gift shops, gas, and groceries at nearby St. Mary’s Visitor Center.
• Two Medicine Campground – 10 sites that can accommodate vehicles up to 35 feet. Campground has potable water, restrooms with flush toilets and sinks with running water.

 

Glen Canyon stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah. Encompassing over 1.25 million acres, the park offers unparalleled opportunities for water-based & backcountry recreation.

Leashed pets can enjoy most of the park with you, but cannot go in the following areas: archeological sites, in marinas, or on docks, walkways, or launch ramps (except when proceeding directly to or from a boat), along the San Juan River from Clay Hills Crossing upstream to the Glen Canyon NRA boundary, the portion of Cathedral Wash between the road and the Colorado River, the Orange Cliffs special permit area, at Rainbow Bridge National Monument (except for pets in vessels at the courtesy docks), or at Coyote Gulch within the boundaries of GCNRA.

>> View Glen Canyon’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Tips For RVing With Pets

Dispersed camping is allowed anywhere on the shorelines of Lake Powell, except in developed marinas, and throughout Glen Canyon’s backcountry, with some restrictions. There is no camping fee or permit required to camp on the lake in undeveloped areas. In addition, Stanton Creek Primitive Camping Area offers dispersed camping.

Glen Canyon also has several pet friendly campgrounds that are run by the National Park Service to choose from, though none take reservations.

• Lees Ferry Campground – 54 sites with no hook-ups, modern restrooms with potable water, and a dump station available seasonally
• Lone Rock Beach Campground – primitive dune camping with vault toilets and micro-flush toilets, cold showers, potable water, and dump station available in season
• Beehive and Stanton Creek – primitive beach camping areas with no amenities

More pet friendly campgrounds, which are operated by concessionaires at Glen Canyon, include:

• Wahweap Campground – 112 sites with no hook-ups, 90 with full hook-ups, and 6 group camping sites. Facilities include restrooms, laundry, showers, store, phones, dump station and potable water. The amphitheater, picnic area and swim beach are nearby.
• Bullfrog – 78 no hook-up sites with restrooms, coin showers, phones, dump station, potable water station, ½ mile to laundry, store, post office, launch ramp. No reservations. The concessioner also operates a separate RV park with 24 full hook-up sites with restrooms, showers.
• Halls Crossing – 43 sites, 2 group sites, dump station, potable water, 2 dish sinks, hot/cold showers. Assess requires a short ferry ride. Laundry, store, gas, phones, and launch ramp 1/2 mile.

Finally, although Antelope Point RV Park is not physically within the boundaries of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, it is adjacent to the Antelope Point Marina, restaurant, gift shop. Offering 104 full hook-up sites and 15 pull-throughs, it can accommodate RVs up to 70 feet in length.

 

Located on the ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of Mother Nature’s finest works. While visitors can enjoy incredible views from both the North and South Rims, we’ve found the South Rim to be much more pet friendly.

At Grand Canyon’s South Rim, leashed pets can enjoy the developed areas, all named trails above the Rim, including the 13-mile South Rim Trail, and the campgrounds. Pets cannot go on trails below the rim, on park shuttle buses, or inside buildings, except those staying with their owners in a pet friendly room at Yavapai Lodge. The South Rim even has a kennel where dog and cats can relax while you explore more of the park!

At the North Rim, leashed pets are only allowed on the bridle trail (greenway) that connects the North Kaibab Trail, and the portion of the Arizona Trail north to the park entrance station. At Tuweep, leashed pets are only allowed on established roads and in the campground. And there is no kennel on the North Rim.

>> View Grand Canyon’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Pet Friendly Grand Canyon National Park

There are three pet friendly campgrounds to choose from on the South Rim at America’s gorgeous Grand Canyon National Park:

• Desert View Campground – 50 sites (no hook-ups) assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Total vehicle length maximum is 30 feet. Campers have access to potable water, restrooms with flush toilets and running water in the sinks, but no showers.
• Mather Campground – Open year-round with no hook-ups, accommodating vehicles up to 30 feet. Campers have access to restrooms, showers, and laundry.
• Trailer Village – Open year-round; paved RV sites with full hook-ups which can accommodate vehicle up to 50 feet.

On the North Rim, there are two pet friendly campgrounds. More pet friendly camping options are available nearby in the national forest.

• North Rim Campground – Open mid-May through mid-October 15; 87 sites with no hook-ups and seasonal water, restrooms, coin showers, dump station, and camp store.
• Tuweep Campground – Requires a backcountry permit; 9 sites with picnic tables and composting toilets provided, but no water.

In addition to camping, Grand Canyon National Park offers pet friendly hotel lodging on the South Rim. Yavapai Lodge is a rustic hotel with clean, comfortable rooms.

Grand Teton National Park combines unrivaled mountain views, extraordinary wildlife, and pristine lakes in its unique and inspiring landscape.

Leashed pets at Grand Teton can go only in developed areas: along roads (paved and dirt), in campgrounds, picnic areas, parking lots, and other developed areas of the park.

Pets cannot go on trails, on the multi-use path, on beaches, on boats on park waters (except for Jackson Lake), in the backcountry, in buildings, or swimming in any park waters.

>> View Grand Teton’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Discovering Dog Friendly Activities in the Tetons

Though the park is not very pet friendly, Grand Teton does offer several pet friendly campgrounds to choose from:

• Colter Bay – 335 sites, 13 with electric hook-up, and modern comfort stations in a wooded campground with larger sites and easier access if you are traveling with a camper, trailer, or RV. Close to Jackson Lake with dump station, showers, and laundry nearby.
• Gros Ventre Campground – more than 300 sites, 36 with electric hookups, and modern comfort stations with access to fresh water and a dump station.
• Headwaters Campground – 175 sites with full hook-ups for RVs, and access to modern comfort stations, a dump station and landry, plus camper cabins
• Jenny Lake Campground – 60 tent-only sites (10 hike or bike in) only with restrooms but no showers
• Lizard Creek Campground – 60 sites with no hook-ups and modern comfort stations that can accommodate vehicles up to 30 feet.
• Signal Mountain Campground – 81 sites, 36 with electric hook-ups adjacent to Signal Mountain Lodge and Marina. Access to modern comfort stations with campstore and other amenities nearby.

 

From the 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak, to the sage-covered foothills, Great Basin National Park proves there’s a lot more than desert in Nevada!

Leashed pets can join you on the Lexington Arch Trail, on the trail between Baker and the Great Basin Visitor Center, along campground roads, and in parking lots. Pets cannot go on any other trails, in the backcountry, on tours of Lehman Caves, evening programs.

>> View Great Basin’s Pet Policy

Great Basin offers seven developed, pet friendly campgrounds. Facilities include vault toilets, picnic tables, tent pads, campfire grills, but no hook-ups. Lower Lehman Creek is the only campground open year-round. The other campgrounds open as the weather permits.

• Lower Lehman Creek Campground – 11 sites with a limited number of pull-throughs for RVs and trailers. No potable water available.
• Upper Lehman Creek Campground – 23 sites with no hook-ups or potable water.
• Wheeler Peak Campground – 37 sites with no hook-ups or potable water. Road is narrow and winding – closed to vehicles or combinations longer than 24 feet past Upper Lehman Campground.
• Baker Creek Campground – 37 sites assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. No hook-ups or potable water.
• Grey Cliffs Campground – 16 reservable sites with group camping available. No hook-ups or potable water.
• Snake Creek Campground – 12 sites assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. No water is available. Due to the nature of the road, RVs, trailers, and other large vehicles over 30 feet are not allowed on Snake Creek Road.

