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 7,954 mapped Vermont 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.
Vermont is dominated by the Green Mountains running its length — the Long Trail (272 miles, the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the US) crosses the state from Massachusetts to Canada. Mount Tom (Woodstock), Smugglers Notch, and Stowe Pinnacle give beginners scenic, manageable Green Mountain introductions. 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 7,954 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in Vermont — 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. Ashuelot Rail Trail
Ashuelot Rail Trail near Winchester in Cheshire County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, landing at #1. Expect wood 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. 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 Ashuelot Rail Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Baboosic Greenway
Baboosic Greenway near Amherst in Hillsborough County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, landing at #2. Expect asphalt 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. 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 Baboosic Greenway trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Baboosic Greenway
Baboosic Greenway near Amherst in Hillsborough County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, landing at #3. Expect asphalt 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. 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 Baboosic Greenway trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Baboosic Greenway
Baboosic Greenway near Amherst in Hillsborough County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, landing at #4. Expect asphalt surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Vermont, 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 Baboosic Greenway trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Black Creek Trail
Black Creek Trail near Swanton in Franklin County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, landing at #5. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. 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 Black Creek Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Blake Trail
Blake Trail near Fairfax in Franklin County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, landing at #6. Expect ground 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. 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 Blake Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Breakneck Hill Road
Breakneck Hill Road near Hollis in Hillsborough County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, 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 Breakneck Hill Road trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Bright Slopes
Bright Slopes near Grantham in Sullivan County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, landing at #8. Expect dirt/sand 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 Bright Slopes trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Causeway Road
Causeway Road near Hollis in Hillsborough County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, landing at #9. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in Vermont, 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 Causeway Road trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Connector Trail (Blue Circle)
Connector Trail (Blue Circle) near Willsboro in Essex County is one of the better-tagged dog-friendly hikes in Vermont, landing at #10. Expect dirt 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. 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 Connector Trail (Blue Circle) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your Vermont trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for Vermont. June-October is the high-country window; mud season (April-May) is widely discouraged for trail use; foliage in late September is iconic. Black bears, rapidly changing weather on exposed ridges, and ice in shoulder seasons.
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 Vermont hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our Vermont coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in Vermont — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in Vermont — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in Vermont — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in Vermont — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in Vermont — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in Vermont — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best family hikes in Vermont — 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 Vermont 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.
