I want some feedback on what people think of the Smokey Mountain’s “no dogs allowed” policy. How are thru-hikers that are hiking with their dogs handling this situation?
L.V.
Dogs vs. Smokey Mountains
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#5
My humble thoughts as a animal people & nature lover. I think that Part of the problem is that most of us believe that OUR pet, (or our kid or our whatever) is the exception in as in “MY dog would never do x,y, or z” or “I ALWAYS have my dog on a leash” or whatever. But in reality, it often just doesn’t work out that way; the ONE time that you let the dog off the leash; someone gets hurt.I love dogs, but have more than once hiking locally, been scared to death by someone else’s “He never bites” dog coming running & growling up to me. “Dawgs” are wonderful creatures, but often,also by nature, territorial. On trails I just don’t think I or others can take the chance; as much as I think it’s a neat & fun idea.
turtle
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#6
I met many a dog hiker on the trail and most, like Cap’n and Mudflap, were great to have along. But I also saw some dogs that clearly were being forced to hike beyond their capacities and others that weren’t particularly friendly to humans or other canines. If you take your best friend (human or other) make sure you do it for them and not just for you.
As to the smokies, the rules are the rules. What ever you do, follow them whether its dogs in the Smokies or camping in restricted areas. Thru-hikers flaunting the rules can only come back to haunt future thru-hikers.
steamboat
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#7
My dog is a mix of shetland sheepdog and husky and I know he can take carrying a backpack! He is very strong!
L.V.
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#8
Always being willing to stick my snout in… I do not particularly care for dogs. I have met a number of dogs on the trail (I have not done the Smokies yet.) It seems to me that the ones that were thruhiking were reasonably well behaved. My favorite so far is Herbie, of Herbie and I. Nonetheless, I prefer not to meet unleashed dogs. You may know your dog, but I do not.
FreightTrain is wrong. Dogs are not people, and are not protected by the law or the Constitution. Discriminating against them is permissible, and, in fact, common.
Your question, however, was about the Great Smokey Mountain NP. This is a pre-existing rule. “If I wish to do this, here are the regulations that I must follow.” You make your decision accordingly. This is not to say that everyone follows the rules.
Harry Dolphin
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#9
my point was not that dogs are people and protected by the constitution… my point was, and is, if people can go into the smokies with their pet horses than people with pet dogs and what ever should be allowed also
FreightTrain
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#11
Good luck on your hike. I thru-hiked the PCT with my dog and it was a great experience. He did not carry any pack (it was just too hot) and my hubby and I carried all his stuff. I felt like a Sherpa for “his expedition” because he was always frolicking up the hills as I trudged. Yes, lots of folks on the PCT overloaded their dogs and then thought duct taping their feet was a good solution. It was sad. But, you sound like very responsible people and I noticed that dogs on the trail tend to reflect the manners of their owners. Idiots don’t pass wisdom onto their pets! Good luck and have a great trip! (With the responses I got in '02 when I posed questions it is a miracle I even got to the trail without death threats. Don’t worry most of the nasty people spend way more time in front of their computers composing toxic forum posts than expending any actual hiking energy on the trail.)
PS to Datto: Dogs are also allowed in North Cascades National Park, WA where they muct on be under voice control-so there is another Nat’l Park where you can hike with your dog.
Cross Country
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#12
They don’t bug me. People who don’t know me or the care I have to take for my animal as a part of my job.
The only thing she would chase or attack is something I command her to do, and as long as your not breaking the law or trying to hurt me we’ll all get along just fine. I have more respect for the outdoors than to allow myself or my dog to hurt it.
If I’m ready to go and my dogs not then I’m not ready to go.
A great point about the bear in SNP, I hadn’t thought of that. If that’s the reason, I’m cool and I’ll kennel.
Don’t worry, Cherokee and I will be just fine.
Thunder
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#13
I took your advice and asked my dog if he wanted to hike the trail, but all he did was lick my hand. I guess he’s not fluent in English. Also, in response to your latest entry, we WILL be grooming our dog every night to remove burrs, ticks, and exotic plants and are carrying a non-cotton camping towel to clean him off at the end of the night. And, as I mentioned before, he will be leashed at all times and will be unable to chase or kill anything.
LV