Knowing where you can legally bring your dog matters more than reviews suggest. National parks ban dogs from most trails outright; national forests and state parks vary by location. We filtered the 9,456 mapped Utah trails to only those where the trail's data explicitly allows dogs (leashed or otherwise), then ranked by length and difficulty to surface the routes most dogs and most owners will enjoy. Always carry a leash, water, and waste bags — and check the trailhead sign for current rules.
Utah compresses red-rock canyon country, the Colorado Plateau, the Wasatch and Uinta alpine ranges, and Great Basin desert into one state — the densest concentration of national parks per capita in the US. Bryce's Navajo Loop, Zion's Riverside Walk, and Arches' Delicate Arch give beginners iconic landscape exposure with modest effort. Dog access in the US varies by land manager: federal national parks usually restrict dogs to paved areas, while national forests, BLM lands, and many state parks welcome leashed dogs on trail.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 9,456 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Utah — but the data has limits worth being honest about. We surface trails where the OpenStreetMap `dog` tag is explicitly set to yes, leashed, or permissive. Many genuinely dog-friendly trails are missing this tag and won't appear; conversely, leash rules can change seasonally with wildlife management. Always verify at the trailhead.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. 10195 South Access Trail
10195 South Access Trail near Sandy in Salt Lake County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #1. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the 10195 South Access Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. 10600 South Access Trail
10600 South Access Trail near Sandy in Salt Lake County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #2. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the 10600 South Access Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. 1300 East Access Trail
1300 East Access Trail near Sandy in Salt Lake County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #3. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the 1300 East Access Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. 600 Lofts Restricted
600 Lofts Restricted near Salt Lake City in Salt Lake County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #4. Expect paved surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Utah, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the 600 Lofts Restricted trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Access to Welby Elementary
Access to Welby Elementary near Riverton in Salt Lake County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #5. Expect asphalt surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Access to Welby Elementary trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Access to Welby Elementary
Access to Welby Elementary near Riverton in Salt Lake County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #6. Expect asphalt surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Access to Welby Elementary trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Access Trail
Access Trail near Ephraim in Sanpete County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #7. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Access Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Access Trail
Access Trail near Alpine in Utah County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #8. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Access Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Adams
Adams near Leeds in Washington County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #9. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Utah, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Adams trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Adams
Adams near Leeds in Washington County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Utah, landing at #10. Expect wood surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. Pack 2x more water than you think the dog needs in heat, plus a collapsible bowl. Hot pavement and exposed rock can burn paw pads in minutes. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Adams trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Utah trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Utah. Spring and fall are prime in canyon country; summer for high Wasatch and Uintas; winter low desert hiking remains possible. Flash floods in slot canyons, dehydration in the desert, and extreme exposure on routes like Angels Landing and the Subway.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More Utah hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Utah coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Utah — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in Utah — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in Utah — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in Utah — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in Utah — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in Utah — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best family hikes in Utah — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in Utah last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
