6 Best Dog-Friendly National Parks to Visit This Winter

(Where Your Dog Can Actually Hike the Trails!)

Okay, let’s talk about something that drives me absolutely crazy as a dog mom who loves National Parks.

You know those “dog-friendly National Parks” articles that pop up everywhere? The ones that list parks like Joshua Tree and Death Valley as great places to bring your pup? Yeah… about that. When you dig into the fine print, you discover that “dog-friendly” actually means your dog can hang out in the parking lot. Or walk on paved roads. Or sit in your car while you do all the actual hiking.

That’s not dog-friendly. That’s dog-tolerated.

After years of loading Loki, Freya, and Caly into the car for adventures (and more than a few disappointing discoveries at trailheads), I’ve learned to do my homework. And I’m here to share the parks where your dog can actually hit the trails with you, specifically the ones that are perfect for winter visits when the weather cooperates beautifully for four-legged adventurers.

These aren’t parks where dogs are an afterthought. These are parks that genuinely welcome our furry hiking partners on real trails, through real wilderness, to real destinations.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase using these links at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and love. Thank you for supporting The Well Worn Shoes!

My Dog-Friendly Rating System

Before we dive in, here’s how I rate these parks:

• ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dogs allowed on ALL trails, including backcountry
• ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dogs allowed on most trails with few restrictions
• ⭐⭐⭐ Dogs allowed on some trails and day-use areas
• ⭐⭐ or below Not in this article – life’s too short for parking lot adventures!

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1. Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Dog-Friendly Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best Time to Visit: November through March (fewer mosquitoes, mild temps)

Entrance Fee: FREE!

If I had to pick one National Park that truly gets what it means to be dog-friendly, it would be Congaree. Dogs are allowed on every single trail in this park, including the famous elevated Boardwalk Loop through the old-growth floodplain forest.

This is the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Think towering champion trees, ancient bald cypress draped in Spanish moss, and trails that wind through a landscape that feels prehistoric. And your dog can experience ALL of it with you.

Winter is genuinely the best time to visit. The park is infamous for its mosquitoes in summer (locals call them “the Congaree air force”), but by winter, they’ve retreated. The mild South Carolina temperatures, usually 40s-60s°F, make for perfect hiking weather.

Best Trails For Your Pup

• Boardwalk Loop Trail (2.6 miles, Easy): The park’s most popular trail is an elevated boardwalk through the swamp. It’s raised 6 feet above the forest floor, so even during floods, you can usually hike it. Fair warning, though – if your pup is reactive, the narrow sections can make passing other dogs tricky.
• Weston Lake Loop Trail (4.6 miles, Moderate): This one takes you deeper into the forest along Cedar Creek and past Weston Lake. Keep eyes peeled for alligators! (Yes, really. Keep your pup leashed and away from the water’s edge.)
• Sims Trail (3.2 miles, Easy): If you want to avoid crowds, this packed-dirt trail is much quieter than the boardwalk and just as beautiful. Perfect for dogs who prefer a calmer hiking experience.
• Kingsnake Trail (11.1 miles, Moderate-Difficult): For the adventurous pups! This remote trail is popular with birdwatchers and offers an authentic wilderness experience. Trail conditions vary due to flooding, so check with the ranger station first.

Know Before You Go: The park floods 10-12 times per year, which can close trails. Always check current conditions at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Dogs are also welcome in both campgrounds – Longleaf Campground ($15/night) and the hike-in Bluff Campground ($10/night).

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2. White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Dog-Friendly Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best Time to Visit: October through April (perfect temperatures)

Entrance Fee: $25 per vehicle

Picture this: endless waves of brilliant white gypsum dunes stretching to the horizon, your dog’s paws leaving prints in sand that looks like snow but stays cool to the touch. That’s White Sands, and yes, your pup can experience all of it with you.

White Sands is one of the most dog-friendly national parks in the entire system. Dogs are allowed on ALL trails, in all outdoor areas, and even overnight in the backcountry campsites. The park has literally devoted a page on their website to welcoming four-legged visitors.

Here’s the magic of visiting in winter: the gypsum sand doesn’t heat up like regular sand, but summer can still be intense. Winter brings ideal temperatures in the 50s-60s°F, perfect lighting for photography, and thinner crowds.

