Exploring America’s diverse landscapes, all with your fluffy-butted friend by your side. Sounds pretty idyllic.
But if you’re a dog owner you know better than anyone that National Parks (aside from a select few, like Olympic – but we’ll get into that later) are NOT the most dog friendly.
Sure. if you Google it you’ll get an assuring “Yes! We’re dog friendly!” and probably a photo of a Park Ranger holding his tiny “Bark Ranger” counterpart. But read the fine print and you’ll quickly find that dogs are only really allowed on paved road / paths and select campgrounds.
In my opinion that doesn’t exactly translate to “dog friendly”, but what do I know?
After coming across this issue so many times in the past, I had pretty much given up on my dream of showing Tuna America’s finest forests, mountainscapes, dunes, etc. But one day on a whim I researched the MOST dog friendly National Parks and I saw how many dog friendly areas there were in Olympic National Park. A heck of a lot more than most parks!
So we took a *very* impromptu trip up to the Olympic peninsula with our dog, Tuna, and we had the best time! Seriously there was so much to do and see, I’ve already got a list going for our next visit. So naturally, I had to make a list for you all so you can experience it with your own pup and hopefully capture a series of your own “jungle dog” photos in Olympic’s lush temperate rainforests.
MORE ADVENTURES CLOSE TO OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK: BEST HIKING TRAILS ON THE OREGON COAST [ALL DOG FRIENDLY]
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Things to Know Before Visiting Olympic National Park with Your Dog
1. LOTS OF DRIVING IS INVOLVED.
It takes a WHILE to get from Point A to Point B on the Olympic Peninsula – and seemingly it doesn’t matter where you’re routing to / from, you’re going to have around an hour in the car between the two.
TIP: Make sure to give your dog fresh water periodically and don’t forget about bathroom breaks! We usually don’t leave more than 2 – 2.5 hours between potty breaks when we’re road tripping with Tuna.
2. RUGGED ROADS + LIMITED OR NO CELL SERVICE
The roads are not the most maintained.
Roads are very windy and narrow.
TIP: Since service is so spotty – download music, podcasts, and audiobooks for the road to pass the time. There’s even trivia podcasts, which are super fun and an awesome way to keep your driver alert.
3. OLYMPIC IS THE 9TH MOST DANGEROUS NATIONAL PARK IN THE U.S.
Olympic National Park is one of the most dangerous parks with 204 search and rescue incidents in a 2 year span. Most of these are due to serious (even fatal) falls but there is also a ton of wildlife in the park that pose a risk to visitors. Bears and cougars are big threats, but people often overlook the Roosevelt Elk. Olympic National Park is home to largest unmanaged herd of Roosevelt Elk in the Pacific Northwest and, being that they can weigh over 1000lbs, you do not want to mess around with them (and you definitely do not want your dog anywhere near them). Remember, prey animal does not necessarily mean “safe”. If they feel threatened they will attack. One man was even attacked and killed by a mountain goat!
TIP: If you are interested in getting into wildlife photography, invest in a telephoto lens. You should never be any closer than 100 yards when photographing a large animal.
4. PARK CONDITIONS ARE ALWAYS CHANGING
Weather, landslides, fire damage – these are all factors to consider when visiting any National Park. Make sure you check the current conditions on their website (here) to make sure you know which areas, if any, are closed!
Any closure alerts will be at the very top of the page, but if you scroll down there are also links to weather, road conditions, trail conditions, and you can even check out some of their trail cams (most of them update every 60 seconds).
5. IT RAINS – A LOT
The whole park gets rain, but particularly in the Hoh Rainforest. The Hoh Rainforest gets 12 feet of rain per year – which is more than double what they get in Mobile, AL the rainiest city in the U.S. With a dog this is especially important to prepare for because rain means… mud!
TIPS: Pack towels / rags (to wipe paws) and buy a waterproof seat cover for your backseat. It’s a super worthwhile investment! We bought the Ruffwear Dirtbag Seatcover after purchasing our 2021 Tacoma and our backseat still looks brand new.
6. YOU NEED A NATIONAL PARK PASS
Unlike most parks, there is no official “entrance” or checkpoint, but they do expect you to either arrive with a park pass or purchase one at the Visitor Center before carrying on.
TIP: You can also buy park passes online to save time! We got our last annual pass on REI’s website (link here).
What You’ll See On This Trip
– Lush, temperate rainforest trails
– Vibrant blue mountain lakes
– Beaches, moody coastline, and sea stacks
– Mossy Waterfalls
– Gorgeous ocean overlooks
1. Peabody Creek Trail & Olympic National Park Visitor Center
Length: 0.5 Miles
Elevation: 50 Feet
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Type: Loop
What You’ll See: A dirt path through old growth forest with ferns, bridges, and a small creek.
Your first stop will likely be the Visitor Center, so we’ll start here. The building is not dog friendly, so don’t spend too much time inside, but it’s a good place to use the bathroom and get some quick information before moving on.
Northwest of the Visitor Center parking lot is a quick, relatively easy trail where you and your dog can hike and stretch your legs. Here you’ll get your first dose of Olympic’s temperate rainforests.
You’ll start downhill and finish uphill, which is always a bummer, but the elevation is really not bad. Just be sure you stay on the right trail as there is an offshoot leading to a much longer (and not dog friendly) trail.
