The Well Worn Shoes

Wanderlust Welcome

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • About
    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Disclaimer
    • Affiliate Disclaimer
  • Destinations
    • Canada
    • United States
      • Mountain States
      • North East
      • South
      • Southwest
  • National Parks
    • National Park Guides
    • Is This National Park Dog Friendly?
  • Adventures
    • One Day In
    • Bucketlist Travel
    • Dog Friendly
    • Roadtrips
    • Travel Guides
    • Hiking
  • Digital Nomad Lifestyle
    • Camper Life
    • Honest Reviews: Campgrounds
    • Digital Nomads
  • Shop

March 6, 2026

15 Best Dog Friendly Hikes at Acadia National Park

Three dogs hiking the Little Long Pond trail in Acadia National Park, Maine — a brown mixed breed and two huskies on leash on a sun-dappled wooded path along the turquoise shores of Little Long Pond, highlighting Little Long Pond as a peaceful and dog-friendly walk in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island near Seal Harbor, Maine, perfect for hiking with dogs in Acadia

5 hikes that you really don’t want to miss the next time you take your pups to Acadia National Park…

May 19, 2025

Paws on the Trail: The Best Dog-Friendly Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains

Planning a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park with your furry friend? While many trails restrict dogs, the Smokies still offer several dog-friendly hikes and scenic drives perfect for adventurous pups and their humans. From easy riverside walks on the Oconaluftee River Trail to scenic drives like Cades Cove Loop Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, this guide covers the best pet-friendly trails and outdoor experiences to help you explore the Smokies together. Discover insider tips, local spots, and must-visit places to make your Smoky Mountains dog adventure unforgettable!

July 27, 2021

11 Must See Waterfalls In The Smokies

Looking for a waterfall hike in the Smokies? Check out these 11 Must See Waterfalls In Great Smoky Mountains…

July 3, 2021

11 Fun Adventures In North Maine Woods

North Maine Woods is not really like anywhere else I’ve ever been, in a very cool way…

May 1, 2021

Rocky Mountain National Park Bucket List

Rocky Mountain National Park is a total gem! If you want to see Colorado at its best, Rocky Mountain National Park should be on your list. But what should you do? I’ve got you, here are the top 10 things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park…

February 20, 2021

Is Acadia National Park Dog Friendly?

Is Acadia National Park Dog Friendly? Find out here along with 12 fun things to do with pups at Acadia…

August 10, 2020

One Day in Cherokee, North Carolina

Don’t skip Cherokee, North Carolina on your next trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park…

Hi! I'm Vanessa, a 30 something, sunset chasing traveler. I'm here to inspire you to travel wherever, whenever, and with whoever you can. My Huskies, Loki and Freya are usually along for the ride. I have a soul that likes to wander, a desire to experience the unknown, and a curiousity to discover things off the beaten path. I hope you'll stick around for awhile!

Join the List

Let's be friends! I know e-mails can suck but mine won't and I promise cute pup photos too!

Connect

Recent Posts

  • Phoenix To Grand Canyon: The Ultimate Winter Road Trip Guide
  • 15 Best Dog Friendly Hikes at Acadia National Park
  • The 18 Best Things to Do in Bar Harbor, Maine
  • The Ultimate Winter Guide to the Grand Canyon
  • 2026 National Parks Guide: New Fees, Reservation Systems & Timed Entry Explained

Categories

  • Destinations
  • Tips & Tricks
  • History
  • Adventure
  • National Park Love

Reader Favorites

The Best Lobster Rolls In Maine

Is Rocky Mountain National Park Dog Friendly?

One Day At Badlands National Park

On the Blog

  • Destinations
  • Tips & Tricks
  • History
  • Adventure
  • National Park Love

Join the List

The Well Worn Shoes is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Connect

If travel has taught me one thing… 🪻☀️🌙✨ It’s To If travel has taught me one thing…

🪻☀️🌙✨ It’s To Pay Attention.

There’s an art to traveling slowly, and most people never learn it…

They’re the details you almost walked past. 🌿
.

#SlowTravel #TheArtOfNoticing #WellWornShoes #TravelDifferently #acadianationalpark
Found the off-leash loophole (it’s amazing leashed Found the off-leash loophole (it’s amazing leashed as well) near Acadia and our dogs have never been happier.

Little Long Pond. 12 minutes from Bar Harbor. 1,000 acres. Former Rockefeller estate. Free. Your dogs can swim. You’re welcome.

Full dog-friendly Acadia guide on the blog - link in bio!

. 
#dogfriendlytravel #acadianationalpark #barharbormaine #offleash #hikingwithdogs
It’s World Bear Day and I’m mentally back in Cades It’s World Bear Day and I’m mentally back in Cades Cove, watching a black bear completely ignore 47 minivans pulled over to stare at him. Living the dream, honestly 🐻

The Smokies have one of the healthiest black bear populations in the eastern US, around 1,500 bears across the park. That’s something worth celebrating AND protecting.

Because here’s the thing: those bears don’t need us. They need us to leave them alone. No feeding, no approaching, no tossing snacks out the window because he looked hungry. (He’s fine. He’s a bear.)

The best wildlife encounter is one where the animal walks away completely unbothered by your existence. That’s the goal. That’s the win.

If you haven’t driven that loop at golden hour with the windows down and zero agenda, add it to the list immediately.

Happy World Bear Day to the bears, the conservationists, and everyone who’s ever sat in a bear jam and felt absolutely no regret about it.

📍 Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
📸 all photos taken with a zoom lens
The locals know about this one, and now so do you. The locals know about this one, and now so do you.🐾💚

Little Long Pond. Carriage roads. No cars. Former Rockefeller estate that’s now yours to explore for free. And yes, your dog can swim.

12 minutes from Bar Harbor. Zero entrance fees. All the tail wags.

This is the kind of place you come back to every single trip. 🐾

Full dog-friendly Acadia guide on the blog - link in bio!

.
#acadianationalpark #barharbormaine #hikingwithdogs #dogswhohike #acadiawithdogs
No one talks about this place near Acadia and hone No one talks about this place near Acadia and honestly I almost don’t want to share it 🤫

Little Long Pond is the most dog-friendly spot near Acadia and most visitors have no idea it exists. Your dogs can be OFF-LEASH here. October–April, anytime. May–September, before 10 AM and after 4 PM. (Ours remain leashed because huskies, ya know? 😂😆)

It’s a 2.2-mile loop around a pond on gorgeous Rockefeller-style carriage roads with four designated dog swimming spots and a boathouse straight out of a painting. It’s free, open year-round, and sits on 1,000 acres of the former Rockefeller estate.

What to know:
* 12 min from Bar Harbor off Route 3
* Only 32 parking spots - go early
* Dogs NOT allowed on Harbor Brook Trail

Go before everyone finds it! Keep in mind that there are horse drawn carriages that frequent Little Long Pond. 

🦞🤤 - After your hike do yourself a favor and stop by Northwest Harbor where @thebuckinglobster is parked and grab yourself a bahn mi lobster roll 🦞 truuust me, you won’t regret it! 

Full guide on our favorite Acadia dog friendly hikes on the blog - link in stories! 

✨ Save this for your next Acadia trip and send it to a dog parent who needs it.
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2026 The Well Worn Shoes · Theme by 17th Avenue