Where dogs are allowed
- Paved roads open to vehicles (stay within 6 feet of the road)
- Parking lots and paved, developed areas
- Developed campgrounds
- The Pacific Crest Trail along the park's eastern boundary (leashed)
Where dogs are not allowed
- All trails except the Pacific Crest Trail
- Wilderness, backcountry, and off-trail areas
- Inside buildings and amphitheaters
- On snow, and on roads closed for winter (Carbon River and Westside Roads)
The exceptions
Specific places inside the park where dogs are permitted:
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Pacific Crest Trail (east boundary segment)
The PCT traces Mount Rainier's eastern edge and is the only trail where leashed dogs (max 6-foot leash) are permitted. A stretch of the PCT overlaps the Naches Peak Loop near Tipsoo Lake — dogs are allowed on that PCT section, but not on the rest of the Naches Peak Loop inside the park.
Mount Rainier is one of the most dog-frustrating national parks in the country: it is spectacular, iconic, and almost entirely off-limits to dogs on trails. The National Park Service prohibits pets on all trails and in wilderness, with a single narrow exception — the Pacific Crest Trail along the park’s eastern boundary.
That rule exists for good reasons (protecting wildlife and fragile subalpine meadows), but it leaves dog owners staring at a map wondering where they can actually go. The good news is that some of the best dog hiking in Washington sits on the national-forest land that wraps around the park, particularly along the Highway 410 / Chinook Pass corridor east of the mountain.
What is allowed
Leashed dogs (maximum six feet) may join you on paved roads, in parking lots, in developed campgrounds, and on the Pacific Crest Trail. Service animals, as defined by the ADA, are permitted wherever the public can go. The park has no kennel facilities.
The smart alternative
Rather than compete for the one exception trail, head to the surrounding Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, where leashed dogs are welcome on trails like Noble Knob, Greenwater Lakes, Sheep Lake, and Skookum Flats — all a short drive from the park boundary and covered in detail below.
Dog-friendly hikes near Mount Rainier National Park
Just outside the park boundary — on national-forest and state land where leashed dogs are welcome.
Noble Knob
A moderate climb to a former fire lookout with sweeping 360-degree views of Mount Rainier and the Norse Peak Wilderness — entirely on dog-friendly national-forest land.
5 mi · 950 ft
Suntop Lookout
A short, steep climb to the Suntop fire lookout with wide views of Mount Rainier — a dog-friendly national-forest alternative to the park's restricted trails.
2 mi · 1,100 ft
Greenwater Lakes
An easy, nearly flat riverside walk to a pair of forest lakes in old-growth canopy — one of the gentlest dog-friendly hikes near Mount Rainier.
4 mi · 600 ft
Sheep Lake
An easy, family-friendly hike on the Pacific Crest Trail to a scenic alpine lake near Chinook Pass — fully dog-friendly national-forest land just outside Mount Rainier.
3.6 mi · 400 ft
Skookum Flats
A gentle, shaded forest trail along the White River to Skookum Falls — a cool, flat dog-friendly hike near Mount Rainier.
4.6 mi · 525 ft
Frequently asked questions
Are dogs allowed at Paradise?
Not on the trails. At Paradise, leashed dogs may be on paved roads and in parking lots and developed areas, but the meadows and every trail are off-limits to pets.
Can I hike the Naches Peak Loop with my dog?
Only partially. Dogs are allowed on the segment of the loop that coincides with the Pacific Crest Trail near Tipsoo Lake, but not on the rest of the loop inside the park.
Where can I actually hike with my dog near Mount Rainier?
The surrounding Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest — especially along the Highway 410 / Chinook Pass corridor — has dozens of dog-friendly trails. See the alternatives below.
Sources & research
Read our research methodology and editorial standards →
- Government Pets — Mount Rainier National Park