2. Madison Falls Trail
SUBSTITUTE DOG-FRIENDLY TRAIL FOR: Marymere Falls
Length: 0.2 Miles
Elevation: 26 Feet
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Type: Out & Back
What You’ll See: A very brief, paved trail through the forest that leads to a cool, shaded creek and a mossy waterfall
Unfortunatly, Marymere falls is off limits to dogs – but Madison Falls is a near perfect alternative! The two waterfalls are very similar and you can get some great adventure dog photos. The main difference between the 2 falls is their height – Marymere Falls is about 90 feet and Madison Falls is around 50 feet.
3. Spruce Railroad Trail
SUBSTITUTE DOG-FRIENDLY HIKE FOR: Mount Storm King
Length: 11.2 Miles
Elevation: 410 Feet
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Type: Out & Back
What You’ll See: A paved trail right along the gorgeous and vast Lake Crescent, a bridge over the bright blue/green water of Devil’s Punchbowl, and an old railroad tunnel that you can walk through
Obviously you won’t get those sweeping, aerial lake views that you get by hiking Mount Storm King, but on the Spruce Railroad Trail you’ll get plenty of gorgeous photo ops of Lake Crescent (the same lake you’d be viewing from above on Mount Storm King).
This trail was such a great addition to our trip! So many things to see (the old railroad tunnel, cool bridges, lake access, etc.) and it was a great opportunity to get some more exercise in. Most of the dog friendly trails are VERY short and being that Tuna is 40% Border Collie we needed something a little more substantial. This was the perfect spot to burn some energy and gain some lake access for our water-obsessed pup.
Note that if you want to walk through the railroad tunnel AND visit Devil’s Punchbowl (where the bridge, pictured above, is located) you’ll have to back track a bit. The tunnel bypasses a small dirt trail that leads to the Punchbowl.
4. Cape Flattery Trail and Lookout
SUBSTITUTE DOG-FRIENDLY TRAIL FOR: Third Beach to Strawberry Point
Length: 1.2 Miles
Elevation: 229 Feet
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Type: Out & Back
What You’ll See: A mix of boardwalk and dirt trail that leads through a shady canopy of trees and down to various lookouts where you can get 4 different views of Cape Flattery. The 4 observation decks have a few places you can sit and rest. This is the Northwestern-most point of the continental U.S.!
This was possibly my favorite stop in Olympic National Park. The hike down was easy and the views were so breathtaking. The contrast of the blue water and the algae-covered rocks made for some gorgeous photos! Not to mention, there were very few people there for sunset (and this was in June).
A few important things to note about this trail:
- It’s marked as “easy” but many people in the reviews claim it should be “moderate”, especially if you have bad knees.
- The boardwalk sections of the trail are there to protect the ferns growing along the trail. Make sure you stay on trail at all times.
- The boardwalk sections of the trail have some wide gaps that could be tricky for your dog.
- Your dog MUST be on a leash – per the rules, but also just for safety. I would not attempt this hike if your dog is a puller or if you aren’t sure how your dog will react to steep drop-offs.
- The drive up is winding and narrow, and this small section of the park is very far from all other attractions. Make sure you have enough time to make this detour.
5. Quinault Rainforest Nature Trail
SUBSTITUTE DOG-FRIENDLY HIKE FOR: Hall of Mosses
Length: 0.9 Miles
Elevation: 111 Feet
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Type: Loop
What You’ll See: Old-growth rainforest, vibrant green mosses, banana slugs, views of the river below, the world’s largest spruce tree
The Hoh Rainforest is probably the most iconic area in Olympic National Park, but sadly the main trail (Hall of Mosses) is not dog friendly. Quinault Rainforest Nature Trail was a super scenic, rainforest-y alternative that we could hike through with Tuna. There were tons of mosses and lush vegetation, but note that this is a pretty popular hike. Midday the parking lot was nearly full and being that it’s such a short trail, things can get a little backed up.
LOOKING FOR MORE DOG FRIENDLY OLYMPIC RAINFOREST HIKES? HERE ARE A FEW OTHER SHORT, BUT SCENIC TRAILS:
- Elk Creek Conservation Trail [3.1 Miles, 275 Feet]
- Floyd M. Thornton Nature Trail [0.5 Miles, 39 Feet]
- Beaver Falls [0.2 Miles, 16 Feet]
- Ancient Groves Nature Trail [0.5 Miles, 52 Feet]
6. Most Beaches, Including: Ruby Beach, Rialto Beach, La Push First Beach, and Kalaloch Beaches 1 – 6
Most beaches in Olympic National Park are dog friendly, which is awesome! But they do all have leash rules (at least 6 feet) and you’ll want to pay attention to signs as sometimes certain sections of beach are “no dog” zones. Often this is because of bird species that nest in the rocks.
We decided to visit Rialto Beach (pictured above) since Ruby Beach was partially closed during our visit. It was gorgeous, but very busy around sunset. We saw a few seals in the waves (they actually followed me and Tuna as we walked down the beach) so keep an eye out and bring a telephoto lens if that’s your thing!
OLYMPIC BEACHES THAT ARE NOT DOG FRIENDLY: Shi Shi Beach and the trail from Rialto Beach to Hole-in-the-Wall
What’s your favorite dog friendly(ish) National Park? Share it in the comments!
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Thank you so much! We are headed to the park with 2 furry friends. This was a great read.
That’s awesome to hear!! I’m so glad this could be a resource for you. Have a great trip with your pups!