Best Trails For Your Pup

• Alkali Flat Trail (5 miles, Moderate-Strenuous): The park’s premier hike takes you deep into the heart of the dune field. Follow the red trail markers carefully — getting lost here is a real risk. Bring LOTS of water. This trail is fully exposed with zero shade.
• Dune Life Nature Trail (1-mile loop, Easy): Perfect for a first introduction to the dunes. You’ll climb a couple of smaller dunes and learn about the animals that call this surreal landscape home. Blue trail markers guide the way.
• Backcountry Camping Trail (2 miles, Moderate): If you want to spend the night under the stars with your pup, this trail leads to 10 primitive backcountry campsites. Permits are required (pick up at the visitor center the day of your hike).
• Interdune Boardwalk (0.4 miles, Easy): A wheelchair-accessible option with shade structures and benches. Great for nervous dogs getting used to the strange terrain — Loki took a few cautious steps before deciding the boardwalk was NOT his thing and preferred the actual sand!

Know Before You Go: The park occasionally closes for missile testing (it’s adjacent to White Sands Missile Range). Check the park website for closure schedules before you drive out. Also, bring dog booties and goggles if it’s windy — that sand can blow into eyes and irritate paws.

Well Worn Shoes Tip: Visit at sunset for the most magical experience! 

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3. Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Dog-Friendly Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best Time to Visit: October through April (avoid summer heat)

Entrance Fee: $25 per vehicle (valid for 7 days)

The official NPS website for Petrified Forest says this: “Please take your furry friends on trails, even backpacking in the wilderness area.” Can you imagine? A national park that actively encourages you to bring your dog on backcountry adventures?

This park is genuinely special. You’re walking among 220-million-year-old petrified logs, through painted desert badlands striped in purples, reds, and oranges, and your dog can be right there sniffing every ancient rock. (Though fair warning, you’ll want to make sure that your pups don’t try tofigure out why the “sticks” didn’t smell like wood.)

Winter is ideal here. Summer temperatures regularly hit 100°F+ with zero shade, but winter brings comfortable 50s-60s°F and that magical desert light that photographers dream about.

Best Trails For Your Pup

• Blue Mesa Trail (1-mile loop, Moderate): My personal favorite! This paved trail switchbacks down into a valley of stunning multicolored badlands. The blue and purple hues are unreal. It’s steep, so save energy for the climb back up.
• Giant Logs Trail (0.4 miles, Easy): Starts right behind the Rainbow Forest Museum and features the largest concentration of massive petrified logs in the park. Quick, easy, and SO worth it.
• Long Logs Trail (1.6 miles, Easy): An ancient log jam at the base of gray badlands. The sheer number of petrified logs here is staggering.
• Painted Desert Rim Trail (1 mile, Easy): Stunning panoramic views of the Painted Desert. Great for sunset photos with your pup!
• Backcountry Wilderness (various distances): Free permits available at either visitor center. Camp among the painted badlands under incredible stargazing skies. Just remember: there are no water sources in the backcountry, so pack everything you’ll need.

Know Before You Go: The 28-mile scenic drive connects the north and south entrances, allowing at least an hour each way plus time for hikes. Dogs earn a BARK Ranger certificate at the visitor centers! The rangers here genuinely love dogs.

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4. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Dog-Friendly Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best Time to Visit: Year-round (mild winters, gorgeous spring wildflowers)

Entrance Fee: FREE!

Here’s a national park that breaks the mold: it’s in the middle of a city, it’s completely free, and your dog can hike all 26 miles of trails. Yes, you read that right. Every. Single. Trail.

Hot Springs is unique among national parks because it blends historic downtown architecture (the famous Bathhouse Row) with forested mountain trails. You can literally walk from the visitor center into the woods with your pup.

Winter here is mild (30s-50s°F typically), and the crowds thin out significantly after summer. The Ouachita Mountains surrounding Hot Springs offer beautiful scenery year-round.

Best Trails For Your Pup

• Sunset Trail (13-mile loop, Moderate-Strenuous): The longest trail winds around the entire park! You can hike sections of it or tackle the whole thing. Passes the park’s highest point and a peaceful pond.
• Hot Springs Mountain Trail (3.3-mile loop, Moderate): Takes you past the Hot Springs Mountain Tower with panoramic views. Spring wildflowers here are gorgeous. (Note: dogs can’t go up in the tower, but the trail views are worth it.)
• Goat Rock Trail (1.2 miles out-and-back, Moderate): Climb up to Goat Rock for spectacular overlook views. A local favorite!
• Gulpha Gorge Trail (0.8 miles, Easy): Connects the campground to other trails. Beautiful scenery, streams, and even a rock cave. Your pup can cool off their paws in Gulpha Creek!
• Grand Promenade (0.5 miles, Easy): A paved, tree-lined brick path behind historic Bathhouse Row. Perfect for an evening stroll with your pup.

