HIKING WITH DOGS

[Guest ADAM]

Planning another back country hiking trip through the Smokies, and needing to know if you can take dogs with you without a leash. I know if your in the park(Cades Cove, the Sinks, and the Y, etc) your supposed to have them on one, but what about in the back country? He doesnt need a leash because he minds very well and is not an aggresive dog more of a protector. All I can find on the website is that dogs must be leashed, and I know Im not going to see that many people back there but dont want to get fined or hassled if we do see a ranger, because we have run into them before when we were hiking the back country(kinda suprised they were where they were).

[1908_Cubbies]

Unfortunately no... There are only a couple of short trails that dogs are allowed at all. On the bigger trails, they aren't even allowed on a leash. That's our .gov... outlawing animals in the woods!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Pets (U.S. National Park Service)

[DaveTN]

I don’t know about the laws, but I would keep my dog on a lead simply because there are dirtbags out there that will shoot a loose dog.

[Guest ADAM]

thank you cubbies, overlooked that. I dont really worry about him getting shot ever, he doesnt get an arms length away.

[peejman]

As stated, dogs on a leash in front county campgrounds only. No dogs in the back country. But that doesn't stop some people. I've seen plenty people hiking with dogs.

You can take them hiking in the Cherokee and Pisgah Nat'l Forests and Joyce Kilmer.

[partypilot1]

Be advised, if traveling into areas with bears..

On more then a few occasions scared dogs have brought angry bears to unknowing hikers