Barking Embarkers

I have gotten a lot of questions lately about national parks with dogs! First I have to explain, I am extremely inclusive with Chloe whenever I have the opportunity to bring her with on adventures. She has never been in an airplane which might change someday; but for now whenever I have a roadtrip (or boat trip or train trip) she comes along! I prefer dog friendly restaurants and hikes. I also chase adventure on a budget. So I’ve made this personal to my experience; just bear in mind there are ABSOLUTELY options different from mine. At the very bottom I’ll discuss some different ways to experience national parks with your dog ♡

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Start Before Sunrise

National parks are extremely beautiful. From Glacier’s pristine peaks, to Hot Springs Arkansas warm waters; the sights are mindboggling. And also, crowded. So, very, crowded. I personally do not like crowds and Chloe in her bond with me does an amazing job helping navigate busy areas; however I personally avoid crowds all the time for multiple reasons.

1. Photos. There is nothing like a perfect view, with the head of a stranger blocking the sight.
2. Experience. As much as I enjoy meeting new people, I would much rather sprint up to a stunning view and stare for hours; rather than a quick glimpse through a couple heads and then wait my turn for a photo.
3. Peace of Mind. Chloe is a well trained dog, but she does experience trigger stacking; just like any dog or human. With a couple of nearby dogs, a baby and many people reaching out for pets without permission- any dog would become stressed; as would any owner. Adventure is so much more peaceful when it is quiet.

And this my friends, is why national parks are best experienced over a sunrise. Not to mention; the animals you get to see, the incredible beauty of a sun slowly rising over places like the Grand Canyon and the steam of Yellowstone breaking way to sunshine. Wake up at Sunrise and embrace the experience. Trust me, you will NOT regret it.

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Take a Midday Break

I am many kinds of awesome, and Chloe is too! But one thing we don’t like is heat. It’s our North Dakota/Minnesota blood. Here I thought Chloe, with her short hair might be a summer dog- and I was SO abhorrent wrong (but very glad about that!) When it is summer and we wake up at sunrise, we go back to some air-conditioning and we take a nice cool nap! We also spend time along rivers or lakes off the main park areas, and if we want to check out different scenery we sometimes find a dog friendly hike to do, outside of the national park.

Midday breaks are awesome; because this leaves the end of the day for star gazing, any potential for Northern Lights and of course… the sunset.

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Chase Down that Sunset

I know I just went on a rant about crowds and I’ll be real- national parks do get crowded for sunset views. Chloe and I still love to chase down the most incredible sunsets. One of our favorites was at Glacier National Park on top of Logan’s Pass. It was SO high up and we could just park at the parking lot and savor the view of the sun fading behind the sky. So many cars took the time to leave as the sun went down; but Chloe and I stayed to watch the stars poke through the mountains as the night darkened and the cars slowly left.

Sunsets at national parks are SO worth it, so much more than navigating crowds during the day! Take an extra few days to see everything; and spend every day catching the rise and fall of the sun. It truly makes for the best dog adventure.

We Find National Forest Land for Camping

Chloe and I used to do a TON of camper/camping and most of it off grid, until the camper was totaled in the Oregon fires of 2020. If you’re a camper person being off grid is so much fun! You just have to consider your water; but if you have a generator you can have electricity (AND AIR CONDITIONING) and a nice comfortable bed in a free spot to camp. Here are some of my national park free camping finds.

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I know it looks archaic but freecampsites.net is my favorite way to find free spots! Chloe and I continue to enjoy national parks; but nowadays we enjoy car-camping or using a tent or hammock. Check out my post here about free camping.

There are SO many perks to free camping around national parks, including:

• You can save a TON of money
• Oh sweet privacy! Very few people find these free spots ♡
• The ability for your dog to run and explore off leash in a safe area
• Wildlife is abundant!
• You give back to nature by picking up any trash you discover on these public lands, AND by leaving no trace (not even your dog’s poop!)

Let me just say it one more time- free camping, for the win.

Other Ways to Manage Dog Friendly National Park Explorations

It’s so unfortunately true. Most national parks are not dog friendly on the hiking trails. They say it’s because of the wildlife and I’m sure that’s true to some degree; but let’s also talk about the crowds one more time. On tight trails in certain places it can be dangerous to navigate with a dog. So make sure you check national park rules about adventure dogs before you hit the trails. Shennedoah, Congaree and Cuyahoga are a few of the more pet friendly national parks! Glacier, Yellowstone and Yosemite are unfortunately not nearly so pet friendly. But don’t be discouraged! There is still so much you can do with your dog that aren’t on the trails!

Roadtripping along some of the more scenic areas, like badlands national park in South Dakota is mind boggling and pet friendly! You can bring your dog along the roads!

Off Season dog ventures are also awesome! You can walk with your dog on the roads that are typically closed during the winter; not have to worry about a fee to enter the park and again enjoy the crowd free environment ♡

Viewpoint Explorations are also absolutely stunning to enjoy with your pet! I remember Skyline Drive in Shannedoah National Park as one of Chloe’s favorites for exploring.

Rover or Daycare are other options for allowing you to hit those national park bucketlist trails while being somewhere your dog cannot. I love Rover, and some parks have Daycares available for dogs while you are off hiking!

Nearby National Forests are horrifically underrated. Here are some photos we’ve taken on hikes that are JUST outside national parks.

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Typically these areas are less busy, and you still can enjoy the incredible views! Just be sure to check all trails or with a park ranger to ensure your trail is dog friendly and never hesitate to embark on that adventure ♡

Well, I hope you all learned so much about managing national parks! Chloe and I have explored 13 of them (I’ve been to 7 without her) and we have many more to go!

Be sure to be safe when planning your summer adventures; wear a mask! Extra points if your mask matches your adventure pet’s outfit! How many national parks have you explored with your adventure pet? Which is your favorite so far? I hope you all have many happy trails and happy tails this week!

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You can also ALWAYS reach out with questions by emailing us at barkingembarkers@gmail.com.