Know Before You Go: Dogs can become official BARK Rangers at the Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center! The Gulpha Gorge Campground ($30/night with hookups) is dog-friendly and connects directly to hiking trails. Many downtown restaurants have dog-friendly patios, and the Superior Bathhouse Brewery even has a dog menu!

Well Worn Shoes Tip: Make sure to grab a jug to take to the park so you can take home some of the mineral water from the town’s springs. 

Camping Tip: We LOVED The Gulpha Gorge Campground! The sites were a nice size and came with full hookups, which is incredibly rare in National Parks. You can also take the pups to play in Gulpha Creek on warmer days. It’s one of our favorite campgrounds in the National Park system. 

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5. New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, West Virginia

Dog-Friendly Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best Time to Visit: Year-round (spectacular fall foliage, peaceful winters)

Entrance Fee: FREE!

America’s newest national park (designated in 2020!) is also one of its most dog-friendly. Dogs are allowed on every single trail in this 70,000-acre park, from easy boardwalks to challenging rim trails with dramatic gorge views.

The New River Gorge is known for whitewater rafting and rock climbing, but the hiking is equally spectacular. Picture this: your pup trotting alongside you on forest trails that suddenly open to overlooks 1,000+ feet above a winding river, with the iconic New River Gorge Bridge in the distance.

Winter means fewer crowds and a peaceful, almost mystical atmosphere in the gorge. Temperatures can be cold (30s-40s°F), but trails stay accessible.

Best Trails For Your Pup

• Long Point Trail (3.2 miles out-and-back, Moderate): THE trail for the classic photo of the New River Gorge Bridge. The viewpoint at the end is absolutely stunning. This is our go-to breakfast hike — grab biscuits from Biscuit World in Fayetteville and picnic at Long Point!
• Endless Wall Trail (2.4 miles out-and-back, Moderate): Voted the best National Park trail by USA Today! Weaves along cliff edges with multiple overlooks of the gorge. Keep dogs leashed — the drop-offs are no joke.
• Grandview Rim Trail (1.6-mile loop, Easy): At the highest point in the park (1,400 feet above the river!), this trail offers panoramic views and less challenging terrain. Great for older dogs or those new to hiking.
• Sandstone Falls Boardwalk (0.5 miles, Easy): A gentle walk to the largest waterfall on the New River — 1,500 feet across! Accessible and beautiful.
• Canyon Rim Boardwalk (0.2 miles, Easy): The closest view of the famous bridge. Quick, easy, and perfect for that iconic photo with your pup.

Know Before You Go: The park spans 53 miles, so download the NPS app for navigation. Dog-friendly breweries in Fayetteville include Freefolk Brewery (great outdoor space!). If you’re into rock climbing, crag dogs are welcome too, keep them leashed and out of the way of belayers.

Well Worn Shoes Tip: The Thurmond historical area is dog-friendly. We weren’t sure at the time of our visit, and the signal in the park can be spotty. 

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6. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Colorado

Dog-Friendly Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best Time to Visit: Late fall or early spring (winter is gorgeous but cold!)

Entrance Fee: $25 per vehicle

North America’s tallest dunes, up to 750 feet high, backdropped by the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Mountains – yes please!! And yes, your dog can climb them with you!

Dogs are allowed in all main day-use areas, on the dunes themselves, on designated trails, and throughout the adjoining national preserve. The only restriction is backcountry areas of the national park itself (but the preserve backcountry is fair game!).

Winter transforms this park into something magical; the dunes often have a dusting of snow, creating incredible contrast photography opportunities. Just be prepared: it’s at a HIGH elevation (8,200 feet at the visitor center), and temperatures can drop below freezing. Loki and Freya love it; they’re huskies after all, but bundle up your short-haired pups like Cal. 

Best Trails For Your Pup

• High Dune (2.5 miles round-trip, Strenuous): The classic dune climb! No marked trail — you make your own path across the sand. It looks close, but takes 2+ hours. The sand is a serious workout. Bring lots of water for you and your pup.
• Mosca Pass Trail (7 miles round-trip, Moderate): Follows a creek through aspen and evergreen forests into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Dogs welcome for the whole thing! Great views of the dunes from above.
• Dunes Overlook Trail (2.3 miles round-trip, Moderate): For views of the entire dunefield without climbing the dunes themselves.
• Medano Pass Primitive Road (22 miles, 4WD required): If you have a high-clearance 4WD vehicle, this road through the preserve is dog-friendly and stunning. Crosses Medano Creek nine times!
• Medano Creek Splash Zone (varies, Easy): In late spring/early summer, snowmelt creates a shallow creek at the base of the dunes. Dogs LOVE it. By winter, the creek is usually dry, but spring visits are magical.