It’s known for having the tallest dunes in North America, but what might surprise you most about Great Sand Dunes National Park is that it’s very pet friendly!

Pets can join you in exploring the most popular areas at Great Sand Dunes, as long as you keep them leashed and clean up after them. This includes Mosca Pass Trail, Piñon Flats Campground, Dunes Overlook Trail, and along the Medano Pass Primitive Road.

Pets cannot go inside buildings, in the backcountry of the dunefield, beyond the first high ridge of dunes, off of the Dunes Overlook Trail, north of Castle Creek Picnic Area (except along Medano Pass Primitive Road), north of Point of No Return (including Sand Ramp Trail) and any backpacking sites inside the National Park.

>> View Great Sand Dunes’ Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park With Pets

Great Sand Dunes offers pet friendly camping at Piñon Flats Campground, one mile north of the Visitor Center. A few of the 88 campsites will accommodate RVs up to 35 feet. Open April through October, the campsites have no hook-ups. While restrooms with flush toilets and sinks are available, they do not have showers.

 

Known for its diversity of plant and wildlife and the beauty of its ancient mountains, Great Smoky Mountains is America’s most visited national park!

At Great Smoky Mountains, leashed pets can walk only in campgrounds, picnic areas, along roads, and on two walking paths, the Gatlinburg Trail (1.9 miles one-way) and the Oconaluftee River Trail (1.5 miles one-way). They cannot go on any other park trails and you cannot leave them unattended in vehicles or RVs.

>> View Great Smokey Mountain’s Pet Policy

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has ten pet friendly campgrounds. Facilities include restrooms, cold running water, and flush toilets. Shower facilities are available in the communities surrounding the national park, so ask where the closest is when you check into the campground. Most campsites are no hook-ups, but there are a few sites in Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont for use only by those with a medical need.

• Abrams Creek – 16 sites, maximum RV length is 12 feet
• Balsam Mountain – 43 sites, maximum RV length is 30 feet
• Big Creek – 12 sites, tents only
• Cades Cove – 159 reservable, open year-round, maximum 40 foot motorhome and 35 foot trailer length, dump station year round
• Cataloochee – 27 reservable sites, maximum RV length is 31 feet
• Cosby – 157 reservable sites, maximum RV length is 25 feet
• Deep Creek – 92 sites, maximum RV length is 26 feet
• Elkmont – 220 reservable sites, maximum 35 foot motorhome and 32 foot trailer length, dump station nearby in season
• Look Rock – 68 sites, no size limitations
• Smokemont – 142 reservable sites, open year-round, maximum 40 foot motorhome and 35 foot trailer length, dump station year round

Greenbelt Park is only twelve miles from Washington, DC and is the perfect camping option when visiting the National Mall and Memorial Parks.With nine miles of pet friendly trails, you and your pup will find plenty to explore in the peaceful surroundings in this urban forest.

At Greenbelt, leashed pets are welcome throughout the park, as long as you clean up after them.

>> View Greenbelt’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting Washington, D.C. With Pets

Open year-rounds, pet friendly Greenbelt Park Campground has 174 no hook-up sites for tents and RVs. Campers have access to hot showers, flush toilets, and a dump station.

 

The beauty of Guadalupe Mountains National Park is in the contrast between mountains and canyons, desert and dunes, night skies and spectacular vistas. Protecting the world’s most extensive Permian fossil reef, the four highest peaks in Texas, and an environmentally diverse collection of flora and fauna, it’s a place unlike any other.

Pets visiting Guadalupe Mountains can only walk in areas accessible to vehicles, including roadsides, parking areas, picnic areas, and campgrounds. In addition, leashed pets can join you on the short trail between the campground and the Pine Springs Visitor Center, and on the Pinery Trail from the visitor center to the Butterfield Station. Pets cannot go on any other trails or in the backcountry.

>> View Guadalupe Mountains’ Pet Policy

Guadalupe Mountains National Park has two pet friendly campgrounds for people traveling with pets. Neither provides hook-ups, showers or dump stations, but both have potable water, restrooms, and a utility sick for dish washing.

• Pine Springs Campground – 20 tent and 20 RV sites with 1 stock corral
• Dog Canyon Campground – 9 tent sites, 4 RV sites and 1 stock corral

At Gulf Islands National Seashore, leashed pets can walk all trails, paths, and along roads, but cannot go on the beaches, in water less than five feet deep, or inside the forts, pavilions, and other buildings.

>> View Gulf Islands’ Pet Policy

Gulf Islands has two pet friendly campgrounds, one in Mississippi and one in Florida. Each campground offers water, grill/fire rings, restrooms with hot showers, and picnic tables.

• Fort Pickens Campground – Open year-round; 200 sites providing access to white sandy beaches and trails, including the Florida National Scenic Trail.
• Davis Bayou Campground – Open year-round; 52 tent and RV sites in a wooded area next to Davis Bayou in Mississippi

With stark volcanic landscapes amid sub-tropical rain forest, Haleakalā protects several endangered species, some of which exist nowhere else.

Leashed pets at Haleaklā can visit developed areas only, including parking lots, drive-up campgrounds, on paved paths, and along roadways. Pets cannot go on the trails and cannot be left unattended at any time.

>> View Haleakalā’s Pet Policy

Haleaklā Naitonal Park has two pet friendly campgrounds. Available on a first-come, first served basis, you can camp here just three nights in a thirty day period:

• Kīpahulu Campground – located on the east side of the park near sea level. The limit in this campground is 100 people. Campers have access to picnic tables, BBQ grills, and pit toilets. There is no water at the campground, but drinking water is available at the nearby Kīpahulu Visitor Center restrooms.
• Hosmer Grove Campground – located in the cloud belt of Haleakalā, just below the 7,000-foot level in the summit area. The limit in this campground is 50 people. Sites are close together in an open, grassy area near the forest and have access to picnic tables, BBQ grills, drinking water, and pit toilets.

 

Stretching from sea level to 13,681 feet, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes – Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

Leashed pets can only go in developed areas of the park, including paved roadways, parking areas, and Nāmakanipaio Campground. Please be sure that pets do not harass the endangered Nene geese, which can sometimes be found in the campground.

Pets cannot go in Kulanaokuaiki Campground, or anywhere on Hilina Pali Road.

>> View Hawaii Volcanoes’ Pet Policy

Only one of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park’s two campgrounds is pet friendly:

• Nāmakanipaio Campground – This campground has restrooms, water, picnic tables and barbecue pits. There is a 7-night camping limit and no RV hook-ups.

Grand historic bathhouses set among ancient thermal springs, mountain views, incredible geology, forested hikes, and abundant creeks make Hot Springs National Park a unique destination.

Leashed pets can enjoy all 26 miles of trails and the campground at Hot Springs National Park, but cannot go inside the visitor center, bathhouses, or other park buildings.

>> View Hot Springs’ Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting Pet Friendly Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs’ Gulpha Gorge Campground is pet friendly. With 40 full hook-up sites, they can accommodate tents or RVs. And each campsite has a picnic table, pedestal grill, and water nearby. Though there are no showers, campers have access to potable water, flush toilets, and a dump station.

Hovenweep National Monument preserves six prehistoric villages built between AD 1200 and 1300. Leashed pets can join you on all trails and in the campground, but are not allowed inside the buildings. Both you and your pets must take care to remain on the trails, and you must dispose of their waste properly.

>> View Hovenweep’s Pet Policy

Hovenweep Campground has 31 sites and is open year-round. Available on a first-come, first-served basis, most sites will only fit a tent, but a few will accommodate RVs up to 36 feet long. Sites include tent pads, fire rings and picnic tables with shade structures, though there are no hookups available. Drinking water is available seasonally.

