• Free shipping on all orders
  • Free two years warranty extension
  • Free and easy returns

Hepper is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

2 Dog-Friendly Trails in Smoky Mountains You Can Visit in 2025

Kristin Hitchcock

By Kristin Hitchcock

bluetick coonhound in the grass

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is not the friendliest national park for dogs. However, they do offer two pet-friendly trails that you can hike in with your pooch. Plus, pets are allowed on all campgrounds, picnic areas, and roads—as long as they stay on a 6-foot leash at all times.

The walking trails dogs are allowed on are short and not considered “backcountry trails.” The park doesn’t allow dogs in the backcountry areas for several reasons. For instance, their website lists dogs carrying diseases to local wildlife populations, dogs chasing wildlife, dogs barking at wildlife, and the dangers to dogs as reasons for this decision.

Below, you’ll find the two walking trails that are open to dogs in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Divider 2

The 2 Dog-Friendly Trails in Smoky Mountains

1. Gatlinburg Trail

🗺️ Address: 📍 Gatlinburg Trail, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
🕐 Open Times: Daylight hours
💲 Cost: Free
🐕 Off-Leash: No
  • Allows both dogs and bicycles, which aren’t allowed on most trails in the park
  • Travels 1.9 miles (one-way) from the outskirts of Gatlinburg to the Sugarlands Visitor
  • Pretty flat and runs right alongside a river
  • It is an easier trail than most

2. Oconaluftee River Trail

🗺️ Address: 📍 Oconaluftee River Trail, Cherokee, NC 28719
🕐 Open Times: Daylight hours
💲 Cost: Free (may be fees for parking)
🐕 Off-Leash: No
  • 5-mile trail
  • Runs from the outskirts of the city of Cherokee to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center
  • A beautiful part of the forest with great views of the rivers
  • Regularly used by bicycles and joggers
  • Tends to be less crowded than the Gatlinburg Trail

Divider 7

Final Thoughts

There are only two trails that the Smoky Mountains Park allows dogs on. However, there are some state parks nearby that can be utilized by dogs to a fuller extent. If you are vacationing in the park with your dog, you can often go a short distance before finding other dog-friendly trails that are not technically in the park.

For instance, the Cherokee National Park and Chattahoochee National Forest are both very close to the Great Smoky Mountains.

 

Featured Image Credit: Mary Swift, Shutterstock

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate (you can leave written feedback after clicking submit)

Help us improve Hepper for pet parents!

Your feedback really matters.

What did you like about this post? Also how can we improve it?

Related Articles

Further Reading

Vet Articles

Latest Vet Answers

The latest veterinarians' answers to questions from our database

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate (you can leave written feedback after clicking submit)

Help us improve Hepper for pet parents!

Your feedback really matters.

What did you like about this post? Also how can we improve it?

Shopping cart0
There are no products in the cart!