We get asked all the time about dog friendly hikes! This blog post is separated by high country and desert hikes. Hopefully it goes without saying, but we don’t recommend to do the desert hikes in the summer. Please save those hikes for when it cools down! It is illegal to hike with your dog when it is over 100 degrees in Phoenix, but we try to not hike with our dog when it is over 85 degrees. As always, please Leave No Trace and pick up after your dog!
There are so many dog friendly hikes throughout the state. A majority of the time we use AllTrails and Google to determine which hikes are dog friendly. These are just some of the dog friendly hikes we have done with our dog, Finnick. There are some “dog friendly” hikes that we wouldn’t take our dog on. This is due to the difficulty of the hike. We are always cautious about rattlesnakes and don’t let our dog into bushes and we NEVER let our dog off leash while hiking. Although our little guy enjoys hiking, we are always conscious of his water intake and panting.
High Country Hikes
Elden Lookout
Important Information:
- 6.3 miles out & back with over 2,398.3 ft in elevation gain. This is a TOUGH hike!
- Steep rocky trail with a lot of switchbacks
- No restrooms at trailhead
- Very small parking lot
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Thumb Butte
Important Information:
- This hike is in Prescott
- 2.5 mile loop trail
- $5 for Thumb Butte Trail
- Restrooms at trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Thompson Trail
Important Information:
- 5.4 miles out and back with 298 ft in elevation gain
- This trail is a little over an hour from Pinetop
- Please remember to Leave No Trace & respect the lands. You drive through White Mountain Apache Land to get here
- No restrooms at trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Aspen Loop
Important Information:
- 2.7 mile loop. This hike is considered easy but the elevation can make this hike harder
- This hike starts at the same area as Humphreys Peak at Snow Bowl
- Restrooms at trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
West Baldy Trail #94
Important Information:
- 5.4 miles out and back with 298 ft in elevation gain
- This trail is a little over an hour from Pinetop
- Please remember to Leave No Trace & respect the lands. You drive through White Mountain Apache Land to get here
- Vault toilet trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Pat Mullen Via Country Club Trail #632
Important Information:
- 3 miles out and back
- 419 feet in elevation gain
- There are no restrooms at the trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Rim Lakes Vista and Old Rim Road Loop
Important Information:
- 4.2 miles out and back. It is considered an easy hike
- No restrooms at trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Gordon Creek Falls
Important Information:
- 4.5 miles out and back from forest service road. If you have a high clearance vehicle with 4WD you can cut out two miles by driving down the road
- No restrooms at trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Sedona also has a lot of dog friendly hikes. We have two blogs on Sedona hikes. Easy Sedona Hikes. Our Favorite Sedona Hikes.
Desert Hikes
Treasure Loop Via Jacob’s Crosscut
Important Information:
- 3.7 mile loop with 567 ft in elevation change
- Can connect to Lost Dutchman State Park, but there is a fee
- No restrooms at trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Boulder Canyon To Viewpoint
- 5 miles out and back with over 1,092 ft gain
- No restrooms at trailhead
- Be sure to park in designated spots if you are parking across the street from the trailhead or you can park down the street at the recreation area
- There is a fee. Either America the Beautiful pass OR you need to purchase a Tonto National Forest Pass
- Here is the link to AllTrails
Hackberry Springs Loop
- 4 mile loop with 534 ft in elevation change
- Restrooms at trailhead
- There is a good size parking lot at this trailhead
- Here is the link to AllTrails
- Fee: No
Arnett Canyon From East Arnett Road
- We hiked about 5.2 miles out and back, but you can hike longer if you want
- No restrooms at the trailhead
- There isn’t really a parking lot for this trailhead, but there are areas to park
- There are water crosses on this hike after rain or in the winter
- Here is the link to AllTrails
200A + Quartz Ridge + Hamilton Loop
- 3 mile loop with 856 ft in elevation gain
- Restrooms at trailhead
- Parking is limited
- Water at trailheads
- Trash at trailhead
- This link for AllTrails is not the exact hike we did, but it is similar
Dog Friendly Parks
- White Sands National Park
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park