 

From the beaches along Lake Michigan to the 50 miles of trails over dunes, wetlands, prairies, and forests, there’s something for everyone at Indiana Dunes National Park!

Pets are welcome at Indiana Dunes, including the beaches east of Indiana Dunes State Park (Kemil Beach, Dunbar Beach, Lake View Beach, Central Avenue Beach, and Mount Baldy Beach). Leashes no longer than 6 feet are required at all times, even when pets are swimming.

Though the trails and parking areas west of the State Park are pet friendly, the beaches there are not (Porter Beach, Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Beach and West Beach). In addition, pets cannot go on the portion of the Glenwood Dunes Trails specifically designated for horses, the Pinhook Bog Trail, the Great Marsh Trail System, or the Nature Play Area.

>> View Indiana Dunes’ Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting Pet Friendly Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes National Park offers pet friendly camping at Dunewood Campground. Open from April through October, it has 66 sites, and 12 of those are for tents only. There are no hook-ups, but the campground has restrooms, showers, drinking water, and a dump station.

Sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain, the Mojave and Colorado Deserts come together in Joshua Tree National Park. It’s a fascinating place where a variety of plants and animals make their homes.

At Joshua Tree, leashed pets can explore developed areas, including picnic areas, the paved Oasis of Mara and Keys View trails, in parking lots, along the many paved and gravel roads, and in campgrounds. However, pets cannot go on any trails or in the backcountry.

>> View Joshua Tree’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Hiking in Joshua Tree National Park With Dogs

Joshua Tree has a great variety of pet friendly campgrounds, and the majority of the Park’s 500 campsites can be reserved. Hidden Valley, White Tank, and Belle Campgrounds are first-come, first-served, but only Hidden Valley is open year-round. Though none of the sites have hook-ups, all of the campgrounds will accommodate RVs and tents.

• Black Rock – 99 sites with water, flush toilets, tables, fire grates and a dump station
• Belle – 18 sites with pit toilets, tables, and fire grates. No water.
• Cottonwood – 62 sites with water, flush toilets, tables, fire grates and a dump station
• Indian Cove – 101 sites with pit toilets, tables, and fire grates. No water.
• Hidden Valley – 44 sites with pit toilets, tables, and fire grates. No water.
• Jumbo Rocks – 124 sites with pit toilets, tables and fire grates. No water.
• Ryan – 31 sites with pit toilets, tables and fire grates. No water.
• White Tank – 15 sites with pit toilets, tables and fire grates. No water.

 

Lake Mead is America’s first and largest national recreation area. With striking landscapes and brilliant blue waters, this year-round playground spreads across 1.5 million acres of mountains, canyons, valleys, and two vast lakes.

Leashes pets are welcome throughout the NRA. However, leashes must not be longer than six feet. Pets cannot be left unattended in vehicles.

>> View Lake Mead’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Sniffing Around Pet Friendly Lake Mead with Dogs

Lake Mead offers a great selection of pet friendly campgrounds, with 900 camping and RV sites at 15 locations. All are open year round and accept reservations:

Lake Mead Campgrounds:

• Boulder Beach Campground – 135 RV or tent sites. No hook-ups or showers.
• Callville Bay Campground – 52 RV or tent sites. No hook-ups or showers.
• Callville Bay RV Park – 5 RV sites with hook-ups and showers.
• Echo Bay Campground – 37 RV or tent sites. No hook-ups or showers.
• Echo Bay RV Park – 58 RV sites with hook-ups and showers.
• Lake Mead RV Village – 115 RV sites with hook-ups and showers.
• Las Vegas Bay Campground – 84 RV or tent sites. No hook-ups or showers.
• Temple Bar Campground – 71 RV or tent sites. No hook-ups or showers.
• Temple Bar RV Park – 10 reservable RV sites with hook-ups and showers.

Lake Mohave Campgrounds:

• Cottonwood Cove Campground – 45 RV or tent sites. No hook-ups or showers.
• Cottonwood Cove RV Park – 72 reservable RV sites with hook-ups and showers.
• Katherine Landing Campground – 157 RV or tent sites. No hook-ups or showers.
• Katherine Landing RV Park – 25 reservable RV sites with hook-ups and showers.
• Willow Beach RV Park & Campground – 9 tent and 28 RV sites with hook-ups and showers.

Within the windswept plains of the Texas Panhandle, the Canadian River has cut dramatic 200-foot canyons, or breaks, which provide a welcome oasis for both people and wildlife.

Pets on leash can enjoy all Lake Meredith offers with you, though no on-line pet policy is provided.

Lake Meredith offers a variety of pet friendly campgrounds. Ten of the fifty-one campsites at Sanford-Yake Campground have electric and water hookups. These sites charge a fee and are available by reservation. All other campsites are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Blue Creek Bridge – undeveloped camping with pit toilets, but no drinking water. Accessible by off-road vehicles only.
• Blue West – picnic tables, shade shelters, and grills with vault toilets and no drinking water
• Bugbee – undeveloped camping with vault toilets and no drinking water
• Cedar Canyon – undeveloped beach camping; restroom with potable water and flush toilets near parking lot
• Chimney Hollow – semi-developed campground with picnic tables and vault toilets, but no drinking water
• Fritch Fortress – sites for RV, campers, and trailers with picnic tables, shade shelters, and grills. Bathroom with potable water, showers, and flush toilets. Paved road and pull-through parking available. However, there are no hook-ups.
• Harbor Bay – picnic tables, shade shelters, and grills with vault toilets and no drinking water
• McBride Canyon – picnic tables, shade shelters, grills, and horse corrals with vault toilets and no drinking water
• Mullinaw Creek – picnic tables, shade shelters, grills, and horse corrals with vault toilets and no drinking water
• Plum Creek – picnic tables, shade shelters, grills, and horse corrals with vault toilets and no drinking water
• Rosita – undeveloped camping with no drinking water or toilets
• Sanford-Yake – 51 sites for RVs, with picnic tables, shade shelters, and grills. Bathroom with potable water, showers, and flush toilets. Paved road and pull-through parking available.

 

Located in Northeast Washington, Lake Roosevelt is cradled in stone walls carved by epic ice age floods. The lake was created when the Grand Coulee Dam was built on the Columbia River. Now visitors can swim, boat, hike, camp, and fish at this hidden gem.

Leashed pets can join you throughout the park, as long as you clean up after them. However, pets cannot enter buildings, designated picnic areas, or developed swim beaches. Additionally, you cannot tie pets to objects and leave them unattended.

>> View Lake Roosevelt’s Pet Policy

Lake Roosevelt offers free pet friendly camping at 9 boat-in campgrounds. Typically, these campgrounds have picnic tables, fire pits, and vault toilets, but amenities vary by campground. In addition, boaters can choose a space along the shoreline to set up camp, though it cannot be within ½ mile of the nearest developed area.

There are also 15 drive-in campgrounds, all of which are pet friendly and open year round. Sites are generally available by reservation only, and there are no hook-ups at any of the campgrounds. Each campsite has a fire ring, picnic table, and a paved parking space. Some sites are long enough to accommodate large RVs. Most car campgrounds have flush toilets, but during the winter water and restrooms are not available.

The jagged peaks surrounding Lassen Volcanic National Park tell the story of its eruptive past. Now visitors to the Park can experience steaming fumaroles, meadows of wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes.

Pets visiting Lassen can join you in developed areas, including picnic areas, parking areas, along roadways, and in campgrounds. They cannot go on any hiking trails, in the backcountry (including snow-covered roads or trails), in any body of water, or inside visitor centers or other park facilities. However, there are pet friendly hiking trails at the nearby national forest and BLM areas.

