The Best Hike Your Dog Can't Take

One of the e-newsletters I receive last week was flogging Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park as the best place to hike to observe fall foliage, If you are familiar with Old Rag you probably know it from it many nominations as "Best Hike on the East Coast." And if you know Old Rag, you may also know what is never mentioned in these laudatory articles - dogs are not allowed.

At Old Rag, even if dogs were permitted on the trail (and Shenandoah National Park is generally dog-friendly), your favorite trail companion could probably not complete the hike with its routing through odd rock formations. When reading trail descriptions of possible destinations be alert for such phrases as "hand holds" that indicate there are rock formations that you need to pull yourself up to ascend. Often your dog will not be able to get up these small vertical climbs withour being lifted.

If you are researching hiking trips out West in slickrock and canyon country you may read about ladders on the trail. That's a good indicator that your dog won't be able to finsih that particular trail. In our books and website we try to not only identify the trails that are dog-friendly but the trails that are suitable for dogs.
This often applies to trails that have been identified as "favorite hikes."

Camel's Hump, at a few jumps over 4,000 feet, is Vermont's highest undeveloped mountain. The loop trail is considered among the state's best rambles and your dog is welcome to tag the summit. But if you tackle the loop in a clockwise direction you will need to lift you dog at least once to conquer the rock hops.

In Connecticut, the Mile of Ledges is one of the Nutmeg State's most celebrated hikes, but chances are your dog wasn't polled. The Mile of Ledges is not the fabrication of some publicist. The trail crawls up and down over boulders, fissures and overhangs for that mile. An athletic dog can make the journey and may even revel in the jumping and challenge in finding a passable route. But this is not the place for an inexperienced trail dog. Many dogs will find the drop-offs and tight passages intimidating. In certain spots like Bear's Den it will be necessary to find an alternate route.

Do you know of any popular hikes that a dog owner would be well-advised to know will be a challenge for dogs before setting out? Share them with us and we'll share them with other canine hikers.

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