Dogs & pets
Dogs in Yellowstone: where they can go
Last verified No trails6 ft leash max
Not on the trails. Pets are allowed only in developed areas within 100 ft of roads, parking areas and campgrounds (leash 6 ft, or in a car or crate); not on boardwalks, trails, in the backcountry or thermal areas.
Where pets are allowed
Areas
- • Developed areas within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of roads
- • Developed areas within 100 feet of parking areas
- • Developed areas within 100 feet of campgrounds
Off-limits
- • Boardwalks
- • Hiking trails
- • Backcountry
- • Thermal areas
- • All of the above even when the pet is carried (arms, strollers, backpacks, carriers)
Backcountry: no pets
Rules & services
- Leash
- 6 ft or shorter, at all times
- Kennels
- The page says there are no kennels in Yellowstone but boarding is available in surrounding communities.
- B.A.R.K. Ranger
- Principles listed; no program described
- Service animals
- Trained service animals are allowed throughout the park and in all park facilities, but must be leashed.
In the park's own words
What Yellowstone says about pets
Sentences quoted from the park’s nps.gov pets page, last updated July 29, 2026, captured 2026-10-05.
“Trained service animals that perform tasks directly related to a person's disability are allowed throughout the park and in all park facilities; however, they must be leashed.” nps.gov
“Pets are only allowed in developed areas and must stay within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of roads, parking areas, and campgrounds.” nps.gov
“Carried pets (in arms, strollers, backpacks, carriers, etc.) are also not allowed in these areas.” nps.gov
“There are no kennels in Yellowstone but this service is available in surrounding communities” nps.gov
“Pets are not allowed on boardwalks, hiking trails, in the backcountry, or in thermal areas.” nps.gov
“they must be in a car, in a crate, or on a leash no longer than six feet.” nps.gov
Worth knowing
- Pets must be physically controlled at all times: in a car, in a crate, or on a leash no longer than six feet; they may not be left unattended or tied to objects.
- The page names common yarrow, water hemlock and larkspur as plants in campgrounds and developed areas that are toxic to pets.
- The page does not mention a B.A.R.K. Ranger program.
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.Yellowstone National Park — Pets (nps.gov), last updated July 29, 2026 · 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
Yellowstone pet questions
- Are dogs allowed in Yellowstone National Park?
- Pets are allowed only in developed areas within 100 ft of roads, parking areas and campgrounds (leash 6 ft, or in a car or crate); not on boardwalks, trails, in the backcountry or thermal areas. Leashes must be 6 feet or shorter. (From the park's nps.gov pets page, updated July 29, 2026.)
- Can dogs go on trails in Yellowstone?
- No. Yellowstone does not allow pets on its hiking trails; they can go in developed areas within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of roads, developed areas within 100 feet of parking areas and developed areas within 100 feet of campgrounds.
- Can I take my dog backpacking in Yellowstone?
- No. Pets are not allowed in Yellowstone's backcountry.
- Is there a kennel near Yellowstone?
- The page says there are no kennels in Yellowstone but boarding is available in surrounding communities.
- Does Yellowstone 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.
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