Dog Friendly Hiking Vacations – We’re getting closer to warmer weather and you know what that means…road trips! If you’re anything like us, you love to bring your backpack along for the ride. Last September we took one of the most amazing trips to incredible Utah with our two pups, Newton + Maya. I thought I’d write a little blog series about our adventure (this is the first part of Part II) and hopefully give you some helpful tips if you’re traveling there with your dog.
Well, there are 2 main factors to consider with Utah: (1) Weather + (2) Crowds. As a major tourist destination, it gets very busy during the warmer months, so keep that in mind. Also, Utah gets HAWT in the summer. This may not be ideal for you and your children. We chose to leave in mid-September and it worked for us. The crowds were still there a bit, but not as big as in June, July or August. The weather was still hot, hot at times, but not the extreme heat of summer. Can we do October? Maybe, maybe, maybe. But we didn’t want it to be too cold, so maybe doing this trip in late September, early October is a good compromise.
Dog Friendly Hiking Vacations
So, are you ready to travel with your dog?! Maybe you’ve done it before (thanks!) but maybe it’s your first long trip and you’re a little nervous. Here is some information to help you prepare. First, make a list of your dog’s daily needs…
Renting A Pet Friendly Camper For A Family Vacation Together
And something else they can use every day or help them feel more comfortable away from home.
Next, break down the treats and treats your puppy gets each day, multiply by the number of days you’ll be away, and put everything in containers or plastic bags for easy transport. Calculate the number of pills/supplements you need per day and multiply by the number of days and keep in bags/containers for easy portability. Then, just prepare the water bowl, toys, bed or blanket and anything else your dog might need and get the car ready!
Now for the good stuff… Where to go in Utah? Admittedly, it was very difficult for us to choose just one area. If you’ve ever explored Utah, you know that it has amazing parks and attractions throughout the state. You want to see Moab’s Arches and Canyonlands in the east, but you also want to do Zion National Park and see all the amazing slot canyons in the southwestern Utah desert. Utah has a lot to offer, and if you’re traveling from either side of the country, you’re in for a long road trip, so you might as well hit the road and enjoy it! [PS: We didn’t even fit in Arizona’s epic Monument Valley, which isn’t too far and would have been easy to add a day or two, but alas…next time!]
We decided to take a week long trip (5 nights 6 days to be exact) to see as much as possible. Planning such a long trip can be overwhelming, but with a little (actually, a lot) of research, planning, enthusiasm, and motivation, you can do it! I hope this blog will help you plan. So here’s how we break it down.
A National Rescue Dog Day Well Spent. 🌳🐾 Walking The Dog Friendly Gatlinburg Trail In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, To Wade In The Water.
Denver, CO was our starting point since it was our home. Despite being over 4 hours away and on opposite ends of the state, we decided to include Moab and Zion on our trip. The Zion hike made sense at first because it was the farthest (over 9.5 hours from Den) and there are some amazing slot canyons on the way from Zion to Moab, which we wanted to see, so that was the plan. We began our week-long journey in Hurricane, UT, just 35 minutes from Zion. We spend 2 nights there and start driving towards Moab. On the way to Moab, we stopped in the Utah desert town of Kanab, where you’ll find some amazing dog-sitting canyons. The trip took us to parts of Arizona, including Lake Powell (which looks amazing and is definitely on our list for our next adventure). Finally, we finished the rest of the trip in Moab, where we stayed a total of 3 nights. The journey home at the end of the holiday was an easy and beautiful 5 hour drive. Overall, I think the path we planned made the most sense for what we were doing. You’ll want to edit, add, delete, and schedule based on where you’re from, how much time you have, and what you’re most interested in seeing. (If you’re short on time, I recommend doing Moab for your entire stay). A little background on the first two stops on our trip: Zion and Slot Canyon in the Utah desert. [We will blog about Moab separately soon!]
After a 9.5 hour drive from Denver to Hurricane (with plenty of snacks and meal breaks), we arrived at the most exclusive A-frame cabin in Hurricane, UT, just an hour from Zion. Check out the view from this place! The first day was a wash because we were tired and just wanted to relax and enjoy the incredible view from the Airbnb. Hurricane is a small town, but check out Main Street Cafe for good food.
Hurricane is only 50 minutes away from a completely unexpected and (for us) unplanned natural wonder… Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park! We didn’t know about this park until we were in Hurricane, and since it was so close, we went for a walk. Man, it was worth it… I’ve never seen pink sand and it was amazing! Plus, since it’s a state park, dogs are allowed, which was definitely the best part for us! Also, since it’s not popular, you don’t have to fight the entire crowd. Coral pink sand dunes are located in the southern and western United States, between Mount Carmel and Mount Kanab. Highway 89 in Kane County.
The second day we drove about 35 minutes to Zion National Park. Like all national parks, Zion prohibits dogs from entering the park. However, unlike many other national parks, the park has dog-friendly hikes, pars trails. Pa’rus is a 3.4 mile (in and out) mostly flat paved trail with beautiful scenery and dogs allowed on leash. This is the only pet-friendly trail in the entire park. In addition to the Pa-Ras Trail, you can enjoy the park with kids in the car by driving along Route 9 (Zion-Mt. Carmel Hwy.) and stopping at various trails that offer incredible views. Unfortunately, during the tourist season, private vehicles are not allowed on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which is reserved for shuttles only. You can potentially do Bryce Canyon in the same day, just an hour from Zion. For lunch we stopped in the beautiful town of Springdale, just outside of Zion, where many travelers probably stay while visiting Zion, and then took the shuttle to the park. We ate at Cafe Soleil, which has outdoor seating for dogs and delicious sandwiches. In retrospect, Springdale would probably be a great choice for us since we’re traveling with a dog because you can leave your pup at your hotel/AirBnB on days you want to do a dog-free friendly trip to Zion. , like the famous Angel’s Landing! There are many great restaurants just minutes from Springdale Park.
Our 3 Favorite Family (and Dog!) Friendly Hikes
On the third day we said goodbye to the hurricane and headed to Kanab, UT and finally Moab. The particular slot canyon hike we chose (after much research) was the Wire Pass Trail in Buckskin Gulch. This hike was perfect for us because (1) it was dog-friendly and (2) it was less crowded than other well-known slot canyons like Arizona’s popular Wave (which also requires entry into a lottery to get a chance). travel). Fair warning, the trailhead trip to Wire Pass is not easy. It’s in the middle of nowhere, has a lot of rough terrain, and requires four-wheel drive. You should also make sure that there is no rain in the forecast. This is no joke – the area is prone to dangerous flooding and you don’t want to be stuck in that area during a flood. So plan on dry days. But it’s really worth it! way to start