>> View Lassen’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Dog Friendly Off Leash Hiking on Federal Lands

Lassen Volcanic National Park has eight pet friendly campgrounds with facilities range from developed to primitive. The Park has a mixture of reservable and first-come, first-served sites, and each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring equipped with grill, and a metal bear box for food storage. There are no hookups in the park, and a dump station is located near Manzanita Lake.

• Butte Lake – 101 sites with a maximum vehicle length of 35 feet. No potable water and vault toilets.
• Juniper Lake – 18 sites with no potable water and pit toilets. The last 6 miles to the campground is rough dirt road not suitable for buses, motor homes, or trailers.
• Manzanita Lake – 179 sites with a maximum vehicle length of 40 feet. Flush toilets, potable water, and dump station available in summer. Showers and laundry nearby.
• Summit Lake – 94 sites with a maximum vehicle length of 35 feet. RVs are limited to the north section. Flush toilets are available in the north section; pit toilets and potable water are available in the south section.
• Southwest Walk-in – 20 tents-only sites available year round. Flush toilets and potable water available until mid-October, and at Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (24-hour vestibule) year round.
• Warner Valley – 18 sites available on a first-come, first-served, basis with vault toilets and potable water. RVs are not recommended.
• Lost Creek Group Campground – Group campsites available by reservation only.

 

The landscape protected by Lava Beds National Monument was created over the last half-million years by volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield. Visitors will find more than 800 caves, Native American rock art sites, historic battlefields and campsites, and a sunning high desert wilderness.

At Lava Beds, leashed pets can walk in developed areas, including parking areas, along roadways, and in campgrounds. However, pets are not allowed on trails, in caves, or in buildings.

>> View Lava Beds’ Pet Policy

Pet friendly Indian Wells Campground has 43 sites available on a first-come, first-served basis. While there are no hook-ups, sites can accommodate tents, pickup campers, small trailers, and some sites fit motor homes up to 30 feet. Restrooms with water, sinks and flush toilets are available year round, but there are no showers, hookups, or dump station.

At Mammoth Cave leashed pets can enjoy nearly everything above ground with you – including 84 miles of trails!

Pets are welcome at the picnic areas and campgrounds. And, while pets cannot go in any of the caves, the Mammoth Cave Lodge operates an unattended, first-come, first-served day kennel where dogs and cats can wait while you take a tour.

>> View Mammoth Cave’s Pet Policy

Mammoth Cave National Park offers a variety of pet friendly campgrounds:

• Houchin Ferry Campground – 12 primitive, tent-only campsites with portable toilets and potable water. Open year-round.
• Mammoth Cave Campground – 111 sites for tents or RVs with potable water, hot showers, and flush toilets. Available from March though November by reservation. Maximum RV length is 38 feet, maximum trailer length is 26 feet. There are no electric or water hookups, but potable water and a dump station are available at the adjacent service center.
• Maple Springs Campground – 7 sites with electric and water hook-ups with access to more than 70 miles of backcountry trails. Maximum RV length is 40 feet, maximum trailer length is 26 feet.

In addition to camping, Mammoth Cave National Park offers pet friendly lodging at the Lodge at Mammoth Cave’s rustic Woodland Cottages for a small pet fee.

Mesa Verde National Park protects the cultural heritage of 26 Pueblos and Tribes, offering visitors a window into the past. It’s a World Heritage Site and International Dark Sky Park, and is home to over a thousand species, including several that live nowhere else on earth.

At Mesa Verde, leashed pets can walk along paved roads, in parking lots, and at the campground. Pet can also enjoy some of the trails on Wetherill Mesa when it is open in the spring, summer, and fall. Pet friendly trails are marked and include the 5-mile Long House Loop. Be sure to check trailhead signs before taking your pet on any trail and use the pet waste stations located along the trails to clean up after your pet.

Other than the pet friendly trails on Wetherill Mesa, pets cannot go on any other trails in the park, in archeological sites, or in buildings. You cannot leave pets unattended or tied to any object within the park. However, there is a kennel at Morefield Campground where pets can wait while you take a tour or explore more of the park.

>> View Mesa Verde’s Pet Policy

Mesa Verde offers pet friendly camping at Morefield Campground from spring to fall. With 267 sites, each with a table, bench, and grill, the campground accommodates tents, trailers, and RVs, and has 15 full hook-up RV sites. Reservations are accepted, but not required. There is an RV dump station, coin-operated laundry, complimentary showers, gift shop, and grocery store in Morefield’s full-service village.

In addition to camping, Mesa Verde National Park offers pet friendly accommodations at Far View Lodge, about 15 miles from the Park’s entrance.

 

This park protects two free-flowing stretches of the Missouri River, covering 100 miles.

Leashed pets can join you throughout the park, except on designated swimming beaches and in buildings. In Nebraska, pet leashes must be no longer than 6 feet; in South Dakota, leashes can be 10 feet. However, pets should never be leashed when in canoes or boats on the river.

>> View Missouri National River’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Tips for Canoeing or Kayaking with Dogs

Missouri National Recreational River offers primitive camping available at the 220-acre Bow Creek Recreation Area, which is accessible only on foot or by boat. Please follow leave-no-trace practices and camp only in designated sites marked with brown camping signs and metal fire rings.

An additional five pet friendly primitive campsites with fire rings are located at Green Island Recreation Area. Island camping is also allowed at Goat Island Recreation Area. Finally, there are two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds in the Gavins Point Dam area: Cottonwood and Nebraska Tailwaters. Sites at both can be reserved from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

Rising 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. In addition to being an active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, spawning five major rivers. It’s a wilderness awaiting your exploration.

Leashed pets visiting Mount Rainier can join you only on the Pacific Crest Trail and in developed areas, such as parking lots and along roadways. Pets cannot go on trails other than the Pacific Crest Trail, in wilderness and/or off-trail areas, inside buildings, in amphitheaters, on roads closed for winter, or on snow.

>> View Mount Rainier’s Pet Policy

Mount Rainier National Park has four pet friendly campgrounds. However, none have water, electrical, or sewer hook-ups.

• Cougar Rock Campground – 179 sites, open late-May to late-September, with water, flush toilets, and fire grates. Maximum RV length is 35 feet, maximum trailer length is 27 feet.
• Ohanapecosh Campground – 179 sites, open late-May to late-September, with water, flush toilets, and fire grates. Maximum RV length is 32 feet, maximum trailer length is 27 feet.
• White River Campground – 88 sites, open late-June to late-September, with water, flush toilets, and fire grates. Maximum RV length is 27 feet, maximum trailer length is 18 feet.
• Mowich Lake Campground – 13 primitive, tent-only campsites with vault toilets and no potable water. You must walk to these sites. Open early-July to early-October.

 

The Natchez Trace runs 444 miles, from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. Offering a quiet alternative to our modern, fast-paced highways, you’ll find more than 100 exhibits, interpretive signs, and marked trails along the way, providing an opportunity for you step back in time.

Best of all, pets on leashes no longer than six feet can join you throughout the park, except inside Parkway buildings.

>> View Natchez Trace’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒  Exploring the Natchez Trace with Pets

There are many private and state park campgrounds along the Natchez Trace, and the park itself has three pet friendly campgrounds that are free, primitive, and available on a first come, first serve basis. They do not have electricity, showers, or dump stations.

• Rocky Springs Campground – Mile Marker 54.8 – 22 sites with restrooms, drinking water, and hiking
• Jeff Busby Campground – Mile Marker 193.1 – 18 sites with restrooms, drinking water, and hiking
• Meriwether Lewis Campground – Mile Marker 385.9 – 32 sites with restrooms, drinking water, and hiking

Declared a National Monument in 1908, Natural Bridges protects three majestic natural bridges. The scene invites you to ponder the power of water in this high desert landscape.

