Dog-Friendly Hikes and Things to Do Near Zion National Park

The best dog-friendly hikes near Zion are just outside the park. Inside Zion, leashed dogs can walk only the paved Pa’rus Trail. Within about an hour of the park you’ll find Snow Canyon State Park and Sand Hollow State Park, which both welcome leashed dogs, miles of BLM land around Gooseberry Mesa and the Hurricane Cliffs, and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary near Kanab, where your own dog can hike with you.

We see a lot of dogs at our pet-friendly cabins in Apple Valley, and the happiest ones belong to owners who planned their dog days as carefully as their Zion days. This guide is about where to go with your dog. If you want the details on what Zion does and doesn’t allow, read our guide to Zion’s pet rules first.

Dog-friendly places near Zion at a glance

Drive times are from our cabins in Apple Valley, on paved roads unless noted.

Rules change, so check each official page before you go. Utah state parks charge a day-use fee.

The Pa’rus Trail in Zion

The Pa’rus Trail runs about 3.5 miles round trip on flat pavement along the Virgin River, from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to Canyon Junction. It’s the one place your dog can see Zion Canyon up close, and the views of the Watchman are worth the drive.

Go at sunrise or in the evening from May through September, carry water, and keep your dog out of the river. The National Park Service monitors the Virgin River for toxic cyanobacteria and asks owners not to let dogs swim in or drink from it. The trail is shared with bikes, so keep your leash short.

Snow Canyon State Park

Snow Canyon, just north of St. George, is the most dog-friendly park in the area. According to Utah State Parks, dogs are permitted on all park trails and in the campground, as long as they’re on a leash no longer than six feet and you stay on designated, mapped trails. Pick up the waste and drop it in a trash can.

Good picks with a dog:

• Petrified Dunes: wander over swirled sandstone that kids and dogs both love. It’s open slickrock, so go early when the rock is cool.
• Jenny’s Canyon: a short walk to a tiny slot canyon, easy for older dogs.
• The lava flows: dark basalt soaks up the sun, so save it for cool days.

One seasonal note: Johnson Canyon is closed from March 15 through September 14, except for ranger-guided hikes. Snow Canyon is lower and warmer than Apple Valley, so in summer, plan to be off the trail by mid-morning. Our full Snow Canyon guide covers the rest of the park.

Sand Hollow State Park

Sand Hollow is the closest state park to our cabins, about 35 minutes away near Hurricane. Utah State Parks says you can bring your dog on all adventures in the park and into the campground, with two firm rules: pets must be leashed at all times, and they can’t be left in vehicles. Waste bag dispensers are spread around the park.

Most dog owners head for the beach area on the reservoir, set up some shade and let the dog sniff around on a leash. Keep two things in mind. The red sand gets very hot by midday in summer, and parts of the park are busy with off-highway vehicles, so keep your dog close in the dune areas. As with any lake or pond in the desert, don’t let your dog drink standing water. Bring fresh water from the cabin instead.

BLM land and walks near Apple Valley

The public land around Apple Valley is managed mostly by the Bureau of Land Management, and there’s no blanket ban on dogs. That opens up some of the best walking in the area, close to home.

Gooseberry Mesa, about 25 to 30 minutes from our cabins, sits around 5,200 feet and is famous for its slickrock mountain bike trails. It’s also a great place to walk a dog early in the day, with long views toward Zion. A few cautions:

• You’re sharing the trail with mountain bikers. Keep your dog leashed and step off the trail onto rock when a rider comes through. Weekends in spring and fall are busy.
• The road in is dirt. The BLM recommends a high-clearance or 4WD vehicle, and the road can be impassable after rain. Our Gooseberry Mesa road guide has the details.
• Slickrock holds heat. Even on a mild spring day, bare rock in full sun can be too hot for paws by late morning.
• Stay off the crust. The dark, lumpy soil between rocks is biological soil crust. One footstep can kill it, and it takes decades to recover. Keep your dog on the trail, in sandy washes or on bare rock.

Rules on public land can vary by area. For current conditions, check the BLM’s Gooseberry Mesa page or call the St. George Field Office at 435-688-3200.

Walks right outside the cabin

Sometimes the best dog outing is the one that doesn’t need a car. Our property has walking trails that lead to Ancestral Puebloan petroglyphs, and the open desert around the cabins is lovely at sunset. Dogs need to stay leashed outdoors here, for good reason: there’s wildlife in the open desert, friendly goats in fenced areas, and a few feral cats that don’t want to meet your dog. At the petroglyphs, look but don’t touch.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary near Kanab

For a lot of dog lovers, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the highlight of the trip. It’s about an hour and 15 minutes east of Apple Valley, in a red rock canyon outside Kanab. It’s a working animal sanctuary, and visitors are welcome.

Your own dog is welcome in the public areas, including Angel Village, the hiking trails and the Welcome Center, on a 6-foot leash. Dogs aren’t allowed in indoor dining, workshops or the animal areas, and as everywhere in this climate, never leave a pet in the car.

A few planning tips:

1. Reserve a tour early. Tours are by reservation and fill quickly.
2. Check the hours. The sanctuary lists daily hours starting at 8 a.m. Mountain Time, but confirm closing time on the Best Friends website before you go.
3. Ask how a tour works with your dog. Dogs can’t enter the animal areas, so ask when you book whether your tour visits them and plan accordingly.

Where your dog can’t come

To save you a wasted drive, these popular spots are closed to pets:

• Every Zion trail except the Pa’rus, including Angels Landing, The Narrows, the Emerald Pools and the short Riverside Walk.
• Kolob Canyons trails. Dogs can be on the road and in parking areas only.
• Kanarra Falls. Visit Utah states that dogs are not permitted on this hike.

For those days, look into daycare. Our guide to dog boarding and daycare near Zion covers the options in Rockville and St. George.

Tips for hiking with your dog in Southern Utah

• Start at sunrise from May through September, and plan to be done before the heat builds.
• Carry more water than you think, plus a collapsible bowl. Your dog can’t sweat its way through a desert afternoon.
• Do the five-second test. Put the back of your hand on the pavement or rock. If you can’t hold it there, it’s too hot for paws.
• Check paws and ears afterward for cheatgrass seeds and foxtails.
• Call ahead about restaurant patios. We haven’t listed dog-friendly patios here because policies change from season to season. Ask before you go.

Our guide to hiking Southern Utah with dogs covers heat, rattlesnakes, emergency vets and a full packing list.

Our take

Zion is a short chapter in a dog’s Southern Utah trip, not the whole book. Walk the Pa’rus one morning, spend a day at Snow Canyon or Sand Hollow, and drive out to Best Friends if you can. Then come home to a fire pit and a quiet patio. Our pet-friendly cabins charge a flat $29 pet fee per stay; dogs stay leashed outside, are never left unattended and stay out of the hot tubs. Check each cabin’s page for its pet limit, read the house policies, and book direct on our availability page.