If you love exploring different locations and hiking, there’s a high chance your pup loves that even more considering most dogs have a lot of energy to expend. Hiking with your furry friend is also more than just expending energy but a way to grow the bond between your two and trust each other more. It gets even better if you’re around Salt Lake City with different dog-friendly hiking trails.
These trails vary in so many ways from distance and difficulty to features and amenities. With these variations giving you an option no matter your needs. While not all hiking trails allow dogs on the trail, a good number will let you hike with your pup on leash and off leash.
In this guide, we’ve compiled the best hiking trails near Salt Lake City for you and your dog to enjoy. But not just the trails but also what to expect on each path. Will you find water fountains for you and your dog? What about other users? All these and more is what we’ll be answering.
Key Takeaways
- The whole Millcreek Canyon with its over 20 different trails is dog friendly with pups allowed off leash on the trail only on odd numbered calendar days while they must be leashed on even calendar days
- Memory Grove Trail is usually very busy with lots of hikers, bird watchers and bikers on the trail. Starting early will help you avoid the crowd
- If you’re interested in spending time outdoors with your pet, proper training is required
Grandeur Peak East Trail
P724+MP
Millcreek, UT 84109
The Grandeur Peak East trail is arguably the most popular dog friendly hiking trail near Salt Lake City with tons of hikers at any given time. This is even more surprising considering the trail is considered difficult.
It gets even more interesting since the trail is not the longest at 5.6 miles, but the elevation and terrain adds to the challenge. Grandeur Peak East trail takes an average of 4 hours and 10 minutes to complete.
It starts off at the Church Fork Picnic area in Millcreek Canyon, then goes north through the well marked trail into the forest. The trail continues up switchbacks to a saddle before getting to the summit a short climb after.
Grandeur Peak East trail is an out and back path but you can turn this into a loop if you take the west face trail after getting to the summit. Down the Church Fork Trail and wrap around the southern base.
The trail is dog friendly and even lets dogs walk off leash in odd numbered calendar days while they must be on leash every other day. Come with your microspikes due to the muddy and slippery sections of the hike to ensure safety on the trail.
Millcreek Canyon Pipeline Trail
FR 269
Salt Lake City, UT 84124
Millcreek Canyon is located in the Wasatch Mountains on the east side of Salt lake Valley with a dog friendly hiking trail stretching 14 miles and generally considered a difficult hike. Its distance and elevation combine to make it a challenging one for your and your pup.
The average time to complete this hike is around 6 hours 40 minutes making it a long hike. And you need to make adequate preparations before embarking on it. However, it is an out and back trail so you can always turn back at any point.
The whole Millcreek Canyon with its over 20 different trails is dog friendly with pups allowed off leash on the trail only on odd numbered calendar days while they must be leashed on even calendar days. Very few hiking trails allow dogs to be off leash on the trail. So if this is something you’ve been looking forward to, Millcreek Canyon is the place to be.
Millcreek Canyon Pipeline Trail is popular among runners, mountain bikers and hikers, so be on the lookout for other users on the trail especially high speed bikers.
Looking for the best time to hike here? The drier months between April to November gives you the best experience with your tail wagging companion. You get to enjoy the amazing views of the mellow trails. However, you may come across snow patches and muddy areas depending on what time of the year you visit.
Bonneville Shoreline Trail Loop
383 Colorow Rd.
Salt Lake City, UT 84108
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Loop is a relaxed recreational hiking trail only 2.3 miles long and generally considered an easy route. You can complete this dog friendly trail with your pooch in under an hour.
However, dogs must be on leash every time while on the trail. Start your hike from Colorow Road after using the street parking and walk up through the BST behind the University.
Pay attention to other users like bikers while hiking. Even though hikers have the right of way, blind spots around bends require extra attention. Even though it gets busy a lot, starting early will help you enjoy some solitude on the trail.
