Dog-friendly travel in Yellowstone National Park

When planning our road trip around the US we knew that we wanted to include Yellowstone. This famous park is known around the world for its stunning scenery and attractions (and being a hit TV show…) BUT we also understood that it has strict regulations in place around dogs and therefore we were well aware that our experience in the park would be limited because of this.

In order to make the most of our time in Yellowstone I studied the park map in the lead-up to our visit to determine what key attractions we most wanted to see. I then grouped these by 'area' (I effectively separated the park into four sections) and then worked out which parts we could visit with Beatle and what days so she'd have to stay behind….

When visiting Yellowstone the rules are there not only the safety of you and your pets, but also all of the amazing wildlife that calls this park home. I do think that before visiting, you need to consider what kind of dog you have and if they will enjoy visiting the park. For instance, will they be ok to be relatively restricted and not be able to exercise or run around as much as they might be used to? Are they likely to bark or become uncontrollable if they see a Bison / Elk out the car window? Do they get stressed or overheat to the point that you won't even be able to take turns visiting viewpoints or thermal areas if it’s a warmer day?

Also be careful when taking photos if holding on to your dog as Yellowstone is full of sharp drops, cliffs, jagged rocks and thermal activity - no one wants you or your pet to get injured for the sake of a picture.

Signpost in Yellowstone. No one wants to be this kid…

Here are the official rules for visiting Yellowstone with a dog….

Protect your pet and park wildlife by observing these regulations:

Pets may only accompany people in developed areas and must remain within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of roads, parking areas, and campgrounds.
Pets must be physically controlled at all times: they must be in a car, in a crate, or on a leash no more than six feet long.
Pets are not allowed on boardwalks, hiking trails, in the backcountry, or in thermal areas.
Pets may not be left unattended or tied to an object.
Pets may not be left in a situation where food, water, shade, ventilation, and other basic needs are inadequate. Pets may remain in vehicles for short periods of time, but we recommend that someone stay behind to personally ensure their well being.
Owners must bag and dispose of pet waste.

There are NO EXCEPTIONS to the regulations for carried pets (in arms, carriers, strollers, backpacks, and so forth) in restricted parts of the park. These policies exist to protect pets from being killed by predators like bears and coyotes, to protect them from being burned or killed in hot springs, to prevent the exchange of diseases between domestic animals and park wildlife, and to allow others to enjoy the park without the disruption of pets. To see more visit the NPS website.

With all that being said read on for a summary of the things that we did and saw with Beatle during our visit to Yellowstone!

Beatle didn’t understand the brief about getting a good Yellowstone entrance pic.

THINGS TO DO

One of the best things to do in Yellowstone is just drive around! There are amazing viewpoints right throughout the park and we found that and since there is a 100 feet rule in place for pets, it means that once you pull over, your dog can exit the car and enjoy the beautiful, scenic overlooks with you.

Note, the one exception to this rule is that you should never let your dog out of the car if there is any wildlife around, this is not safe for you, your dog or the park's animals. No matter how well behaved you believe your dog to be - ay animal placed in a situation like this can become very unpredictable. Beatle was very apprehensive the first time she saw a Bison and wasn’t on her best behaviour…. so I’m glad she was no where near it! But after she’d seen her 20th Bison she was a bit more meh about the whole thing.

We headed into Yellowstone from Cody, Wyoming and entered through the East Gate.

The drive itself was beautiful, through rolling hills and pretty landscapes dotted with small buildings before we started to see some pretty big mountains appearing….

The landscapes will take your breath away….

Canyon Village Area

Canyon Village was one of our first stops after entering the park as it was so close to the Grand Canyon. There is a really large car park area that is surrounded on three sides by a good sized general store, visitor centre and gift shops. While dogs aren't technically allowed in any of the buildings, a kind man at the gift store did let Beatle come inside as it was a hot day and we wanted to do some shopping.

The General Store has a really good selection of food, drinks and gifts.

We also picked up some maps and extra snacks for later on, before ordering some takeaway lunch, which we shared on one of the many oversized outdoor tables. Visiting here gave us a good overview of what the other villages would be like and gave Beatle a good chance to stretch her legs before we spent a bit of time in the car.

