It’s a Dog’s Life at Shenandoah National Park

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In March of this year, everyone’s lives changed due to the impacts of the novel coronavirus.  At my house, that meant remote work for us both and rarely leaving the house (except for runs/walks in our own neighborhood).  Our groceries were suddenly being delivered, we became comfortable with Microsoft Teams for every facet of professional communication, and every bit of work and personal travel was cancelled for the foreseeable future.  

I will say that my dog certainly finds this to be an entirely positive situation, and her status as the center of our universe is very clear.  To her, anyway.

Me, though?  I was totally and undeniably LOSING. MY. MIND.  

I am relieved to know that many folks out there, many travel lovers who also belong to an “at-risk” population, can empathize with this feeling.  I am well aware that I am not alone.  That we’re all in this together.  And sometimes that makes coping easier.  And sometimes, honestly, it simply does not help at all. 

Boots on the Ground

With the surge in Covid across the world, and there being many restrictions on travel, the road trip has suddenly become the most attractive vacation idea.  Of course, this has always been a popular option, and rightfully so – there are so many great road-trip destinations in the United States. We do love to build a road trip itinerary around a destination, which allows us to see more and plan our trip around the best hiking opportunities. The only down-side to outdoorsy, but distant, adventures?  We always have to leave our outdoors-loving, adventurous puppy behind.

Now it’s crazy ol’ 2020, and here we are stuck inside a 1100-sqft home, basically 24-7, for months.  By September, I was in desperate need of an escape.  We’re not convinced that air travel during a pandemic is necessary, so we limited our trip options. We only considered destinations that were within reasonable driving distance.  Typically this wouldn’t be as appealing to me; I love the excitement of new locations and far-flung destinations.  

But the one undeniable perk?  

The best, most exciting benefit of a more local destination?  

Our furbaby could come along for the ride!  

Of course, there’s one very obvious destination for Atlanta residents looking for fall scenery and hiking: Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  It’s the most visited national park in the country.  It’s a large park with about 150 trails totalling hundreds of miles, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail.  Sounds like a perfect escape, no?!  Well, it’s actually not, and for two good reasons:

1. We’ve visited the GSMNP before.  In fact, we hiked to the lodge on top of Mount LeConte, which is absolutely a worthwhile hike, whether staying at the lodge or not.  

Yeah, okay, fine.  That might not seem like a “good” reason.  I am not an unreasonable girl.  I recognize that I’m neurotic and shouldn’t dismiss a destination simply because it’s not new to me.  And there is plenty more to do in GSMNP than the Alum Cave Trail!  But the second reason is much more sensible, I swear…

2. We have a dog.

And our dog, like so many dogs out there, is not simply our pet.  She’s family.  She brings us joy.  She adds enthusiasm to the mundane, and her presence can always bring us laughter and lighten our moods. 

Not the National Bark Service

But the unfortunate reality for dog families is that an overwhelming majority of properties in the National Park system have restrictive pet policies that make it almost impossible to enjoy the natural setting with a canine companion.  This is very much the case in GSMNP, where dogs are allowed only on a couple of trails near the Visitor’s Center or campgrounds.  And the Appalachian Trail, stretching from Maine to Georgia, is dog-friendly for its entire length… except in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

I don’t mean to vilify or even judge GSMNP.  It is simply one of many of our federal properties that discriminates against the canine population.  In fact, very very few have pet policies that allow much meaningful access at all.  State Parks and National Forests are a much better bet for anyone wanting to bring their pup along on an adventure.  (And that means there are many great opportunities everywhere, regardless of National Park System policies.)  National Parks are meant for public recreation, so the needs and safety of users should and do come first – and the justification for the GSMNP pet policy is lengthy.  

I won’t argue for or against this anti-dog stance.  I absolutely wish I could bring my dog with me to GSMNP. But, speaking from completely arbitrary observation, I’ve noticed that pet parents can sometimes be inconsiderate jerks.  Surely you’ve seen it, too? 