Bonneville Shoreline Trail has minimal elevation and is kids friendly. Bear in mind that there are few shades on the path so you want to use your sunscreen and come with enough water for you and your pooch to stay hydrated.
Want to enjoy this trail to the fullest? Visit between March and July when the weather is mild, spring blooms appear and hiking conditions generally improve.
One of the best parts of this trail is the ease of access considering the trailhead is just the road after parking. Also in an urban area with lots of buildings around so pay attention to private properties while you enjoy the view.
Memory Grove Trail
50 North Capitol Boulevard
Salt Lake City
Located within Memory Grove Park is this easy dog friendly hiking trail known as the Memory Grove Trail. It is 1.7 miles long and is considered an easy hike that is even comfortable for kids.
Leashed dogs are allowed on this loop trail that takes about 40 minutes to complete. Its minimal elevation makes it an even more comfortable walk with your pup. The almost flat terrain means the walk will take less energy to complete.
This trail is open all year round and contains many historical memorials along the path some of which include the Korean War Memorial, the Memorial Chapel, and Pearl Harbor Memorial. Get ready for an educational walk with your dog.
The trail surface is a combination of asphalt, parked dirt, grass and cement at different intervals, while the average width of the path is about 3 feet wide, giving you and other trail users enough room to navigate safely. Even though this is a fairly flat surface, some paths are steeper than usual and so wheelchairs and rollers may need some assistance here.
Memory Grove Trail is usually very busy with lots of hikers, bird watchers and bikers on the trail. Starting early will help you avoid the crowd.
Mount Olympus Pipeline Trail
Mill Creek Canyon Road
Salt Lake City, UT 84109
Here is an out and back trail that starts at the Burch Hollow parking area off Millcreek Canyon following the pipeline trail across the even terrain there. However, it gets uneven towards the end with some uphill and downward steeps to navigate.
Mount Olympus Pipeline Trail is a 3 mile hike and is considered an easy route. The elevation is fairly even except for the ending paths of the trail. You can expect to complete the hike with your dog in under 1 hour 30 minutes.
Yes, the trail is dog friendly with dogs even allowed to be off leash on odd numbered calendar days while they must be leashed on even numbered calendar days. The best time to visit this hiking trail is between April to November so you can enjoy better hiking conditions.
At the end of the trail, you can continue to the Grandeur Peak Summit if you’re up for more adventure or return the same way. Lots of hikers reach this summit so they can enjoy great views of Salt Lake City.
There are lots of trees and shade along the way that makes the Mount Olympus Pipeline Trail enjoyable. At the end of it all, you can enjoy a dip in the stream.
Training Your Dog for Hiking
Hiking with your dog should be a time to bond and have fun; however, this is not always the case as people lose their pups, spend the whole time struggling to control them, or even have to pay for damages because their pups attacked other hikers and their pets.
These common but unappealing dog behaviours while outdoors makes it challenging to enjoy a good time on the trail with your furry friend. So what should you do?
If you’re interested in spending time outdoors with your pet, proper training is required. Dogs need to put away behaviours like lounging, pulling off leash, and barking indiscriminately. And pick up more acceptable skills like confidence and trust.
If you need help to train your dog for hiking, you can find some reputable service providers like Sit Means Sit Salt Lake City that offers professional dog training. This training helps dogs become their best selves, grow in confidence and trust their owners more. Professional dog training focuses on growing the bond between owner and dog which in turn builds trust and makes it easy to control them while on a hike.
Final Thoughts
Exploring the best dog-friendly hiking trails near Salt Lake City is a great way to enjoy the outdoors while strengthening your bond with your furry friend. Whether you’re tackling the challenging Grandeur Peak East Trail or strolling through the scenic Memory Grove Trail, there’s an option for every skill level.
Just remember to follow leash rules, be mindful of other hikers, and prepare accordingly for the terrain and weather. With the right preparation and training, you and your pup can have safe, enjoyable adventures on these beautiful trails!
