Dogs & pets
Dogs in Glacier: where they can go
Last verified A few trails6 ft leash max
Yes, but only in a few places. Leashed pets are allowed in developed areas (roads, campgrounds, picnic areas, parking areas), not on trails, undeveloped lake shores, the backcountry or in buildings.
Where pets are allowed
Trails
- • Bike path between Apgar and West Glacier (dogs on leash when the path is free of snow)
Areas
- • In cars while driving park roads
- • Frontcountry campgrounds
- • Picnic areas
- • Along roads when you are stopped
- • In parking areas
- • In boats on lakes where motorized watercraft are permitted
- • Bike path between Apgar and West Glacier when free of snow (on leash)
Off-limits
- • Trails
- • Lake shores outside of developed locations
- • The backcountry
- • Any building
- • Roads closed to vehicle traffic (considered backcountry trail)
Backcountry: no pets
Rules & services
- Leash
- 6 ft or shorter, at all times
- Kennels
- Page suggests boarding your dog in a kennel for a day or two and says a Google search for Flathead Valley Kennels turns up options; no specific kennel is named.
- B.A.R.K. Ranger
- Principles listed; no program described
In the park's own words
What Glacier says about pets
Sentences quoted from the park’s nps.gov pets page, last updated September 24, 2024, captured 2026-10-05.
“Pets are allowed in developed areas such as: in your cars while driving park roads, frontcountry campgrounds, picnic areas, along roads when you are stopped, in parking areas, and in boats on lakes where motorized watercraft are permitted.” nps.gov
“Think about boarding your dog in a kennel for a day or two. A Google search turns up several options for boarding your pet, when you search on Flathead Valley Kennels” nps.gov
“Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet (1.8 m), under physical restraint, or caged at all times, including while in open-bed pickup trucks.” nps.gov
“Pets are not permitted on trails, along lake shores outside of developed locations, in the backcountry, or in any building.” nps.gov
“When roads are closed to vehicle traffic, they are considered a backcountry trail and dogs are not allowed.” nps.gov
“When the bike path between Apgar and West Glacier is free of snow dogs are allowed on leash.” nps.gov
Worth knowing
- Trails are rated limited only because of the named bike path; the page says pets are not permitted on trails.
- Page does not mention a B.A.R.K. Ranger program or service animals.
How we read the rules
Every statement on this page was taken from the park’s own pets page on nps.gov and the quoted sentences are re-checked against our saved copy of that page each time the site is built. Parks change pet rules for wildlife, heat and trail conditions, and superintendents can close areas at short notice, so treat the park’s pets page and the ranger at the entrance as the final word. Service animals are covered by different rules. Compare all 63 parks.
Sources · 2
- 1.Glacier National Park — Pets (nps.gov), last updated September 24, 2024 · National Park Service
- 2.Pets pages of each park on nps.gov (62 park units), read and quoted · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
FAQ
Glacier pet questions
- Are dogs allowed in Glacier National Park?
- Leashed pets are allowed in developed areas (roads, campgrounds, picnic areas, parking areas), not on trails, undeveloped lake shores, the backcountry or in buildings. Leashes must be 6 feet or shorter. (From the park's nps.gov pets page, updated September 24, 2024.)
- Can dogs go on trails in Glacier?
- Only on Bike path between Apgar and West Glacier (dogs on leash when the path is free of snow). All other trails are off-limits to pets.
- Can I take my dog backpacking in Glacier?
- No. Pets are not allowed in Glacier's backcountry.
- Is there a kennel near Glacier?
- Page suggests boarding your dog in a kennel for a day or two and says a Google search for Flathead Valley Kennels turns up options; no specific kennel is named.
- Does Glacier have a B.A.R.K. Ranger program?
- The park's pets page repeats the B.A.R.K. principles but does not describe a tag program; ask at the visitor center.
Park'd · free on iPhone & Android
Plan the dog-friendly parks first.
Park'd keeps the parks you've done and the ones you're planning in one map — with notes for who's coming along.