Know Before You Go: The altitude is no joke, and remember that both you and your pup may feel it. Take it slow and bring extra water. The Piñon Flats Campground ($20/night) is dog-friendly and just steps from the dunes. Stop at Zapata Falls on your way in, dogs are allowed on that trail too!

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Parks That Aren’t As Dog-Friendly As They Seem

I need to address the elephant in the room: those other lists that suggest parks like Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and Zion as “dog-friendly” winter destinations. Now, don’t get me wrong, they are great winter destinations for PEOPLE, but not so much for your four-legged companions. 

These are gorgeous parks, but “dog-friendly” is a stretch when your pup can only walk on paved roads and parking lots. Here’s the reality:

• Joshua Tree: Dogs are NOT allowed on any trails. They can walk only on paved and dirt roads.
• Death Valley: Same deal – paved roads, parking lots, and campgrounds only. No trails.
• Zion: Dogs are only allowed on the Pa’rus Trail (1.8 miles of paved path) and in Watchman Campground. That’s it.
• Big Bend: Dogs are restricted to developed areas, paved roads, and the Rio Grande Village Nature Trail only.
• Saguaro: Dogs allowed on paved roads and in picnic areas, but NOT on any trails.
• Everglades: Only two short trails allow dogs: the Coastal Prairie Trail and the Old Ingraham Highway.

I’m not saying don’t visit these parks this winter! Just know what you’re getting into. If you’re traveling with your dog and want them to actually experience the park with you, choose from the six parks above instead.

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Winter Hiking Packing List for Dogs

After countless winter adventures with Loki, Freya, and Cal, here’s what I never leave home without. I’ve included links where you can grab these items; they’re affiliate links, so if you purchase through them, you’re supporting The Well Worn Shoes at no extra cost to you!

Hydration & Nutrition

☐ Collapsible water bowl — I love the HydraPak Rover Dog Bowl

☐ Extra water — Pack 8 oz per hour of hiking per dog, minimum

☐ High-calorie trail treats — Dogs burn more calories in cold weather

☐ Portable food container — For longer hikes when you’ll need a meal break

Paw & Body Protection

☐ Dog booties — Essential for hot sand, cold snow, or rough terrain. Ruffwear Grip Trex are my go-to (although admittedly our dogs hate them haha)

☐ Paw balm/wax — Musher’s Secret protects against sand, salt, ice, and rough surfaces

☐ Dog jacket or fleece — We use Ruffwear Cloud Chaser for Caly

☐ Dog goggles/Doggles — Protects eyes from blowing sand (White Sands!) and snow glare

Safety & First Aid

☐ LED collar light or light-up collar — Winter days are short! Essential for dawn/dusk visibility

☐ Dog-specific first aid kit — Include tweezers (cactus spines!), bandages, antiseptic, and an emergency blanket

☐ Tick remover tool — Even in winter, ticks can be active in mild climates

☐ Emergency contact info — Nearest emergency vet, pet poison hotline, park ranger station

Leash & Gear

☐ 6-foot leash — Required in all National Parks (no flexi-leads!)

☐ Hands-free waist leash — Game changer for longer hikes!

☐ Dog backpack — Let them carry their own water and treats! Ruffwear Approach Pack is excellent. We also love this Mountainsmith K9 Pack

☐ Human dog pack – We love this one! We also got suspenders to go with it.

Cleanup & Etiquette

☐ Biodegradable poop bags — Pack more than you think you need!

☐ Poop bag carrier/tube — Clips to your pack so you’re not carrying a bag in your hand for miles

☐ Portable towel — For muddy paws and creek crossings

Need A Free Printable Dog Friendly Packing List?

First Name Email Address Submit

Final Trail Tips

• Check current conditions: Trail closures, weather advisories, and flooding can change quickly in winter. Always check the NPS website or call the visitor center before you go.
• Start early: Winter days are short! Give yourself plenty of daylight, especially on long trails in parks.
• Know your dog’s limits: Cold weather, altitude, and sand are all tiring. Watch for signs of fatigue and turn back if needed.
• Get the BARK Ranger certificate: Most of these parks participate! It’s free, fun, and makes for adorable photos.
• Leave No Trace: Pack out ALL waste, stay on trails, and keep your dog from disturbing wildlife. We want these parks to stay dog-friendly!

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Happy trails, friends! May your winter be full of adventures with your favorite hiking buddy.