Ron Bexel
Best Dog Friendly National Parks – US national parks are generally not friendly to dogs or other pets, but did you know that Yosemite National Park is one of the best parks to take your four-legged friend? It’s true! Yosemite National Park is unique in its ability to offer you stunning views without having to leave the valley. That means you (and your furry best friend) can enjoy America’s best national park together!
Yosemite is known for its lush, powerful waterfalls, historic granite cliffs, towering redwood trees, and some of the best camping in California. While there are many epic trails in Yosemite (find our recommendations here), Yosemite is so accessible that you can get out of your car, enjoy the incredible views, and never set foot on a trail! Read on to learn everything you need to know about visiting Yosemite with a dog (or any pet)!
Best Dog Friendly National Parks
Yosemite National Park is located in the central part of California and is known as one of the best parks in the United States. Yosemite attracts visitors from all over the world!
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If you are coming from San Francisco, the trip to Yosemite takes between 3 and 4 hours. Your trip from Los Angeles will be 5 to 6 hours longer. You can also fly to the nearest airport and rent a car at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, just an hour away. For us, we left Reno, Nevada after visiting Lake Tahoe on our 7-day Northern California road trip. No matter which route you choose, a beautiful, scenic drive to Yosemite National Park awaits!
I may be biased, but I think we should ALL camp in Yosemite National Park! Yosemite has some of the best camping in all of California and reservations sell out as soon as they arrive. If you’re lucky like us, you can find last-minute cancellations on Recreation.gov. The camps open every 15th of the month 5 months in advance. More information can be found at Recreation.gov. We stayed at Lower Pines and North Pines Campgrounds and LOVED them both!
During peak traffic season in Yosemite, daily reservations are required for 1 vehicle passing through the park from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. m. to 4:00 p.m. m. This means that if you visit the park between April 13 and October 27, you will need to make a reservation during peak hours. Read about the planned entry into Yosemite National Park here. Pro tip: try to arrive before 5am!
Additionally, you should make sure you have a Great Parks of America pass. You can also choose to purchase a 3-day or 12-month pass to Yosemite National Park at the park gate.
What You Need To Know Before Bringing Your Dog To Yosemite National Park
It’s very important to remember that America’s national parks are not very dog-friendly! As pet owners, we must do our best to follow National Park regulations when bringing our pets to Yosemite. As a general rule, pets can only be walked on paved surfaces, which is allowed in most campgrounds, and must be leashed.
While the lists above may seem like a lot of places where dogs are not allowed in Yosemite, remember that this is still one of the best US national parks to bring your dog. You can camp with your dog in Yosemite and find places that allow pets. After our first visit in May 2024, I found the best dog-friendly hikes and scenic views in Yosemite that you can bring your dog to share with you.
Tunnel View is the most famous viewpoint in Yosemite National Park. Made famous by artist Ansel Adams, this iconic lookout offers incredible views of Yosemite Valley with El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Falls. This spot is iconic for a reason and is an easily accessible overlook and just steps from a large parking lot.
My favorite place in Yosemite is the hour-plus drive from Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point. This is one of the best sunset spots where the alpine glow at Half Dome when the sun sets is incredible. It’s a popular spot so we visited twice to see the sunset and sunrise, but it’s worth it! Be sure to visit the Geology Hut and hike the trails around Glacier Point with your dog.Â
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One of my favorite places in Yosemite is in the valley! Cooks Meadow is a 2 mile trail that takes you through meadows and beautiful walks. With Yosemite behind, this iconic landscape looks like a paradise. You can continue this circuit to the Sentinel Bridge.
Lower Yosemite Falls is a fantastic short 1.25 mile trail that leads to one of the most epic spots in the park. The paved walk is dog-friendly, so you can bring your dog closer to the falls. It is amazing to experience Yosemite Falls and see how powerful they are.
Sentinel Bridge is part of the Cooks Meadow Trail and is where we saw the alpine glow fall over Half Dome at sunset. You should know that dogs are not allowed to swim in bodies of water in Yosemite, so Sentinel Beach is not allowed. Tip: On a hot day, ask the campground manager if your dog can cool off in the river – safety comes first on a hot day!
We watched the sunrise over the valley from Valley View and can you believe this photo was taken from the parking lot? Valley View is one of the best and easiest views, and it is also a dog-friendly place.
On-leash Dog Walking Parks & Trails
The places listed above are ones we unfortunately didn’t have enough time to visit, but we know they are all dog friendly! Mirror Lake is a great 5 mile trail that takes you to beautiful views of the lake with calm, reflective waters. Dogs can walk with you to the lake, but not around the lake. Wawona Meadows is a 3-mile wooded trail that takes you to a picturesque valley meadow. Captain Meadows is also a great stop along the way.
Yosemite National Park is truly one of the most dog-friendly national parks in the US, with some of the most spectacular views and some of the best camping in California. You don’t have to leave your dog at home when you’re planning a trip to Yosemite, and we encourage you to bring your furry friend along for the adventure! Our dog Rosie had a great time and we made amazing memories!
I hope I have inspired you to join this adventure to explore the incredible Yosemite National Park! Be sure to check out our travel story on Instagram, TikTok, and follow us on YouTube from this popular California adventure!
Looking for more inspiration from our trip? Read our blog on the best 7-day adventure travel itinerary in Northern California. Check out our popular 8-day road trip to Utah or our popular 10-day road trip to the Washington and Oregon coast! As summer approaches, it’s time to get outside and be active with your furry best friend. Then, check out this list of the 15 Best Dog-Friendly National Parks.
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Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Americans have traveled less and less by air and have turned to traditional travel and RV trips to explore America’s wilderness. We are lucky to have so many incredible and beautiful national parks. But if you’re traveling with a baby, you’ll definitely want to know which national parks are best for dogs.
Take your dog to all the national parks. Due to wildlife activity, some parks do not allow dogs at all. Others will allow them at developed campgrounds and picnic areas, but not anymore. Fear not: there are still plenty of fantastic dog-friendly national parks you can visit this summer. And if you’re worried about losing your dog in parks, check out the Fi GPS smart collar. But before we get to the list, let’s talk about the important things you should know when visiting national parks with your dog.
Although many national parks allow your pet to accompany you, they have some rules regarding pet etiquette to make the experience enjoyable for everyone. This is your B.A.R.K. Dog policy.
Not only does this help keep the trails clean, but your dog’s waste is an “inherent element” of the park’s ecosystem.
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Unfortunately, pets must be on a leash at all times, with a maximum leash length of 6 feet. This is to protect everyone and everything, including your pet.
Don’t let your dog near wild animals, he can be extremely dangerous. Make sure your dog behaves and listens to you. Depending on the park, you may encounter grizzly bears, mountain lions, or rattlesnakes.
Before you begin, stop by the visitor center and ask where dogs are allowed and where they are not. And be sure to get a roadmap.
Here’s our list of the 15 best dog-friendly national parks to visit this summer. See what they have to offer, where they are and get ready to start your adventure.
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Acadia has over 100 miles of dog-friendly trails and most campgrounds are dog-friendly. Plus, Bar Harbor is a nice little town with lots of places for pets.
Congaree lets the dogs in