Leashed pets can only go in developed areas at Natural Bridges, including overlooks, pull-outs, on paved paths to bridge viewpoints, along the paved scenic drive, and in the campground. Pets cannot join you on hiking trails, off-trail, or in buildings.

>> View Natural Bridges’ Pet Policy

The pet friendly Natural Bridges Campground has 13 first-come, first-served sites with fire grills, picnic tables, tent pads, and vault toilets. The campground is open year-round, but there are no hook-ups. Visitors can access drinking water (limited to 5 gallons per person) and flush toilets during business hours at the visitor center a quarter mile away. Maximum RV length is 26 feet.

The New River is among the oldest rivers on the continent. This park encompasses the rugged, whitewater river flowing northward through deep canyons and over 70,000 acres of land, offering an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities.

Pets can enjoy all trails at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, as long as they are on a leash no longer than six feet and you pick up after them. Pets are not invited to public ranger programs and cannot go inside park buildings or the visitor center.

>> View New River Gorge’s Pet Policy

New River Gorge National River provides eight pet friendly, primitive camping areas along the river. Sites are available at no charge, but have no drinking water or hook-ups and limited restroom facilities. Available on a first-come, first-served basis, these sites cannot be reserved. All camping is accessed by maintained gravel roads, but often some distance from service stations, markets, and telephones.

• Stone Cliff Beach – 6 walk-in and 1 vehicle site
• Army Camp – 11 drive-in sites for tents or smaller RVs
• Grandview Sandbar – 10 sites for tents or small to medium sized RVs, plus 6 walk-in tent sites, and 2 accessible sites (with handicapped permit displayed) by the river
• Glade Creek – 6 walk-in tent sites and 5 drive-in sites for tents or small to medium RVs
• War Ridge / Backus Mountain – 8 drive-in sites for tents or small RVs
• Brooklyn – 4 walk-in sites and 1 drive-in site for tents only
• Thayer – 4 walk-in sites for tents only
• Meadow Creek – 26 drive-in tent sites located one mile from the Sandstone Visitor Center – no RVs
• Gauley Tailwaters – Located at the Gauley River National Recreation Area – 18 drive-in sites for tents and RVs

 

The free-flowing Obed Wild & Scenic River and its 500-foot-deep gorges offer visitors unspoiled rugged terrain, and exceptional outdoor adventure.

Pets on leashes no longer than six feet can enjoy the park, however they cannot swim in the water.

>> View Obed’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Camping With Dogs – A Beginner’s Guide

Pet friendly Rock Creek Campground has 11 reservable campsites with grills and primitive toilet facilities, but no running water.

Encompassing nearly a million acres, Olympic National Parks protects several distinct ecosystems, including glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rain forests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline.

At Olympic National Park, leashed pets are welcome in drive-in campgrounds, at picnic areas, along paved or dirt roads, on the beaches between the Hoh and Quinault Reservations, and on the following trails:

• Peabody Creek Trail
• Rialto Beach parking lot to Ellen Creek
• Madison Falls Trail
• Spruce Railroad Trail
• July Creek Loop Trail

Pets cannot go on any other paved or dirt trails, in public buildings, on interpretive walks, in the wilderness, on boats in rivers, or on any beaches other than those listed above. In addition, dogs should not be walked on tidal rocks as the sharp stone, along with barnacles and mussels, can cut their paws.

>> View Olympic’s Pet Policy

Olympic National Park offers many pet friendly campgrounds to choose from:

• Deer Park Campground – 14 seasonal, first-come, first-served sites for tents only with pit toilets and no potable water
• Dosewallips Campground Walk-in sites available year-round on a first-come, first-served basis; tents only with pit toilets and no potable water
• Fairholme Campground – 88 seasonal, reservable sites accessible for tents and RVs (max 21 feet) with flush toilets, potable water, and dump station
• Graves Creek Campground – 30 sites available year-round on a first-come, first-served basis; tents only with pit toilets and no potable water
• Heart O’ The Hills Campground – 105 sites available year-round on a first-come, first-served basis; accessible for tents and RVs (most sites up to 21 feet, a few up to 35), with flush toilets and potable water
• Hoh Campground – 78 reservable sites available year-round; accessible for tents and RVs (most sites up to 21 feet, a few up to 35) with flush toilets and potable water

READ MORE ⇒  Visiting The Olympic Peninsula With Dogs

• Kalaloch Campground – 170 reservable sites available year round for tents and RVs (most sites up to 21 feet, a few up to 35) with flush toilets, potable water, and dump station
• Log Cabin Resort RV & Campground – 38 seasonal, reservable sites for tents and RVs (up to 35 feet) with full hookups, flush toilets, showers, potable water, laundry
• Mora Campground – 94 reservable sites available year-round for tents and RVs (most sites up to 21 feet, a few up to 35) with  flush toilets, potable water and dump station
• North Fork Campground – 9 first-come, first-served sites available year-round; RVs not recommended with pit toilets and no potable water
• Ozette Campground – 15 first-come, first-served sites available year-round for tents and RVs (max 21 feet) with pit toilets and potable water
•  Queets Campground – 20 first-come, first-served sites available year round; RVs not recommended with pit toilets and no potable water
•  Sol Duc Campground – 99 seasonal, reservable sites; accessible for tents and RVs (21 to 36 feet) with flush toilets, potable water, and dump station. RV sites have water and electric hookups.
• South Beach Campground – 55 seasonal, first-come, first-served sites; accessible for tents and RVs (most sites up to 21 feet, a few up to 35) with flush toilets and no potable water
• Staircase Campground – 49 first-come, first-served sites available year-round (5 are walk-in only); accessible for tents and RVs (most sites up to 21 feet, a few up to 35) with flush toilets and potable water in season and pit toilets and no water in off-season

Olympic National Park also offers pet friendly accommodations at Lake Quinault in the first floor Boathouse Rooms, Lake Crescent in the Roosevelt Cabins and Singer Tavern Cottages, in cabins at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, and in Camper Cabins at Log Cabin Resort.

 

At Organ Pipe National Park you can explore the plant and animal communities that thrive in the Sonoran Desert.

Leashed pets can join you on Organ Pipe’s Palo Verde Trail, the Campground Perimeter Trail, and along all roads open to visitors, including the paved campground areas. Pets can also enjoy the nature trail at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center, but must access the trail from the parking lot, not through the visitor center. Pets cannot go on any other trails or in the wilderness.

>> View Organ Pipe’s Pet Policy

Campers with pets have two campground options at Organ Pipe:

• Twin Peaks Campground – 34 tent and 174 RV sites, four of which will accommodate vehicles up to 45 feet. Camper have access to restrooms with running water, some of which have solar showers. There are no water or electrical hook-ups available, but there is potable water and a dump station.
• Alamo Campground – 4 tent-only sites available on a first-come, first-served basis with no facilities. Fires and generators are prohibited at this campground.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways protects the Current and Jacks Fork rivers — two of the finest floating rivers you’ll find anywhere. Spring-fed, cold, and clear they are perfect for canoeing, swimming, boating or fishing. In addition to the rivers, the park is home to hundreds of freshwater springs, caves, trails, and historic sites.

Though an online pet policy is not provided, leashed pets can explore most of Ozark National Scenic Riverways with you! Pets are allowed on most trails, in parking areas and along paved roads, in campgrounds and picnic areas. Pets cannot go inside buildings or on horse trails, and should never be leashed while in a floating vessel.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways offers several pet friendly campgrounds year-round. All sites have tables, fire grills, and access to restrooms.

