Published May 9, 2026 05:31AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
I\u2019ll be honest: Once I\u2019m 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!<\/p>\n
But I do get that my 75-pound New Mexican Shepherd purebred is not everybody\u2019s thing, especially when he\u2019s in absolute sensorial rapture, blissfully sprinting to greet every stranger he sees on the trail. He is frequently (and justifiably) described as, \u201ca lot.\u201d One man on a hike mistook him for a black bear. The last thing I want is for someone to be afraid while they\u2019re out on their mountain walk because my dog is not exactly in control (even if he is harmless).<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why my dog Argo and I tend to stick to trails where I know we\u2019ll be close to alone. Better yet, I find hikes on public lands that proactively establish a no-leash rule, so you don\u2019t have to worry about running into others. And every pup then can greet each other without the added tension leashes carry.<\/p>\n
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, <\/strong>and efforts are in place<\/a> to educate pet-owners on the dangers of allowing pets to roam free. In\u00a0Vancouver, the metro area reported 400 dog-related safety incidents <\/a>between 2020 and 2024, and the city is reducing off-leash trails as a result. This is a North American trend.<\/p>\n It\u2019s rare to find a trail that advertises itself as \u201coff-leash.\u201d But knowing what to look for, you can hike with your dog wild and free without inviting conflict.<\/p>\n BLM trails are the best place to start. Here\u2019s 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.<\/i><\/p>\n The more salient point with BLM land is that, in general, you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n 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: \u201cUnless 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Though Forest Service trails tend to have more development and human traffic than BLM trails, that\u2019s largely contextual. A 10 A.M. hike on Saturday morning might look like the Trader Joe\u2019s 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\u2019s rare that I see others on the trail, off leash dogs are still the norm.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> across a variety of difficulty levels for hiking and biking, just a short drive from the city. The 7.1-mile Murdock Peak <\/a>hike <\/b>is a favorite\u2014or head 1.8 miles to Dog Lake to let your pup cool off.<\/p>\n The Good Dog and River Trail Loop<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s contiguous with a 20,000-acre spread in the under-appreciated mountains known as the \u201cBig Wild,\u201d where dogs are expected to be under voice control but not on leash. <\/b>Despite being just 7 miles from The Getty art museum the area feels expansive and\u00a0remote. For a more moderate hike, explore the 7.2-mile Mandeville Canyon Trail<\/a>, which features views of the coastline and the city.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> and Lower Dog Loop<\/a> trails, pups are free to be off leash and roam. The Upper Loop is longer, at about a mile, and quieter as it\u2019s farther from the highway.<\/p>\nHow to Find Dog-Friendly Trails<\/h2>\n
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Trails<\/h3>\n
National Forest Service Trails<\/h3>\n
Dog-Friendly Land Trusts and Open Spaces<\/h3>\n
Best Off-Leash Dog Hiking trails<\/h2>\n
![\"Golden](\"https:\/\/cdn.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/gr.png?width=3840&auto=webp&quality=75&fit=cover\"\/)
Mill Creek Canyon, Salt Lake<\/h3>\n
Good Dog and River Trail Loop, Bend<\/h3>\n
Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park, Los Angeles<\/h3>\n
Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Colorado Springs<\/h3>\n