As much as we dreamed of being a hiking family .....

[milovany]

we haven't been, really. So, tomorrow some of us are going on a hike on a public US Forest Service trail and we're looking forward to it. My question is this: Can we take our dog (on-leash)? Or is this a leave-your-dog-home thing? I have NO idea.

[SJ.]

Maybe this will help: http://www.petfriendlytravel.com/national_parks

[regentrude]

Check out the Forest service website and see if the specific area where you plan to go allows dogs. Your state's Department of Conservation might have the information about the area - ours does. FWIW, dogs on leash are usually not a problem, unless you are in specific wildlife refuges.

[Denisemomof4]

Check websites or contact the town the trail is in. I thought dogs were ok for hikes anywhere but recently read that not all state forests with trails allow them.

[milovany]

Oh, thanks for trying! Great link. It just didn't list the national forest that we're going to be in. :glare: But I see now that it varies, so I'll just have to find info. specific to this park.

[TrixieB]

Here's the US Forest Service regions page. Find your region. Then from your regional page you can choose Recreation, then Hiking, then Hiking Areas by Forest, then Day Hiking, then the trail name. The hike description should specify any restrictions if dogs have to be on a leash, or if they aren't permitted at all.

 

Around here, dogs are usually okay on leash on USFS trails, but some National Parks trails are closed to dogs. The NP trails that permit dogs specify max leash lengths.

 

Have a great hike!

[StephanieZ]

The vast majority of national forests are dog friendly. National Parks are much more restricted.

 

I think you'll be fine. Bring a leash, and use it when you are near trailheads or other crowded areas. There might be a rule to keep him on leash the entire time, but we always let them off leash once we are away from the trailhead.

 

If you can find the website for the particular forest, you should be able to find pet rules.

[milovany]

Here's the US Forest Service regions page. Find your region. Then from your regional page you can choose Recreation, then Hiking, then Hiking Areas by Forest, then Day Hiking, then the trail name. The hike description should specify any restrictions if dogs have to be on a leash, or if they aren't permitted at all.

 

Around here, dogs are usually okay on leash on USFS trails, but some National Parks trails are closed to dogs. The NP trails that permit dogs specify max leash lengths.

 

Have a great hike!

 

This was very helpful and I got all the way to the trail's page -- with no information given on dogs (unless they're considered "stock"? It said, "Non-motorized trail. Closed to stock." What do you think?)

 

I appreciate everyone's help!!

 

ETA -- Oh! Oh! Oh! I found this on the general "Trail Tips" page: "Dogs are allowed on most of [these] National Forest trails..." and it listed ones in which they're not, and the one we're going to was not listed. Very cool. She'd probably yip the entire time we were gone if we had to leave her in the car.

Edited September 3, 2012 by milovaný

[JudoMom]

It is uncool to have the dog off leash when the rule says keep on leash -- there are families that pick trails with leash rules specifically to prevent family members from being knocked over or attacked. Do expect grandpa to recover his costs for a broken hip and the like if you choose to disobey the law and an event halppens.

 

:iagree:

[milovany]

It is uncool to have the dog off leash when the rule says keep on leash -- there are families that pick trails with leash rules specifically to prevent family members from being knocked over or attacked. Do expect grandpa to recover his costs for a broken hip and the like if you choose to disobey the law and an event halppens.

 

Uh, didn't I say "on-leash"? :tongue_smilie: Grampa has nothing to fear from our dog.

[GoodGrief]

We're a hiking family ourselves, and have two dogs. It's a wonderful family activity!

 

Sounds like you got it figured out, but want to add (not necessarily directed at you, just a general comment): make sure you come prepared to clean up after your pup and pack it out. :-) You'd be amazed at the number of people who think it's okay to leave a dog's waste trailside.

 

Another pet peeve of mine is the people who hike with dogs offleash and let them run up to and jump on other hikers. If I had a nickel for every time someone shouted out to me from 100 feet away as his/her dog rushes up on me or my kids, "It's OKAY! He's FRIENDLY!!" lol...my husband's been bitten twice on the hand by these friendly dogs, and I've gotten nipped once on the ankle. But it's the standard line EVERY time. :-)

 

My favorite story is the time I was hiking alone. All of a sudden this large dog comes charging around the corner, passes me, then turns around and jumps up, paws on my backpack. The owners come around the corner at the moment that he's "standing" there on my back. They don't speak directly to me at all, but a woman in the party speaks to the dog: "What's wrong, Jasper? Did you smell something good?" Then they all just keep going, as I brush the mud from his paws off my pack, lol.