You can also get maps and other information in Canyon Village

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

I didn't know much about the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone before visiting (I just thought Yellowstone was all thermal activity…) but it was a real highlight and an interesting way to spend a few hours. There are two main / scenic drives you can do to see the two most really huge waterfalls, known as the Upper and Lower Falls. There is also the pretty coloured canyon itself at the Lower Falls and plenty of other pull out areas along the way to explore.

South Rim Drive

There are two scenic overlooks on this drive and both are worth a stop. At the Upper Falls Overlook, there was plenty of parking and bathrooms available. A short sidewalk path leads you to the view of Upper Falls and we were able to take Beatle out to this point for some amazing views over the valley and across to the huge waterfall in the distance. While there are paths either side of the viewpoint, they are not paved and so not accessible for dogs. So while this was a relatively short stop, it was definitely worthwhile.

View from Upper Falls overlook (if you zoom right in you can see people at the Brink of the Upper Falls)

Heading back onto South Rim Drive, continue along until you reach Artist Point which has another large carpark and more bathrooms. While your dog can join you to walk to the entrance, and enjoy some of the views from here - you will need to take turns to go in further to the viewing platforms. Here you will get some pretty spectacular views of the Lower Falls, the river and Canyon walls.

Artist Point - and the impressive Lower Falls, river and canyon

On the other side of the viewpoint you can see further down the canyon and to the colourful hillside (hence the area’s name).

Colourful hillsides with the river running through the canyon

If you're a reasonably quick sightseer, then it should only take 15 mins or so to have a look around and snap some good photos. It is a pity this area isn't more dog friendly as it has wide paved paths and is securely fenced off, however large tour buses were there when we visited and we saw plenty of people pushing and shoving for photos - so it might actually be safer for your dog to stay in the carpark!

North Rim Drive

The entrance to the North Rim takes you to a one way road and there are several viewpoints along this drive that offer good views into the canyon. The two main ones are Lookout Point and Inspiration Point and you'll get some views from the parking areas here if you're with your dog. Continuing with this road will eventually loop you back to Canyon Village.

Alternatively if you want to visit the Brink of the Upper Falls, the exit is off the Grand Loop Road and you'll drive down to a large carpark (more bathrooms). You'll have to take turns to go down the steepish path and stairs to see the falls, but it’s a short walk (around 10 mins) to see the water gushing over the top of the falls, so is well worth a visit.

The carpark area is nestled in amongst tall trees so there is plenty of shade and a bit of a breeze at this spot and Beats was happy to hang out around the edge of the car park sniffing lots of new smells.

Beats was happy to enjoy all the new and exciting sights and smells from the safety of the carpark

Hayden Valley

Between the Canyon Village area and Yellowstone Lake is Hayden Valley. The Valley is much bigger than we were expecting and very green, with a big river that winds through it and stretching out as far as the eye could see.

There are lots of beautiful spots to pull over and admire as you drive through Yellowstone

We spent some time driving through here and stopping frequently to see the stunning scenery and mighty Bison doing their thing. The Bison were so huge that they had Beatle's eyes bulging out of her head - but they just ambled along the roadside looking for snacks.

Beat’s wasn’t a fan of these guys to start with…

Luckily this road has a lot of places to pull over, so you won't miss any of the amazing vistas or sights. There are also large plains where you can sit and watch buffalo roam in the distance.

The plains in Yellowstone stretch for as far as the eye can see

You'll also come across areas of thermal activity along the way and see steam on the side of the road indicating something is bubbling away - so its easy to pull over and take a quick look. Dogs are welcome to join you along the side of the road - but not on any pathways near geothermal activity.

Beat’s loved getting out of the car to look around and admire the views

Lake Village Area - Yellowstone Lake

There are a couple of Lodges in the Lake Village area, as well as a small store and a Post Office. Due to it being a small village there are paved roads and trails right next to the lake where you can walk with your dog. As tempting as the lake looks, its apparently freezing cold, so even if your dog wanted to go for a swim, it would be far too arctic!

Lake Yellowstone is beautiful - but arctic!

