The Ultimate Dog Friendly Activities for Spring

By • March 9th, 2023

Tired of the cold, dreary winter having to stay inside with your pup? March is here which means Spring has finally arrived! The sun begins to shine, temperatures rise and seasonal depression begins to fade. What better way to celebrate than getting outside with your furry friend?! We’ve gathered a list of some of our favorite ultimate dog friendly activities for spring below. Try them out and give our social page a tag (@ultimatespetfood) if you love one of the ideas! 

Hiking

Spring is the perfect time for hiking. Not too hot, not too cold. The leaves are beginning to grow back on the trees making it a beautiful green landscape when hiking. Getting your dog outside and back to a routine exercise can help them live a long, healthy life. Wondering where dog friendly hiking trails are though? The website BringFido.com can help you find dog friendly trails in your area. Simply enter your destination and it will gather all of the locations.

While on your hike, be sure to bring some essential hiking gear for your dog. According to the American Hiking Society, below are the top gear essentials:

  • Collar or Harness
  • Leash
  • Identification Tag or Microchip
  • Water
  • Food (we suggest an Ultimates recipe!)
  • Collapsible Bowl
  • Poop Bags or Plastic Bags 
  • Canine First Aid Kit
  • Reflective Jacket, Collar, Leash, or a Small Light
  • Clothing

Don’t forget some fun dog treats too! They’ll enjoy some delicious snacks along the way. Include protein-packed jerky treats that’ll keep your pup energized throughout the day. 

Dog Parks

Another ultimate dog friendly spring activity is a trip to the dog park! Most dogs love interacting with other pups so a dog park is a great place to take them to. Curious where a dog park is in your area? BringFido.com can help again! Type in your location and it will pull up a list of top off-leash dog parks in your area.

There are many benefits for not only a dog owner, but also for the dog when visiting a dog park. The fresh spring air is good for you and it’s free! Increase your serotonin by enjoying how happy your pet looks when socializing and playing with other four legged friends. Giving your dog the freedom to roam off his leash can allow them to explore and use their noses to the fullest ability. After all, a good 20-30 minute sniffing session can be equally exhausting as a 1 hour walk.

National & State Parks

Spring outdoor activities for dogs can often be included as a vacation for pet parents too! Have you been wanting to visit a national park or even a state park? Not every national park allows pets, but there are a lot that do. According to Travel + Leisure, there are 11 very pet-friendly national parks in the United States:

  • Acadia National Park – Maine
  • Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve – Colorado
  • Yosemite National Park – California
  • Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
  • New River Gorge National Park – West Virginia
  • White Sands National Park – New Mexico
  • Shenandoah National Park – Virginia
  • Petrified Forest National Park – Arizona
  • Congaree National Park – South Carolina
  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Ohio
  • Death Valley National Park – California

Alternatively, some national parks have a few trails that are dog-friendly even if the whole park isn’t, so do your research if one of your bucket list destinations isn’t on the list of dog-friendly parks!

Wanting to find a state park that is a little closer to home? According to BringFido.com, there are more than 6,000 state parks in the U.S. Each state park pet policy varies state by state, but here are some of the best in each state:

  • Gulf State Park – Gulf Shores, AL
  • Chugach State Park – Anchorage, AK
  • Oracle State Park – Oracle, AZ
  • Crater of Diamonds State Park – Murfreesboro, AR
  • Mendocino Headlands State Park – Mendocino, CA
  • Chatfield State Park – Littleton, CO
  • Chatfield Hollow State Park – Killingworth, CT
  • Fenwick Island State Park – Fenwick Island, DE
  • Rainbow Springs State Park – Dunnellon, FL
  • Fort McAllister State Park – Richmond Hill, GA
  • Waianapanapa State Park – Hana, HI
  • Round Lake State Park – Sagle, ID
  • Starved Rock State Park – Oglesby, IL
  • Fort Harrison State Park – Indianapolis, IN
  • Maquoketa Caves State Park – Maquoketa, IA
  • Tuttle Creek State Park – Manhattan, KS
  • Cumberland Falls State Resort Park – Corbin, KY
  • Fontainebleau State Park – Mandeville, LA
  • Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park – Freeport, ME
  • Swallow Falls State Park – Oakland, MD
  • Halibut Point State Park – Rockport, MA
  • Tahquamenon Falls State Park – Paradise, MI
  • Nerstrand Big Woods State Park – Nerstrand, MN
  • Clark Creek State Park – Woodville, MS
  • Ha Ha Tonka State Park – Camdenton, MO
  • Bannack State Park – Dillon, MT
  • Fort Robinson State Park – Crawford, NE
  • Valley of Fire State Park – Overton, NV
  • Franconia Notch State Park – Lincoln, NH
  • Liberty State Park – Jersey City, NJ
  • Clayton Lake State Park – Clayton, NM
  • Storm King State Park – Cornwall, NY
  • Fort Fisher State Park – Kure Beach, NC
  • Fort Stevenson State Park – Garrison, ND
  • Hueston Woods State Park – College Corner, OH
  • Beavers Bend State Park – Broken Bow, OK
  • Ecola State Park – Cannon Beach, OR
  • Presque Isle State Park – Erie, PA
  • Fort Adams State Park – Newport, RI
  • Hunting Island State Park – Saint Helena Island, SC
  • Custer State Park – Custer, SD
  • Fall Creek Falls State Park – Pikeville, TN
  • Palo Duro Canyon State Park – Canyon, TX
  • Dead Horse Point State Park – Moab, UT
  • Niquette Bay State Park – Colchester, VT
  • Kiptopeke State Park – Cape Charles, VA
  • Lake Wenatchee State Park – Leavenworth, WA
  • Blackwater Falls State Park – Davis, WV
  • Whitefish Dunes State Park – Sturgeon Bay, WI
  • Emily Stevens Park – Jackson, WY

Backyard Fun

Want to just stay home this spring, but are ready to get outside and enjoy the weather? A fun activity is playing fetch with your dog! This ultimate spring activity will stimulate their mind and body, getting them ready for the next season of outdoor fun. If you want to get creative, create an agility course! There are equipment kits online that you can purchase for your pup. 

Finding the ultimate dog friendly activity for spring can be easy! You can try out one of the suggestions above or find your own way to entertain you and your dog with the changing season.

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About the Author

Brandi is a marketing coordinator at Midwestern Pet Foods in Evansville, Indiana. When she's not designing marketing materials or communicating with our sales team, she can be found hanging out at home sharing snacks off her plate with her puppy, Millie.