National Park Camping

Basil48192

This may not be 'T@B' specific...but I thought I would throw this out to the group.  We are starting to plan a trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.  We camp with our dog quite a bit, but I'm reading a lot about many trails and attractions in the national park prohibiting pets.  Does anyone have experience with this?  I don't like the idea of leaving Finn in the camper all day while we roam around the park...but I also don't want to board him for 3+ weeks.  Any thoughts and/or experiences would be appreciated.

bergger

The vast majority of the national parks do not allow dogs on the trails. Each park can be different so you need to check before you go. But I can tell you both the parks you mentioned do not allow dogs in very many areas outside the parking lots. Some of the smaller parks and monuments are more dog accommodating but most are not. As a dog person myself it can be frustrating but I totally get it. Especially in places like Yellowstone and Tetons it’s not a good idea to have a bunch of dogs on the trails. 

rfuss928

In Yellowstone, even wide paved walkways to roadside overlooks are considered trails and no dogs are allowed.  I was told by a ranger they have found canine parvovirus in the wolf packs and It can only be from domestic pets.  They are trying to minimize areas contaminated by pet waste.
We did find a kennel in the Teton area for a day or two of backcountry travel without our buddy but it just wasn't right without him.

dlb

You don’t want your pet come running back to you with their new found friend coming quickly behind them.  There are some great examples on YouTube. 

Michigan_Mike

They don’t want dogs on the trails because it could put you in a lot of danger.  There are predators out there and your dog could bring them to you.  I had a dog up in Glacier NP many years back, wasn’t aware of the rule and came upon a park ranger who spoke with me and informed me that I could be fined for having (my leashed) dog out on trails in the park.  If you were to come upon a bear with cubs or even a mountain lion things could get ugly and dangerous.  We all love our dogs, these things are frustrating but others are also not enamored with our canine friends and we have to adjust to the environment we live in.  And today the parks are heavily used, areas are congested, it can be tough on dogs, etc.  

Binghi

I can see prohibiting dogs on trails in Wilderness Areas, but in NP’s? Come on, most national parks are overrun with humans and their vehicles who do a greater job of running off the wildlife and create far more environmental waste than a dog could ever muster.

rh5555

Dogs on leashes are generally acceptable on trails in Canadian National Parks.  All the more reason to visit our friends to the north.

GregChris

I'm only familiar with 4 NP's regarding dogs. Cuyahoga, Shenandoah, and Assateague are very friendly, Shenandoah only had restrictions on 2 trails. Smokies only allowed pets on 1 trail in the whole park. You can have them in campgrounds. Traveling with our dog is new to us also, we found a doggie day care in Myrtle Beach, we hope we can get in on short notice, since we won't know our schedule till we get there in 2 weeks.

jkjenn

Yellowstone is a rough park for dogs. The size, at least for me, means I am away from the camper for long periods of time. As has been mentioned, you really cannot take your dog outside of the parking area. I have not taken Rocky on a trip to Yellowstone for that reason. It occurred to me it would be a pretty crummy experience for him, and I would spend my time worrying about him if he was back at the camper. The sun is too hot to leave him the TV while I stop and explore, too, unless it is very early or late season.

Basil48192

Thank you all for your comments!  I agree.  I would not leave him in the camper all day...so I have some decisions to make.  I guess there are times that we cannot have our cake and eat it too!  Thank from Finn too!