We also saw quite a few Elk in this area meandering through the long grass and alongside the roadways (though mostly at dawn and dusk).

About 30 mins drive from Lake Village is the West Thumb Geyser Basin. As this is active geothermal area, dogs are obviously not allowed on the boardwalks, however the large carpark extends a little way towards the Basin and looks out towards the Lake, so if you are taking turns walking through this, then the person waiting doesn't have a bad vista. The path itself isn't too long and each person could easily get around in about thirty minutes or so. There are also bathrooms on site.

Old Faithful Area

Old Faithful is one of the most iconic attractions in Yellowstone and as its located so close to the village area you can also visit it with your dog! There is a designated dog area about 200 feet from the geyser where your dog can join you to watch the regular eruptions. While being here means you won't have the best view in the house, the geyser does get very high so you'll still get reasonably good views.

Before or after you've watched the eruption, you'll have time to explore the Old Faithful Village. While dogs aren't allowed in any of the buildings, it’s a good spot to stock up on supplies, get souveniers or grab some lunch to takeaway (some of the restaurants have outdoor seating, but I am unsure if they allow dogs). There is also a visitors centre if you're after info or maps and the wider area has places to sit, as well as shady areas and grass. The Old Faithful Lodge is also a well known building and much bigger than I was expecting - so its worth walking around it to get a few photos while you're there.

Even thought the areas your dog can explore are limited, there is no shortage of great spots to get pix

Mammoth Hot Springs Area

If you're driving from Gardiner then Mammoth Hot Springs is only about a 20 min drive. However if you're heading there from somewhere more central in the park, such as Old Faithful, its about a 1.5hr drive.

On arrival you'll find a small village known as Historic Fort Yellowstone and its interesting to read about the history of the area. There is a visitor centre, accommodation, places to eat and even a Post Office here. The village is centred around a large open area and there are lots of paths and grassy places to walk a dog or picnic. It was quite hot the day we visited so we opted to drive around the township and you'll see some interesting and historical buildings as you look around.

The main attractions - the famous Lower Terraces - are located close to the road and you can see peeks of them by staying in the parking areas and on the pathways. If you take turns to walk to the main viewing areas, it will only be 10 mins or so per person to see these - which are beautiful and not to be missed.

The stunning Terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs

There is a lot more to see of the Terraces, but it requires walking up the hill and dogs are not allowed in this area, so you'll have to take turns exploring these.

A short drive uphill from the Lower Terrace area is the Upper Terrace Scenic Loop Drive. While its not long to drive around this, it can get quite busy with vehicles (in my opinion that actually makes it easier to drive slowly around and look out the window…) If you can find a park up here, it can also be a less strenuous walk to see some of the higher terraces than hiking all the way up from the bottom.

If you are driving to or from the Mammoth area via Norris (i.e. back into the park), then you'll come across different areas to pull over along the way.

If you stick to the pull outs then your dog is allowed to join you to see some of the sights - and the drive itself is also pretty spectacular as you wind your way through rocky hillsides and deep gullies. This was one of our favourite drives in Yellowstone and it wasn't very busy either.

The drive to or from Mammoth Springs is pretty impressive

One place I definitely recommend stopping at is Roaring Mountain. My photo doesn't really do it justice, but it’s stained with years of thermal activity and we spent some time just watching and listening to it from the safety of the car park.

Roaring Mountain - looks more impressive in person!

Kepler Cascades

This scenic overlook is located around 2.5 miles South of Old Faithful. It’s a large waterfall that drops in three cascades over 50 feet down to the river below. The walk to see it is only about 100 feet and you can get great views from the roadside which makes it a good spot to stop and see with your dog.

OTHER THINGS TO DO

If you have limited time, but don't mind a full day of driving then you could drive what's known as the Grand Loop. Most of the main attractions can be visited off this route (note you will still need to take turns to visit them, which would make the day considerably longer).

The drive itself is estimated to take about 6-7 hours and then extra time for lots of stops along the way - but might be worthwhile if you don't mind having a really long day and are prepared to do a bit of research in advance to narrow down the key attractions you want to see. As it’s a figure eight shape, you could also break the journey across two days which would give you a lot more time to stop and check out the attractions.

