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 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 think are 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
• 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
• Death Valley National Park – California & Nevada
• De Soto National Memorial – Florida
• 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
• 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
• 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

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!