Those dog owners who think their precious babies can’t possibly be a problem for anyone else even when barking or showing aggression. Or the people who believe their dog is trained so well that leash laws should not apply to them. Or those who simply can’t be bothered to remove their dog’s waste.  No one wants to see their trails littered with forgotten doggy bags (assuming the evidence even made it to the “bagged” stage).  Given that millions of dogs live in the United States and millions of tourists visit our National Parks each year, it might be completely reasonable that most National Parks have a less than welcoming view of canine visitation.  

Also, I probably wouldn’t take my pup out on trails where brown bears might be found. So yes, potential wildlife interactions should absolutely be a consideration – as they should be for hikers, backpackers, and campers!

The Hiking Dog’s National Park

One incongruous anomaly, though, is Shenandoah National Park.  Shenandoah is just one state north of GSMNP, in Virginia, and it is similar to GSMNP in scale and habitat types and resident wildlife.  Shenandoah also has hundreds of miles of trails, including the Appalachian Trail. And a fantastic, and famous, scenic highway (Skyline Drive, a counterpart to GSMNP’s Blue Ridge Parkway) also bisects Shenandoah.  But there is a tremendous difference between the two Parks, a seemingly minor difference that made Shenandoah an idyllic road trip destination for our family:

Shenandoah National Park is the dog-friendliest National Park in the entire National Park System.  

Given what I’ve already said about the National Park System, that might seem like a low bar.  But keep in mind there are a few exceptions. Your canine family members are welcome at Shenandoah (in Virginia), or Cuyahoga (in Ohio), or Acadia (in Maine).  The access dwindles in the other NPS properties, unfortunately, but the positive here is that there are some options. 

So what makes Shenandoah so great?

There are 500 miles of trails, and your leashed dog can join you on ~480 of those miles.  Excepting the most accessible nature trails, a couple popular waterfall hikes, and the trails ascending Old Rag, you can take your dog almost anywhere in dog-friendly Shenandoah.  

There are dog-friendly rooms at all the Shenandoah National Park lodging facilities.  You can stay in a dog-friendly standard room or a dog-friendly cabin.  There are three primary properties: Skyland Resort, Big Meadows Lodge, and Lewis Mountain Cabins.  Availability might be limited, but dog-friendly stays are offered at each location.  

Pssst… don’t be fooled by faux-NPS sites.  The real lodging site is https://www.goshenandoah.com/lodging!

All four official NPS campgrounds inside Shenandoah National Park are dog-friendly.  If your dog can handle the stimulation of close quarters and more noise (i.e. not like my dog!), then you can camp in a tent or recreational vehicle.  Most of the campgrounds have first-come, first-served spots as well as sites that must be reserved.  Details for NPS reservations can be found at recreation.gov.

And beyond all this, Shenandoah is a great destination because it is a National Park, with all the amenities and beauty and recreation that we expect from our National Parks.  The trails are well-maintained.  There are sites of local interest and national historic significance.  There are great views, although admittedly less dramatic than those of the western Parks.  The fall colors along Skyline Drive are famous.  There are hikes through canyons, along waterfalls, through meadows, and over peaks.  

Our chosen hikes, all of which we would recommend for any spritely bipeds or quadrapeds:  Rose River Loop, Rapidan Camp, and Cedar Run-White Oak Canyon.  We also did an easy exploration of the Big Meadow and the short Miller’s Head hike at Skyland Resort, which offers a rewarding view for minimal effort.  

Leave Only Paw Prints

There are tremendous National Parks in our country, and many of them are bucket-list worthy destinations.  But only a few of them have pet policies that make trail adventures with our dogs an easy proposition.

If you’re looking to travel to National Parks with your own pup, be aware of the pet policies and follow the rules!  That might mean your pup has to be in a kennel, though, if you want to spend the day on the trail.  The pet policies in State Parks and National Forests are typically less restrictive and can be a great alternative, if you are determined to take your dog with you on the trail.

If you do find yourself at Shenandoah, or a federal property with dog-friendly policies, please consider yourself a dog ambassador!  Leave no trace.  Follow leash requirements.  Let’s leave people with a good impression of the doggy public and of dog owners!

A return trip to dog-friendly Shenandoah is very likely for us.  There are plenty more trails to explore, and the furriest member of our family gives this destination an enthusiastic two paws up.