GETTING THERE

Single vehicle admission to the park is $30 and provides access for seven days and you can purchase this as you enter. However, if you are planning on visiting a few parks within a year, I highly recommend getting an American the Beautiful National Park Pass as this gives you unlimited access to all of the National Parks and other select parks. We had one of these and it saved us a lot of money.

This link takes you to what I think is one of the best map's of Yellowstone - as it clearly shows the key attractions, includes close ups for the main villages and other useful info.

EAT AND SLEEP

I looked at various options for places to stay in or around Yellowstone. While towns near the main entrances (Cody, West Yellowstone, Gardiner etc) had a lot of accommodation options, we didn't want to have to drive in each day - so we opted to stay in a dog-friendly cabin inside the park. We chose the Lake Lodge Cabins as they were located at Lake Yellowstone and we could access each section of the park easily from here. It wasn’t cheap ($300+ per night) but I thought it was worthwhile as the location was a good central point to start each day. The cabins themselves were super cute and had all the basics (but no kitchen facilities).

The cabins at Lake Lodge are very cute and also dog-friendly

The main Lodge itself has amazing views across Lake Yellowstone. Inside the Lodge was a souvenier store, bar (with a very impressive, oversized fireplace) and restaurant (with limited options) but unfortunately none of these areas were dog friendly. However, out front was a large patio that was full of seats, rocking chairs and tables where Beatle was allowed.

Beat’s loved rocking out at the Lodge every night…

As the days were warm, we spent every evening out here, having a couple of beers, meeting new people and watching the distant mountains change colour above the lake as the sun set.

Stunning views over Yellowstone Lake from Lake Lodge

The Lake Village area included another big hotel, some small stores and a Post Office - so it had lots of built up roads and trails which means there were some good options to walk Beatle around and down to the Lake each day.

The cabins themselves were set back within the woods and people were quiet and respectful enough that Elk happily wandered through and grazed each morning and night. Beatle wasn't really sure what to make of them, but we kept an extremely wide berth if we saw one and stuck close to the cabins. She was also always on lead, even if just going outside for a quick pee or relaxing with us on the deck

This is as close as Beats got to an Elk - which was she didn’t even know it was there!

TIPS

While staying in the park is great as it means you can be on the road nice and early each day, I would recommend that you bring extra food and snacks options as food choices (and opening hours) in the park are quite limited and not the cheapest. When we visited, even though the park wasn't as busy as I was expected, struggles getting staff and supplies meant that a lot of the food sold out each day.

Bring or buy good refillable water bottles. Yellowstone has a number of places around the park where you can refill these for free with high quality water and we did this every time we spotted a refill station. Also make sure you have plenty of extra water on hand for your dog as they will also be having big days of travel.

There are also limited places to get gas in the park, so topped up on fuel every time we saw a gas station. If you get a map when you enter it will include a summary of where all of the gas stations are.

IN SUMMARY

We visited Yellowstone in August and from what I'd read about the park I expected we'd spend hours in traffic jams, crawling between locations - but in actuality the roads were relatively clear and we found it easy to drive and navigate our way around the park. While there is still a lot of driving between sights, there are plenty of places to pull over and amazing views around every corner.

This summary only includes the things that you are able to do with your dog in Yellowstone, which means that it doesn't include some of the most famous attractions such as Grand Prismatic Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Morning Glory Pool, the Fountain Paint Pot etc…

If you are wanting to visit these then your best option is to make a clear plan of your 'must sees' within a specific area, pack lots of snacks, a book or iPad of shows and be prepared to take turns waiting for each other. While some of the sights you can get around relatively quickly, for others there is a fair bit of walking and you'll want to be able to take your time at certain points. We saw a few people walking dogs around carparks, or waiting in RV's while the other explored and it’s the best way not to miss out completely.

Breaking up the days can make it easier to travel with your dog

Alternatively, if you have a dog who is fine to be left alone for a few hours, or you are comfortable leaving them in the care of a dog-sitter then you could choose to spread out your visit over several days so that you can visit specific areas of the park in one go and let your best bud rest up for that part of the day.