Alley Spring – 162 reservable sites for tents and RVs (28 have electric hookups) with flush toilets, showers, and dump station available year-round. Potable water is available seasonally.

Big Spring – 123 reservable sites for tents and RVs (23 have electric hookups) with flush toilets and dump station available year-round. Showers and potable water available seasonally.

Akers Group Campground – 4 reservable group campsites with vault toilets and potable water available seasonally.

Pulltite – 55 sites for tents and RVs, some of which are reservable. No hookups, but flush toilets and showers are available year-round. Potable water is available seasonally.

Two Rivers – 22 tent-only sites with no hook-ups, so of which are reservable. Flush toilets, showers, and potable water available seasonally. Vault toilets available year-round.

Round Spring – 55 reservable sites for tents and RVs (6 have electric hookups) with flush toilets, showers, and dump station available year-round. Potable water is available seasonally.

In addition to the developed campgrounds, the park has numerous pet friendly backcountry camping areas as well.

Padre Island National Seashore is on the Gulf of Mexico and protects 66 miles of coastline, dunes, prairies, and tidal flats teeming with life.  It is a nesting ground for the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and a haven for over 380 bird species. 

Leashed pets at Padre Island can enjoy much of the park, including camping areas and over 60 miles of beach. Pets are not allowed inside buildings, and disruptive pets should avoid the Malaquite Pavilion and its facilities, including the deck, the boardwalk between the deck and the beach, and the short stretch of beach directly in front of the Pavilion. Those pets and their owners should access the beach using a pet access trail at the northern end of the Malaquite Pavilion parking area. Restrooms and rinse-off showers are located near the pet access trail.

>> View Padre Island’s Pet Policy

Padre Island has several pet friendly campgrounds, all available year-round on a first-come, first served basis. There are no RV hook-ups in the park, but a water filling station and dump station are available.

• Bird Island Basin Campground – tent and RV sites with chemical toilets.
• Malaquite Campground – 48 sites for tents or RVs. Restrooms have flush toilets and cold showers, and a dump station and potable water are nearby.
• North Beach – beach camping for tents and RVs with no facilities
• South Beach – beach camping for tents and RVs with chemical toilets only. Most of the beach is accessible by 4WD, high-clearance vehicles only.
• Yarborough Pass – beach camping accessible only by 4-wheel-drive or boat with no facilities

 

Named for its large deposits of petrified wood, Petrified Forest National Park covers about 346 square miles of semi-desert landscape and colorful badlands.

Leashed pets are very welcome at Petrified Forest! They can join you on all trails and in the backcountry. However, pets cannot enter park buildings and you must pick up after them.

>> View Petrified Forest’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting Petrified Forest National With Pets

While Petrified Forest National Park does not have developed camping facilities, pet friendly backcountry camping is allowed within the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area. Campers must hike at least a half-mile from two designated parking spots. Permits are free and available in person at least an hour before the park closes.

In addition, there are several pet friendly national park, state park, and private campgrounds near Petrified Forest.

Hugging the Lake Superior shoreline for more than 40 miles, Pictured Rocks is known for its sandstone cliffs, beaches, waterfalls, sand dunes, inland lakes, deep forest, and wild lakeshore. The power of Lake Superior shapes the park’s features and impacts the ecosystem, creating a unique landscape to explore.

At Pictured Rocks leashed pets can explore the day use areas, picnic areas, developed campgrounds, Lake Superior beaches directly in front of the campgrounds and day-use areas, Lake Superior Overlook and Beach, Miners Beach, Sand Point Beaches, Sable Falls Trail and Beach, Au Sable Access Road to the Light Station, and the Munising Falls, Miners Falls, and Miners Castle trails. Pets are not allowed on any other trails or beaches, in the backcountry campgrounds, at Log Slide and nearby dunes, at Grand Sable Dunes, or on any groomed winter ski trails.

Remember, even when swimming, pets must wear a leash.

>> View Pictured Rocks’ Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Learn how your pup can become a BARK Ranger at Pictured Rocks!

The campgrounds at Pictured Rocks are open from May 15 through October 15 and require reservations. Each site has a picnic table, fire grate and tent pad. The facilities are rustic, with vault toilets and well water. There are no hook-ups and little to no cell phone reception.

• Little Beaver Lake Campground – 8 sites with a small boat ramp; not accessible to motorhomes longer than 36 feet and trailer combinations longer than 42 feet
• Hurricane River Campground – 21 sites; motorhomes longer than 36 feet and trailer combinations longer than 42 feet not recommended
• Twelvemile Beach Campground – 36 sites on a sandy plateau above the beach with beach access; motorhomes longer than 36 feet and trailer combinations longer than 42 feet not recommended

Other pet friendly campgrounds that can accommodate larger RVs and provide full hook-ups are available nearby.

Pinnacles National Park was formed 23 million years ago when multiple volcanoes erupted, flowed, and slid to form this unique landscape. Now woodlands, canyons and towering rock spires teem with life, including prairie and peregrine falcons, golden eagles, and the inspiring California condor.

Leashed pets visiting Pinnacles can walk only in picnic areas, parking lots, campground, and along paved roads. Pets cannot go on any park trails, on the shuttle, or inside building, and you can’t leave pets unattended in a vehicle.

>> View Pinnacles’ Pet Policy

The pet friendly Pinnacles Campground has 134 reservable sites and must be accessed from the east side of the park. No roads connect the two park entrances.

Tent sites have a picnic table and fire ring, and most RV sites have electrical hookups and share community tables and barbecue pits. Water is located throughout the campground, showers and a dump station are available, and the swimming pool is typically open from middle of April through the end of September.

In addition to camping, Pinnacles National Park offers rustic, pet friendly canvas-sided tent cabins for rent in the park.

 

Prince William Forest Park is a respite of quiet and calm just 35 miles from Washington, DC. With fragrant woods and trickling streams, the park welcomes campers, hikers, bikers, nature lovers and their pets!

Prince William Forest Park is popular with dog walkers for its miles of pet friendly hiking trails and gravel fire roads. Pets must remain on leashes no longer than six feet, and cannot go in the Turkey Run Ridge Group Campground, any public building, and the Cabin Camps.

>> View Prince William Forest’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visting Washington, D.C.’s National Mall With Pets

There are two pet friendly camping options at Prince William Forest Park:

• Oak Ridge Campground – 100 reservable sites with bathrooms, grills, and picnic tables. Accessible for tents and RVs; RVs are limited to 32 feet in length, 12 feet in height and there are no RV hook-ups.
• Prince William Forest RV Campground – 76 reservable sites for RV (max 35 feet) and tents, some with full hook-ups; amenities include heated restrooms, hot showers, swimming pool, playground, and laundry.

Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses 415 square miles of spectacular range of mountain environments, over 300 miles of hiking trails, and incredible wildlife viewing.

Leashed pets are restricted to the developed areas in Rocky Mountain National Park, including parking lots, picnic areas, campgrounds, and roadsides. Pets are not allowed on any trails or in the backcountry.

>> View Rocky Mountain’s Pet Policy

Rocky Mountain National Park has five pet friendly campgrounds, which are generally open from late-May to mid-September:

• Aspenglen Campground – 52 reservable sites for tents and RVs with flush toilets and potable water available seasonally, however there are no showers or hook-ups. Maximum vehicle length is 30 feet.
• Glacier Basin Campground – 150 reservable sites for tents and RVs with flush toilets, potable water, and dump station available seasonally, however there are no showers or hook-ups. Maximum vehicle length is 35 feet.
• Longs Peak Campground – 26 tent-only sites available on a first-come, first-served basis; vault toilets and potable water (seasonally)
• Moraine Park Campground – 244 reservable sites for tents and RVs with flush toilets, potable water, and dump station available seasonally, however there are no showers or hook-ups. Maximum vehicle length is 40 feet.
• Timber Creek Campground – 98 reservable sites for tents and RVs with flush toilets, potable water, and dump station available seasonally, however there are no showers or hook-ups. Maximum vehicle length is 30 feet.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is known for its huge mountains, deep canyons, stunning caverns, and the world’s largest trees — the majestic Sequoia.

