Visiting Utah’s Zion National Park, with its towering sandstone cliffs and lush canyons, feels a bit like stepping into Jurassic Park. You and your dog can search for dinosaurs on one trail: the 3.4-mile Pa’rus Trail, which starts just behind the visitor’s center and rolls along the Virgin River. Just note that this is the only trail in Zion that allows dogs, and your pets won’t be allowed in any of the buildings and shouldn’t drink any river water, which can be contaminated with cyanotoxins.

Of the 500-plus miles of trails that wind through Shenandoah, only 20 miles of them are closed to pets. That means you can explore waterfalls, woodlands, mountaintop vistas, and wildflower fields, all with your pooch in tow. Dog-friendly trails in the park also include approximately 115 miles of the famous Appalachian Trail.

There are a few dog-friendly hiking trails in Capitol Reef National Park, including the Fremont River Trail, which has gorgeous views of the park’s towering cliffs and lush orchards. And speaking of orchards, you can bring your pup there, too. Fruita, the pioneer community within the park, is full of historic orchards open for picking. If it’s unfenced or unlocked, you’re welcome inside—and so is your dog. Just remember that it's not a dog park, and your dog will need to remain leashed.

Maine’s only national park is one of the most dog-friendly in the US. Pets are allowed on 100 miles of hiking trails and carriage roads, and in the Blackwoods, Seawall, and Schoodic Woods campgrounds—no need to search for a dog-friendly vacation rental! One of the best hikes to take in Acadia National Park with your dog is the Wonderland Trail, which runs through a pine forest to the rocky coast. Most of the trail is a well-maintained gravel road, so you don’t have to worry about hurt paws.

This park protects the last remaining forest of its kind (old-growth bottomland hardwood forest) in the southeastern US. Its boardwalk trails wind through ancient trees, some of the tallest in the eastern US. Dogs are welcome virtually everywhere in the park except inside buildings. One of the most interesting ways to see this South Carolina bottomland ecosystem is by boat: The park occasionally hosts ranger-led swamp canoe tours, and Fido is welcome aboard.

Spanning 15,000 acres along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes National Park is special in every season, but it’s paradise in summer. Your dog will think so, too—they’re welcome to romp through the dunes, trot along almost every trail in the park, and even take a dip in the lake so long as they remain on a leash. And the park’s beauty doesn’t fade a bit as temperatures drop. Trails abound for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter when abundant wildlife can be seen.

America’s newest national park is New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, located along lone West Virginia country roads. Hillsides of Appalachian hardwoods and glens of rhododendrons give way to the rocky bed of the New River. Packed with history (both ancient and modern), the park is home to one of the oldest rivers in the world; its banks are dotted with old mining infrastructure and the crumbling remains of settlements. Here you can explore hiking trails that crisscross 70,000 acres.

Voyageurs National Park is a unique landscape of forested islands, rocky cliffs, and water that connects it all. Kabetogama, Namakan, Sand Point, Crane, and Rainy Lakes make up a huge portion of the park’s acreage, which means the best way to explore is by boat. Dogs are allowed in Voyageur’s front-country campgrounds, parking lots, on the Recreation Trail that leads to the visitor’s center, and on private watercraft.