Dog-Friendly Adventure in the State Parks: The Prologue

This post may contain affilitate links. This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I will receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Any opinions expressed are my own.

We don’t have a ton of National Parks here in the Southeast, but we have beautiful dog-friendly State Parks in spades!  I’m going to share some of our recent adventures, in multiple states, over several posts.

Why State Parks?

I’m not doing a direct comparison here between State Parks and National Parks.  I really don’t see the point of that.  I love the National Parks and want to visit them all (or most, anyway) someday.  But these two things needn’t be mutually exclusive, and sometimes State Parks fit a need that just can’t be satisfied by the National Parks

These are a few of many great reasons to stay in our State Parks:

Easier Access

As someone who loves flying to distant, new destinations, it’s almost painful for me to admit that sometimes this is a positive.  But for many people, all that time and hassle is a real deterrent.

With a trip to a nearby State Park, there’s no flight required. Most people, no matter where they live, are within a few hours drive of one State Park. Often, folks have multiple parks to choose from and some of those might even be in a neighboring state.

Time is on Your Side

Since you’re closer and driving to your park destination, you have the option to do short trips without breaking your budget or your leave balance.

You can have plenty of long weekend adventures with the family and/or the dogs without ever dealing with the hassle of the airport and without needing to take much (if any) vacation days. State Parks are usually a doable option whether you want to get away for a week or just for a couple days, because you’re probably not spending whole days just to get there.

Fido is Welcome!

Name more than 3 dog-friendly National Parks.  Go on, I’ll wait…

Let’s face it, just allowing dogs in a campground is not what any of us are thinking when we look for “dog-friendly”, and that’s what you’ll experience at most National Parks.  Luckily, many State Parks speak our language.  Most of the State Park systems in the southeast are dog-friendly, even offering dog-friendly accommodations at some properties.

Examples I’m sure have some units with dog-friendly cabins:  Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee.  The important note here is that dog-friendly cabins might be very limited – it’ll be a small number of the total cabins at a Park, and not every Park in a state system will offer them.  If you’re looking for dog-friendly cabins, start looking early!

Options for Most Budgets

Entry fees are usually pretty reasonable for the State Parks and may be waived for folks with lodging reservations.

Campsites are plentiful and might range from primitive or walk-in (tent) sites to fully equipped RV sites. Cost usually are tiered to match the type of site, and every system/park should be evaluated early to figure out reservation rules and restrictions.

Lodging – i.e., a cabin or motel-style lodge room – is usually at reasonable prices.  This is especially true when compared to the much revered (but outrageously expensive) lodges in our National Parks. Cabins aren’t necessarily cheap if you’re hoping for campsite costs, no… but they’re typically reasonable for the location and amenities provided.

Like all lodging everywhere in the universe, the better deal is to look for availability outside the high season… and look at weekday rates instead of weekend stays for a slightly better price, too.

Built-in Recreation

State Parks commonly have family-friendly activities available as part of the amenities.  You might be able to go swimming in a lake, use playgrounds, visit a dog park, or use hiking/biking trails.  Often there is equipment available for rent – a park with a lake might rent canoes and kayaks but a park with trails might rent bikes.

And many parks are near other outdoor areas, so they provide a great springboard for lots of additional outdoor recreation opportunities.

Examples to Come…

I’ll be adding a few short entries to review recent visits. I’ll cover Gulf State Park (Alabama), Babcock State Park (West Virginia), and Oconee State Park (South Carolina).  And I’m hoping for additional destinations in the future!