The PCT website says… “Dogs are permitted on the PCT except in areas administered by the National Park Service and in the five California State Parks through which the trail passes…” Im just wondering how much of trail you can cover with a dog…
East Coast
Apprently all the parts which they are not banned from. Maybe someone who has actually done the PCT can point out areas where you wouldn’t want to take a dog, even if allowed to.
slo-go’en
Email me at markvotapek “at” netscape “dot” net, and i can put you in contact with a thru-hiker who did at least part of it with her dog. I bet she’ll be happy to share info about the trail.
markv
In Washington, dogs are allowed on the portions of the PCT that pass through Mt. Rainier NP and North Cascades NP, but they must be on leash and are forbidden on all other trails in those parks.
One place to avoid with a dog is part of the PCT through Oregon’s Three Sisters Wilderness, which features pumice, obsidian chips and lava, all of which will cut a dog’s paws to shreds. Even with booties (which will get cut to shreds, so take more than one pair) that section is hard on dogs. Every dog owner I know who has taken their dog through there wishes they hadn’t!
grannyhiker
www.servicedogsamerica.org
www.nsarco.com
Both these sites will help you get your dog certified as a service animal. You then can avoid the hassle of boarding and shipping your buddy around the Sierra. Registration is easy. You will be able to take your dog anywhere, and be protected by the ADA. All trail, restaurants, stores, buses, hotels, must allow your animal if you get it registered. It will only cost 65 bucks plus a vet visit, to make sure your animal is healthy.
Guino
I never thought about getting my dog certified to go hiking. I thought I would need a disability to get the dog certified… That’ll def be something to look into. Great Info!!
East Coast
The ADA may or may not care, but you might, in the event that the dog doesn’t take well to going over Forester Pass, across Evolution Creek, or up on the aforementioned lava. Then you become the service animal, potentially, at least en route to the nearest exit.
hoch
If you aren’t legally disabled your dog can not be a service dog. It is a federal offense to represent your pet as a service animal. Any company that tells you they will “certify” your dog without training the dog is out to take your money. I should know because I run www.servicedogtags.com and we run into the misinformed every day that think they can just buy a tag to fluffy to restaurants.
Domular
Thanks Domular… I had a feeling that was the case… Especially since I never heard of hikers doing this just to be able to hike with their dogs. There arent too many places in New York state where dogs cant go hiking on trails… West Coast is another story…
East Coast
Good points. However, FWIW, Domular’s website states: “The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) clearly states that proof of “certification” cannot be required by any facility or business for legal access if you meet the requirements for a person with a legal disability, and your dog meets the requirements of a service animal.”
In other words, it would seem that the pet-restrictive facility, or in this case government agency, has no authority to question you if you decide to claim your dog is a service animal, even if legally it is not. So if you’re planning to be a poseur, you might as well save the money and hassle of wrangling for certification, and save your best poker face for Smokey.
At the end of the day, though, we’re arguing semantics here when the real world conditions along the PCT often dictate leaving the pooch at home, regardless of the laws.
hoch
I think this whole thing with service dogs is getting way out of hand. The system is being constantly abused and eventually it will cause a backlash.
I met a woman who brought her dog into Yosemite because her dog was required for “anxiety”.
Here where I live people bring all sorts of “service” pets into restaurants and onto mass transit. They are clearly abusing the sytem which harms legitimate users.
Stryker
I personally have a hearing disability as a 20 year old and my dog hears anything past 10 feet for me. My brother and I who have section hiked about 1,000 miles of the PCT are going to do the entire thing this summer with our dog. He carries 12 pairs of booties at a time and as a resident of Oregon I can say he can handle the PCT as a 2 year old german sheperd/border collie mix.
Clint