The Most Dog-Friendly National Parks in the US Are Also the Least Visited
Parks like Yellowstone, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Yosemite draw huge crowds every year. At peak times, traffic can feel more like a city commute than a break from nature. They offer incredible scenery, but most have strict rules that limit where dogs can go. At the same time, there are parks that take a much more relaxed approach to dogs. These lesser-known national parks allow pets on more trails and open areas, so you can actually explore instead of sticking to a parking lot. They may not draw the same crowds, but they make it easier to plan a trip that includes your best friend.
White Sands National Park
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Gleaming gypsum dunes stretch across 275 square miles of the Tularosa Basin in southern New Mexico. Your dog can join you on every trail and across the dunes, which is a rarity in the national park system. With only around 700,000 annual visitors, you’ll have acres of white expanse to explore without dodging crowds or waiting for photo ops.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
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Cuyahoga Valley National Park is located between Cleveland and Akron and spans more than 32,000 acres of forests and wetlands. It offers one of the most dog-friendly trail systems in the country, with most routes open to leashed pets. The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath provides flat, shaded miles ideal for older dogs or those building stamina. About 2.8 million people visit each year, yet the landscape rarely feels crowded.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
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Great Sand Dunes National Park rises 750 feet above the floor of the San Luis Valley in Colorado. You can stand at the base and look straight up at the tallest dunes in North America. Leashed dogs are allowed on the main dune field, so they can climb beside you and power through the soft sand. Medano Creek flows at the base each spring and gives tired paws a cool place to rest. A little over half a million people visit each year, which keeps the dunes open and peaceful most days.
New River Gorge National Park
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America’s newest national park protects one of its oldest rivers as it carves through West Virginia’s sandstone cliffs. Many trails welcome leashed dogs, especially along river access points. The park welcomes around 1.6 million annual visitors, while the Endless Wall Trail offers dramatic overlooks without harsh sun exposure.
Shenandoah National Park
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Shenandoah National Park covers about 200,000 acres in Virginia and includes more than 500 miles of trails open to leashed dogs. Sections of the Appalachian Trail run through the park, offering long and steady routes. Waterfalls and open views are common along the way. Around 1.6 million people visit each year. Many trails include stream crossings where dogs can cool off and drink.
Indiana Dunes National Park
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Despite hosting one of the Midwest’s most biologically diverse ecosystems and being an hour from Chicago, this park draws only about 2 million visitors annually. Most trails and beaches outside of swim zones welcome dogs, making this one of the easiest parks to visit with a pet. West Beach and the Dunes Succession Trail consistently earn praise from dog owners for their manageable distances and varied terrain.
Congaree National Park
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Fewer than 200,000 visitors visit Congaree each year, ranking it among the quietest parks in the system. It holds the largest intact old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the country. Several backcountry trails let leashed dogs explore flooded forests and champion trees that have stood for centuries. Mosquitoes are present here, so bug spray and protective gear for your dog matter as much as water bottles.
Gateway Arch National Park
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At just 91 acres along the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis, this ranks as the smallest national park in the country. Leashed dogs can walk riverside paths and explore the grounds beneath the 630-foot arch. About 2 million people visit annually, but most come for the arch itself and skip the trails. The compact size works perfectly for road trip pit stops, as an hour of exploring with your dog shouldn’t derail your schedule.
Petrified Forest National Park
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Temperatures swing wildly here between day and night, and shade exists only in theory, so planning around the heat becomes critical. Still, around 600,000 people visit this park annually. Dog parents and their leashed pets will appreciate the paved Painted Desert Rim Trail. People who want to venture into the backcountry can get a free permit to access stretches of wilderness. Water is essential, and it’s important to watch for sharp petrified wood fragments.
Dry Tortugas National Park
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Sitting around 70 miles off the Florida Keys, the seven small islands here require either a ferry ride or a seaplane to reach. Fort Jefferson’s historic grounds and harbor beach allow leashed dogs, though snorkeling and swimming areas stay off-limits to pets. Only about 80,000 visitors make the journey annually, cementing this as one of the least crowded parks anywhere. The isolation means limited supplies, so pack everything your dog might need.