Traveling with dogs can be challenging, especially if you want to visit National Park Service sites around the United States. More national parks are implementing a BARK ranger program to encourage responsible dog ownership in the parks, however, the majority of national parks still limit dogs to paved areas and parking lots. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to travel with dogs in Grand Canyon National Park. (Note: Service animals are exempt from pet restrictions)

Visit the Grand Canyon on a Northern Arizona Road Trip!

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Grand Canyon South Rim

Dogs are not allowed below the rim on any Grand Canyon trails, and that includes the Bright Angel Trail and South Kaibab Trail, two of the popular trails that lead down to the Colorado River. Fortunately, there are 12 miles of trail along the South Rim that is dog friendly. The pet friendly Rim Trail starts near Grand Canyon village and goes all the way to Hermits Rest. It’s paved the entire way, so your leashed pets can hike along. Since dogs are not allowed on the park shuttle bus, you can also drive along the rim and stop at all of the overlooks, where dogs are also welcome. We drove all the way out to Desert View Tower visitor center and made our way back towards Grand Canyon Village, stopping at many viewpoints along the way.

Don’t forget to bring these essentials for traveling with dogs!

Grand Canyon North Rim

The North Rim is an amazing experience that I highly recommend. It’s just as beautiful as the South Rim, but with way fewer visitors. Of course, it’s a long drive, which helps to keep the crowds down. The North Rim has a small village like the South Rim, and dogs are allowed on any of the paved trails and lookouts at the North Rim. Same as the South Rim, they are not allowed on any hiking trails below the rim. Dogs are allowed on the North Rim Bridle Trail, which is a 3.2 mile out and back trail along the rim.

Note that the North Rim is at a higher elevation than the South Rim, therefore cooler weather, but it is closed in winter! Check online before you make the drive!

Dog-Friendly Hotels at Grand Canyon National Park

There is one pet friendly hotel at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon: Yavapai Lodge has designated pet friendly rooms, with no weight limit or breed restrictions, for $25 per night, which is very reasonable. All of the other cabins, lodges, and hotels at the South Rim and North Rim do not allow pets. If the Yavapai Lodge is booked, your options are to camp or stay outside the park.

Browse Grand Canyon area hotels

• North Rim – the Kaibab Lodge and Jacob Lake Inn are the nearest lodgings to the North Rim and both are pet-friendly. I rented a tiny cabin at Jacob Lake Inn, which is about 45 miles from the North Rim.
• South Rim – in addition to the Yavapai Lodge, there are several towns near the South Rim with hotels: Tusayan – just 20 miles south of the South Rim, Tusayan has a handful of hotels. Check prices & pet policies
  • Williams – about 1:15 from the South Rim, Williams has more options for hotels and activities. Check Williams hotels
  • Flagstaff – one of our favorite Arizona towns, there are many dog-friendly hotels in Flagstaff. Check Flagstaff hotels

Grand Canyon National Park Campgrounds

On our most recent visit, we stayed at Mather Campground on the South Rim. Although the campground was full, there were lots of open sites around us. When I first got the idea to add a camping night at the end of a week in Flagstaff, the Mather Campground was full. I just kept checking the website every day, refreshing the dates, and eventually, a reservation opened up about a week before the trip.

What I loved most was just chilling at the campground during the heat of the day, and then heading over to the South Rim before sunset, when a lot of the day trip crowds had gone home for the day.

In addition to Mather Campground, which takes reservations six months in advance, Desert View campground is first-come, first-served. They say they typically fill up around noon. I am way too Type A to go with this method, but if you aren’t so OCD, it’s a good option if you can get up there fairly early in the day to snag a spot. For RV campers who want a full-service campground, Trailer Village is also at the South Rim.

Grand Canyon South Rim Kennel

I know many dog owners won’t use kennels, but I think it’s fantastic that parks are starting to put kennels in at the parks. Because the truth is, there are some people who will bring their dogs anyways and leave them in a hot car or in a hotel room for too long. Bailey has stayed in kennels all over the country and is a pretty chill dog about it. Personally, I think there are some situations where she is better off hanging out in a kennel than being dragged around on a hot day. The Grand Canyon Kennel is located at the South Rim, near Maswik Lodge and is open seven days a week. You can use them for overnight services, or just for the day.

Have you traveled with dogs in Grand Canyon National Park? What tips would you add?