Updated: November 2021
Originally Posted: May 2018
More Americans are traveling with their pets, and national parks are always popular destinations. Now your pet can also join the fun by collecting Bark Ranger tags at more than thirty locations across the country!
Without compromising their rules or affecting the wildlife, some national parks have started a Bark Ranger program. Originally meant to educate visitors with pets about the park’s rules, the program has become so popular that it’s spreading quickly.
Below you’ll find a list of national parks where your pup can become a Bark Ranger.
Bark Ranger Program
The Bark Ranger program was introduced as a way to encourage responsible national park travel with dogs.
BARK stands for:
Bag your poop
Always wear a leash (6-foot max)
Respect wildlife (give them their space)
Know where you can go (which trails/areas are pet friendly)
As you can see, though the pet joins the program, their human is responsible for most of the work. Isn’t that how is always goes with pets?!
READ MORE ⇒ The Ultimate Pet Friendly American Road Trip
Collect Bark Ranger Tags
Dogs participating in the program are sworn in as Bark Rangers, and their owners can purchase a special tag for their pup’s collar. Each participating park has their own tag, so your dog can collect them all!
Become A Bark Ranger
We don’t want you to confuse national parks with Bark Ranger programs as being the most pet friendly. For example, Olympic National Park and Devil’s Tower National Monument are both very restrictive when it comes to pets on the trails.
But others, like Petrified Forest and Acadia National Park are fantastic! In our post on the Best Pet Friendly National Parks, we share which parks we consider the most pet friendly.
Here’s a list of the national parks where your pet can become a Bark Ranger. Check back often, because we update the locations regularly!
Acadia National Park – Maine
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument – Nebraska
Biscayne National Park – Florida
Bryce National Park – Utah
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site – North Carolina
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument – Florida
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Park – Washington DC & Maryland
Chiriahua National Monument – Arizona
De Soto National Memorial – Florida
Death Valley National Park – California & Nevada
Devil’s Tower National Monument – Wyoming
Fort Matanzas National Monument – Florida
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site – Oregon & Washington
Friendship Hill National Historic Site – Pennsylvania
Gateway Arch National Park – Missouri
George Washington Carver National Monument – Missouri
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area – Utah & Arizona
Golden Spike National Historic Park – Utah
Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
Great Sand Dunes National Park – Colorado
Gulf Islands National Seashore – Florida & Mississippi
Harper’s Ferry National Historic Park– West Virginia
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park– Hawaii
Hopewell Culture National Historic Site – Ohio
Independence Hall National Park – Pennsylvania
Indiana Dunes National Park – Indiana
Joshua Tree National Park – California
Lake Mead National Recreation Area – Arizona & Nevada
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area – Washington
Little River Canyon National Preserve – Alabama
Minute Man National Historic Park – Massachusetts
Montezuma Castle National Monument – Arizona
Natchez Trace Parkway – Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee
Olympic National Park – Washington
Pecos National Historical Park – New Mexico
Petersburg National Battlefield – Virginia
Petrified Forest National Park – Arizona
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore – Michigan
Pipestone National Monument – Minnesota
Redwood National Park – California
Russel Cave National Monument – Alabama
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site – New York
Salem Maritime National Historic Site – Massachusetts
San Juan Islands National Park – Washington
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site – Massachusetts
Tonto National Monument – Arizona
Tuzigoot National Monument – Arizona
Vicksburg National Military Park – Mississippi
Zion National Park – Utah
READ MORE ⇒ The Most Dog Friendly National Parks in the U.S.
Be A Good Ambassador
When visiting any national park, monument, or historical site, be sure to ask about the Bark Ranger program. As the program expands, simply asking could encourage more parks to participate!
We are so lucky to have so many wonderful national parks, and even luckier when they allow pets! Please take care to follow all the rules and set a good example for other pet owners. That way we can all continue to enjoy the parks with our furry travel companions.
A Quick Note
Some national parks, such as Glacier, Denali, and Sleeping Bear Dunes have a Bark Ranger programs that employ dogs to control or protect wildlife. If you’re not sure which program is offered by a particular park, a quick phone call to the visitor center will clear things up!
Manatee Springs State Park has a BARK program as of January 2022. You have to do at least one of the challenges (take a walk, etc) then you get a picture with the park ranger. No tags so far as I’m aware.
I forgot to mention this is in Florida.
Very cool, Leslie! Thanks so much for letting us know. I love that state parks are starting to add similar programs!