Pets on leash are restricted to the developed areas at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, including parking lots, paved roads, campgrounds, and picnic areas. Pets cannot go on any trails.

>> View Sequoia and Kings Canyon’s Pet Policy

There are fourteen pet friendly camping options in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, including three that are open year-round. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring with grill, and a metal food-storage box, and most are reservable up to one month in advance.

There are no RV hook-ups or showers in the park, and dump stations are located at Dump stations are located at Potwisha, Lodgepole, and Dorst Creek campgrounds. Check vehicle-length limits on park roads before deciding where to drive in these parks.

 

Shenandoah National Park protects over 200,000 acres of mountain landscape, including cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. Accessed by the lovely Skyline Drive, there are nearly 500 miles of trails for you to explore with your pets!

At Shenandoah, leashed pets are welcome on most trails, but check the signs; there are approximately 20 miles of trails where pets cannot go. In addition, pets cannot go inside buildings or attend the ranger programs.

>> View Shenandoah’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Planning A Pet Friendly Road Trip

Shenandoah National Park has three main campgrounds, all of which are pet friendly and operate from late-March to late-October or mid-November. Pet friendly backcountry camping is also an option at Shenandoah.

• Big Meadows Campground (Mile 51.2) – 221 reservable and first-come, first-served tent and RV sites with potable water, flush toilets, and showers, but no electric hook-ups. Three waterfalls are within walking distance of the campground and the Meadow, with its abundant plant growth and wildlife, is close by.
• Lewis Mountain Campground (Mile 57.5) – 30 first-come, first-served sites for tents and smaller RVs. The smallest campground in the park, Lewis Mountain appeals to those who want a little more privacy without venturing deep into the backcountry.
• Loft Mountain Campground (Mile 79.5) – 207 reservable and first-come, first-served tent and RV sites with potable water, flush toilets, and showers, but no electric hook-ups. The largest campground in the park, Loft Mountain offers some of the most scenic views.

In addition to camping, Shenandoah National Park offers pet friendly accommodations at Skyland (Mile 41.7) and Big Meadows Lodge (Mile 51), and Lewis Mountain Cabins (Mile 57.5).

To experience miles of sandy beaches, bluffs towering 450’ above Lake Michigan, lush forests, and clear inland lakes, plan a trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes.

At Sleeping Bear Dunes leashed pets can explore most of the park, including some beaches, as long as you clean up after them. Any sections of the park marked with “No Pets” signs are nesting locations of the endangered piping plovers and must be protected. In addition, pets cannot go on the Dune Climb, Maritime Museum grounds, North Bar Lake, Platte Point Beach, White Pine backcountry campsites, North and South Manitou Island, and certain cross-country ski trails in winter.

>> View Sleeping Bear Dunes’ Pet Policy

There are two pet friendly campgrounds at Sleeping Bear Dunes. Sites are reservable from May 1st to October 15 and first-come, first-served the rest of the year.

• D. H. Day Campground – a rustic campground with 88 tents and RV sites. Vault toilets and potable water are accessible throughout the campground, and there is a dump station near the entrance. Best of all, campers enjoy easy access to Lake Michigan.
• Platte River Campground – 179 sites for tents and RVs, some with electrical hook-ups. Restrooms with hot showers, flush toilets, potable water, and a dump station are available for campers.

This rugged landscape, experienced by Theodore Roosevelt in 1883, helped shape the conservation policy of the future president. Now the more than 70,000 acre national park bears his name.

Leashed pets at Theodore Roosevelt can walk along roads and road shoulders, sidewalks, parking areas, and in campgrounds and picnic areas. However, they cannot go in park buildings, on trails, or in the backcountry. Be aware that dogs can agitate bison, potentially creating a dangerous situation.

>> View Theodore Roosevelt’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Tips For Visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park with Pets

Theodore Roosevelt National Park has two camping options for people traveling with a pet.

Juniper (50 sites) and Cottonwood (76 sites) Campgrounds are both pet friendly and accommodate tents and RVs, though neither offer hookups. Located along the Little Missouri River, the campgrounds are open year-round and have potable water and restrooms with flush toilets (no showers) during summer. In winter, vault toilets are available in both campgrounds.

 

Voyageurs National Park is a wonderland of exposed rock ridges, cliffs, wetlands, forests, streams and lakes. It’s a place of transition between land and water, between wild and developed areas.

At Voyageurs, leashed pets are allowed at the front country campsites, on the 1.7-mile Recreation Trail and in the immediate visitor center areas and parking lots. Pets cannot go on any other trails or in the backcountry. All pets must have current vaccinations and possess a valid vaccination tag.

>> View Voyageurs’ Pet Policy

Voyageurs National Park offers many pet friendly front country campsites and houseboat sites within the park boundaries. All campsites are accessible only by water. For reservations, make arrangements at least 1 day prior to the day you intend to occupy the site.

For a truly unique experience, the villas at the Kettle Falls Hotel in Voyageurs National Park are also pet friendly.

The sparkling water of Whiskeytown Lake, framed by mountain peaks, is the most prominent feature of this park. But there are waterfalls, pristine mountain creeks, 70 miles of trails, and history of the California Gold Rush for you and your pet to explore as well!

Leashed pets can join you in most of the park, but cannot go inside buildings or on the following beaches: Brandy Creek, East, Oak Bottom, and Whiskey Creek Group Picnic Area Beach.

>> View Whiskeytown’s Pet Policy

In addition to backcountry camping, Whiskeytown has three pet friendly campgrounds:

• Oak Bottom Campground – 116 reservable tent and RV sites with potable water, flush toilets, showers, but no hookups.
• Brandy Creek Campground – 17 reservable tent and RV sites. RV side has potable water, but no showers or toilets. Tent side has vault toilets, but no showers or potable water.
• Sheep Camp – 4 reservable tent sites with vault toilets, but no showers or potable water.
• Peltier Camp – 9 reservable tent sites with vault toilets, but no showers or potable water.
• Horse Camp – 2 reservable sites with vault toilets and potable water, but no showers.
• Crystal Creek – 2 reservable tent sites with vault toilets, but no showers or potable water.
• Dry Creek – 2 reservable group sites with potable water and vault toilets, but no showers.

White Sands National Park preserves 275 square miles of desert, covered by great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand, along with the plants and animals that live there.

Pets on leashes no longer than six feet can enjoy all White Sands has to offer with you. Picking up after your pets is a must, and the park provides two designated pet walking stations complete with waste bags to facilitate the removal of pet waste. White Sands only places two restrictions on pets: they cannot go in park buildings, and they cannot be left unattended.

>> View White Sands’ Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Visiting White Sands with Pets

White Sands National Park offers pet friendly backcountry camping among the glistening gypsum dunes. You’ll need a permit, and reaching the campsites requires hiking at least a mile.

Orange trail markers with a spade symbol indicate the backcountry camping trail, and orange markers with a tent symbol and site numbers mark the location of the campsites.

 

Wind Cave is one of the longest and most complex caves in the world. Named for barometric winds at its entrance, it’s one of America’s oldest national parks. Above ground, bison, elk, and other wildlife roam the rolling prairie grasslands and forested hillsides.

