Published May 9, 2026 05:31AM
I’ll be honest: Once I’m well past a trailhead, I rarely follow dog-leash laws. I argue dogs should be allowed to run free, as being tethered to a canine while hiking holds us both back. I want my hands to be free and to move fast. And the dog just wants to, well, be a dog. The forest is an olfactory cornucopia. Be free, you wild and delightful beasts!
But I do get that my 75-pound New Mexican Shepherd purebred is not everybody’s thing, especially when he’s in absolute sensorial rapture, blissfully sprinting to greet every stranger he sees on the trail. He is frequently (and justifiably) described as, “a lot.” One man on a hike mistook him for a black bear. The last thing I want is for someone to be afraid while they’re out on their mountain walk because my dog is not exactly in control (even if he is harmless).
That’s why my dog Argo and I tend to stick to trails where I know we’ll be close to alone. Better yet, I find hikes on public lands that proactively establish a no-leash rule, so you don’t have to worry about running into others. And every pup then can greet each other without the added tension leashes carry.
Unfortunately, after an increase in on-trail conflicts between dogs, dog-owners, and other recreationists, dedicated off-leash dog trails are in decline throughout the country, and efforts are in place to educate pet-owners on the dangers of allowing pets to roam free. In Vancouver, the metro area reported 400 dog-related safety incidents between 2020 and 2024, and the city is reducing off-leash trails as a result. This is a North American trend.
It’s rare to find a trail that advertises itself as “off-leash.” But knowing what to look for, you can hike with your dog wild and free without inviting conflict.
How to Find Dog-Friendly Trails
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Trails
BLM trails are the best place to start. Here’s their official dog policy: While leashes are not required on all trails, you should keep your dog close and under control when passing children, horses or other dogs. Please check the trail website or call the local BLM field office for leash policy.
The more salient point with BLM land is that, in general, you’re just less likely to come across other people who might care if your dog is off leash. The bureau manages some 245 million acres of land, and their trails and dirt roads are far less popular than other designated public lands. When I lived in northern New Mexico, I would take Argo for a hike nearly every morning on BLM trails. The trails themselves were never on any map, and over the course of several years, I ran into far more coyotes than humans.
National Forest Service Trails
Our National Forest System includes 193 million acres and 165,000 miles of trails. Their official dog policy states that dogs should be kept on at least a six-foot leash at all times while within developed recreation areas, but there are no leash requirements for most of the forest, though some trails require dogs to be leashed. It continues: “Unless your dog responds well to voice commands and is comfortable around people, then keep your dog leashed, especially while at busy trailheads, and parking lots.”
Though Forest Service trails tend to have more development and human traffic than BLM trails, that’s largely contextual. A 10 A.M. hike on Saturday morning might look like the Trader Joe’s parking lot at 5:15 P.M. on a Tuesday, while the trailhead for a midweek, early-morning, or late-evening hike might be completely solitary. I live about a half-mile from a neighborhood trailhead that accesses the White River National Forest in Colorado, and while it’s rare that I see others on the trail, off leash dogs are still the norm.
Dog-Friendly Land Trusts and Open Spaces
Smaller land trusts often have more generous dog policies. A land trust is a legal entity that typically manages land for conservation purposes. These are mostly locally managed lots of land and many have dedicated areas for off-leash dogs to hike and roam with you. Open spaces, meanwhile, are generally managed by municipalities and are undeveloped, preserved areas dedicated to environmental stewardship and recreation. Many have dedicated off-leash dog areas as well.
Best Off-Leash Dog Hiking trails
Mill Creek Canyon, Salt Lake
At Milk Creek Canyon, in Salt Lake, which is managed by Salt Lake County in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, dogs are allowed off leash on odd-numbered days. The area includes 20 trails in Mill Creek Canyon across a variety of difficulty levels for hiking and biking, just a short drive from the city. The 7.1-mile Murdock Peak hike is a favorite—or head 1.8 miles to Dog Lake to let your pup cool off.
Good Dog and River Trail Loop, Bend
The Good Dog and River Trail Loop in Deschutes National Forest is a 3.2 mile flat loop where dogs are licensed to roam with a year-round off-leash policy. The single-track dirt and gravel trail wends through shaded pine sections and areas overlooking the canyon, with spots to stop along the mighty Deschutes River as well.
Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park, Los Angeles
Not far off the 405 in LA, Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park delivers a canine oasis. With more than 1,500 acres of open space, it’s contiguous with a 20,000-acre spread in the under-appreciated mountains known as the “Big Wild,” where dogs are expected to be under voice control but not on leash. Despite being just 7 miles from The Getty art museum the area feels expansive and remote. For a more moderate hike, explore the 7.2-mile Mandeville Canyon Trail, which features views of the coastline and the city.
Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Colorado Springs
Red Rock Canyon is a 789-acre recreational open space in Colorado Springs managed by the city with rock climbing, hiking, and bike trails. On the Upper and Lower Dog Loop trails, pups are free to be off leash and roam. The Upper Loop is longer, at about a mile, and quieter as it’s farther from the highway.
Drinking Horse Mountain, Bozeman
Drinking Horse is a great trail for an early morning run with your dog. Just a few miles outside of Bozeman, the 2.2-mile route climbs 700 feet as you take in views of the Gallatin Valley and Story Hills. Though the trail can have heavy traffic, it is dog-friendly and leashes are not required.
The Trail That’s Way Out There
The reason so few trails advertise off-leash dog policies is obvious: most trails have too many people (and too many dogs) on them. But there’s a simple way to skirt the rules without making anyone uncomfortable: Go deeper. The most popular trails tend to be cloistered near urban areas or freeways where there are just too many people to justify having a dog off-leash, particularly within the first mile or two from the trailhead.
But most folks turn around after a mile or two. Want your dog roam free? Start early and go farther—both away from population centers and on the trail itself. Your dog is not going to bother anyone if there is no one else to bother. If I do see someone deep in the backcountry, they typically are the type of person hiking with their dog off leash, too.
John Clary Davies has contributed to Outside for nine years. Previously, he wrote about the case for dogs running free, an ode to Hawaiian t-shirts, and the ski town housing crisis.
