The best dog-friendly hikes in the USA

The hardest part of hiking with a dog in the US is knowing where dogs are allowed. Most national parks keep dogs off their trails, while national forests, BLM land and many state parks welcome them on a leash. Below are the best dog-friendly hikes we know of, by region, with the rules you need. Bundu lists 59 dog-friendly trails in the US; use the Dog friendly filter to see them all.

Rules change, and some areas close to dogs seasonally. Check with the park or forest before you go.

The national park rule, and the exceptions

In most national parks, dogs are allowed on roads, paved paths, campgrounds and parking areas, but not on trails. Where they are allowed, the leash can be no longer than 6 feet. A few parks are much friendlier:

• Acadia (Maine): leashed dogs are welcome on most trails and the carriage roads. Ocean Path is the classic walk. Dogs are not allowed on the iron-rung ladder trails such as the Precipice and Beehive.
• Grand Canyon (Arizona): dogs can walk the Grand Canyon Rim Trail on the South Rim, but not below the rim.
• Zion (Utah): the paved Pa'rus Trail is the only trail in the park that allows dogs.
• Cuyahoga Valley (Ohio): leashed dogs are allowed on most trails, including Brandywine Falls.
• White Sands (New Mexico): leashed dogs are allowed on the dunes, including the Alkali Flat Trail. Sand gets very hot in summer, so go early.
• New River Gorge (West Virginia): leashed dogs are allowed on most trails, including the Long Point Trail.
• Shenandoah (Virginia): dogs are allowed on most trails, but not on Old Rag.

West Coast

• Runyon Canyon (Los Angeles): the city's best-known dog hike, with off-leash areas inside the canyon.
• Mount Hollywood via Griffith Park: Griffith Park to views of the Hollywood sign and the observatory. Dogs on a leash.
• Mission Peak (Bay Area): a steep, exposed climb with big views. Bring lots of water for your dog; there is little shade.
• Eagle Lake (Lake Tahoe): a short climb past a waterfall to an alpine lake.
• Multnomah Falls and Tamanawas Falls (Oregon): waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge and on Mount Hood.
• Cape Lookout Trail (Oregon coast): a forest trail out to a headland, popular for whale watching.
• Misery Ridge Loop (Smith Rock): steep and hot; better for fit dogs in cool weather.
• Rattlesnake Ledge and Lake Serene (near Seattle): a busy, short ledge hike and a harder climb to an alpine lake.

Rocky Mountains and the Southwest

• Dog Lake via Mill Creek Canyon (Salt Lake City): in Mill Creek Canyon, where dogs may go off leash on odd-numbered days. Most other canyons near the city are watershed and ban dogs.
• Mount Sanitas (Boulder) and Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs): easy-to-reach city favourites. Dogs on a leash.
• Maroon Bells Scenic Trail and Mount Bierstadt (Colorado): mountain lakes and one of the easier 14,000-foot peaks.
• Corona Arch and Fisher Towers (Moab): on BLM land, so dogs are welcome, unlike in nearby Arches National Park.
• Bell Rock Pathway and Cathedral Rock (Sedona): easy red-rock walking, and a short, steep scramble.
• Humphreys Peak (Flagstaff): Arizona's highest point. Long, high and rocky.
• Fire Wave (Nevada): a short slickrock walk. Avoid it in summer heat.
• Sawtooth Lake and Table Rock (Idaho), Flattop Mountain (Anchorage), La Luz Trail (Albuquerque).

Texas, the South and the Midwest

• Barton Creek Greenbelt (Austin) and Lighthouse Trail (Palo Duro Canyon).
• Hawksbill Crag (Arkansas) and Gray's Arch (Red River Gorge, Kentucky).
• Appalachian Trail (Georgia Start), Amicalola Falls (Georgia) and Table Rock Trail (South Carolina).
• Max Patch, Linville Falls and DuPont State Forest (North Carolina).
• Oak Mountain State Park (Birmingham, Alabama).
• Old Man's Cave (Ohio), Starved Rock State Park (Illinois), Devil's Lake East Bluff (Wisconsin), Gooseberry Falls (Minnesota), Turkey Run Trail 3 (Indiana) and Black Elk Peak (South Dakota).

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

• McAfee Knob and Humpback Rocks (Virginia): two of the best views on the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
• Ricketts Glen Falls Trail (Pennsylvania): more than 20 waterfalls. Wet, steep and slippery; keep your dog close.
• Kaaterskill Falls and Cascade Mountain (New York).
• Mount Tammany (New Jersey), Sleeping Giant Tower Trail (Connecticut) and Mount Greylock (Massachusetts).
• Franconia Ridge Loop and Mount Washington via Tuckerman Ravine (New Hampshire): serious, rocky mountain days. Only for fit, experienced dogs, and turn back in bad weather.

Tips for hiking with your dog

• Heat: rock and sand can burn paws. Touch the ground with the back of your hand; if you can't hold it there for 5 seconds, it is too hot.
• Water: carry enough for both of you and a bowl. Do not count on streams in the desert.
• Leash: carry one even where off-leash is allowed. Wildlife, other dogs and cliffs make it worth it.
• Pack it out: bag the poop and carry it out. Bags left on the trail are the main reason places ban dogs.
• Wildlife: rattlesnakes, porcupines and bears are all reasons to keep your dog close.