At Wind Cave leashed pets can walk in campgrounds, picnic areas, grassy areas near the visitor center, parking lots, and in other developed areas. Pets are also welcome on the Prairie Vista Trail (1 mile) and Elk Mountain Campground Trail. Pet cannot go on any other trails, in buildings, on cave tours, in the backcountry (including along park roads).

>> View Wind Cave’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Pet Friendly Custer State Park and South Dakota’s Black Hills

Elk Mountain Campground is the pet friendly camping option at Wind Cave National Park. It is open year round and has 62 sites reservable sites. Campers have access to flush toilets and potable water late spring through early fall. During the off-season, the campground has pit toilets and water is available at the visitor center. There are no hookups, showers, or dump stations in the campground, and Loop B has no restrictions on vehicle length.

On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone became America’s first national park. Within Yellowstone’s 2.2 million acres, visitors are treated to unique hydrothermal and geologic features, unparalleled opportunities to observe wildlife in an intact ecosystem, see about half of the world’s active geysers, and view natural wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.

At Yellowstone pets on leashes no longer than six feet can accompany you only in developed areas of the park, including parking areas, campgrounds, and areas within 100 feet of roads (excluding thermal areas). Pets cannot go on trails, boardwalks, in the backcountry, or in thermal areas.

>> View Yellowstone’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ Finding Balance With Pets At Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park offers 12 pet friendly campgrounds with over 2,000 seasonal campsites. Campsites must be reserved in advance, with the exception of Mammoth Campground which offers first-come, first-served sites from October 15 – April 1.

• Bridge Bay Campground – 432 sites with flush toilets, potable water, dump station
• Canyon Campground – 273 sites with flush toilets, potable water, laundry, showers, dump station
• Fishing Bridge RV Park – 310 sites for hard-sided campers and RVs only with water, sewer, and electrical hookups. Flush toilets, potable water, laundry, showers, and dump station are also available.
• Grant Village Campground – 430 sites with flush toilets, potable water, laundry, showers, dump station
• Indian Creek Campground – 70 sites for primitive camping with vault toilets. Sites will accommodate vehicles from 30 to 35 feet.
• Lewis Lake Campground – 84 sites for primitive camping with vault toilets. Maximum vehicle length is 25 feet.
• Madison Campground – 278 sites with flush toilets, potable water, dump station
• Mammoth Campground – 82 sites with flush toilets. Maximum vehicle length is 45 feet in summer and 30 feet in winter.
• Norris Campground – 111 sites with flush toilets. Two sites will accommodate vehicles up to 50 feet, five will accommodate vehicles up to 30 feet.
• Pebble Creek Campground – 27 sites for primitive camping with vault toilets. Some long pull-throughs for larger RVs.
• Slough Creek Campground – 16 sites sites for primitive camping with vault toilets. Most sites will accommodate vehicles up to 30 feet.
• Tower Fall Campground – 31 sites for primitive camping with vault toilets. Maximum vehicle length is 30 feet.

In addition to camping, Yellowstone National Park offers pet friendly accommodations in the following locations: Lake Hotel and Cabins, Lake Lodge Cabins, Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins, Canyon Lodge Cabins, Old Faithful Lodge Cabins, Old Faithful Snow Lodge Cabins, Roosevelt Lodge Cabins.

 

Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls. But its nearly 1,200 square miles also encompass deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, and a vast wilderness area.

At Yosemite, leashed pets can walk in developed areas, on fully-paved roads, on sidewalks and bicycle paths (except when signed as not allowing pets), and in the drive-in campgrounds, but not the group campsites. Pets can also explore the following areas:

• Wawona: Wawona Meadow Loop, Chowchilla Mountain Road, and Four Mile and Eleven Mile fire roads (but not the Four Mile Trail in Yosemite Valley)
• Hodgdon Meadow: Carlon Road from the trailhead to Hodgdon Meadow, and on the Old Big Oak Flat Road from Hodgdon Meadow to Tuolumne Grove parking lot

Leashes must be no longer than six feet, and pets cannot go on any other trails, in any buildings including hotels and lodges, on beaches, in meadows, on shuttle buses, on snow-covered roads, or in the backcountry or wilderness. To explore more of the park, consider the dog kennel available in Yosemite Valley from late May through early September.

>> View Yosemite’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ The Ultimate Pet Friendly Guide To Banff National Park

At Yosemite National Park, there are 12 pet friendly campgrounds, 9 of which will accommodate RVs and trailers of varying lengths.

RV hookups are not available in the park, although dump stations and potable water are available at Upper Pines Campground (all year), near Wawona Campground (summer only), and near Tuolumne Meadows Campground (summer only).

Showers are available only at the Curry Village pool shower house. Showers are not available elsewhere in the park.

• Upper Pines, North Pines, Lower Pines, Wawona, Bridalveil Creek, Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, White Wolf, and Tuolumne Campgrounds have potable water and flush toilets seasonally.
• Tamarck Flat, Yosemite Creek, and Porcupine Flat have vault toilets and water from the creek, which you must boil.

Yukon – Charley Rivers National preserve protects a largely untouched landscape where the mighty Yukon River meets the Charley River’s whitewater. Visitors are treated to geology, cultural history, gold rush remnants, wildlife, and a deep sense of solitude.

There are no closed areas to pets in Yukon – Charley Rivers National Preserve, however pets must be kept on leashes no longer than six feet. Note that pets cannot be left unattended in public use cabins.

>> View Yukon – Charley Rivers’ Pet Policy

Yukon – Charley River allows primitive dispersed camping and campers should use leave-no-trace practices. The National Park Service also maintains seven pet friendly public use cabins on the Yukon River, which are available for no charge on a first-come, first served basis.

 

Zion National Park protects a spectacular wilderness confined in a narrow slot canyon. During much of the year, the most popular areas of the park are accessed by park shuttles leaving the visitor center, and pets are not allowed on shuttles.

Though Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed to private vehicles when park shuttles are operating, you and your pet can enjoy a scenic drive together on the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, the Kolob Terrace Road, and Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive. Or plan your trip during the off-season when the park’s shuttles are not operating.

Leashed pets can walk in parking areas, in developed campgrounds and picnic areas, on the grounds of the Zion Lodge, on the Pa’rus Trail (1.7 miles one-way), and along public roads. Pets cannot be on any other trails, in any wilderness areas, on shuttle buses, or in public buildings.

Leaving a pet unattended in a vehicle when conditions could pose a health risk to the animal is prohibited. Properly restrained pets may be left unattended in developed campgrounds only when environmental conditions are safe for the animal, and the animal is not making unreasonable noise.

>> View Zion’s Pet Policy

READ MORE ⇒ See More In Southern Utah At Pet Friendly Dixie National Forest

Zion National Park has three pet friendly camping options.

• Lava Point Campground – 6 reservable, primitive campsites typically open May through September. Pit toilets and trash cans are available, but there is no water. Vehicles over 19 feet cannot access the road to the campground. It takes approximately 1 hour 20 minutes to drive to the campground from the South Entrance of Zion Canyon.
• South Campground – 117 reservable tent and RV sites are available from March through October. The campground has flush toilets, potable water, and a dump station, but no showers or hook-ups. Located near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, ½ mile from the South Entrance at Springdale, Utah.
• Watchman Campground – 176 reservable tent and RV sites with electric hookups are available year-round. The campground has flush toilets, potable water, and a dump station, but no showers. Located next to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, ¼ mile away from the South Entrance in Springdale, Utah.

We hope this information about pet friendly campgrounds at America’s national parks inspires you to plan a trip of your own!

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