Policies & Dog Rules

Researched: September 2026 Scope: AZ, CO, CA, NV, NM — for the 2014 Ford E350 shuttle bus conversion (22–24 ft, Class 3, RWD 2WD), traveling with dogs. Prices: verified against 2026 sources where possible. Items marked [VERIFY] could not be confirmed against a primary source during this pass — confirm before relying.

How to Use This File

Dog policy cheat sheet (below) is the fastest read: one table, all five agencies/state systems.
Dog Policy Deep-Dive has the legal specifics with citations — read §NPS and §State Parks before booking anything; these are where the gotchas live.
Pricing Norms gives nightly + monthly + seasonal numbers. Price drift is real — treat everything as a floor, not a ceiling.
Amenities Matrix covers dump stations, potable water, propane, mail, and utility metering — the operational logistics nobody plans for.
Trails & Recreation lists only confirmed leashed-dog trails. Every trail in this file was checked against a named source.
Booking Platforms & Tools documents reservation fees, windows, and cancellation penalties per system so the $8 here + $6 there stops being a surprise.
Sources are cited per section as link footnotes; full list at the bottom.

Quick Reference: Dog Policy Cheat Sheet

Place type	Are dogs allowed?	Leash rule	Trail access	Examples / exceptions
NPS national parks	Yes, restricted	≤ 6 ft	Paved roads, parking, campgrounds, picnic areas ONLY — no soil/trails generally	Yosemite: 1 trail (Wawona Meadow Loop); RMNP: 0 trails; Grand Canyon: rim areas only, never below rim
BLM (most land)	Yes	On most trails; developed sites leashed ≤ 6 ft	Most trails open; check local field office for closures	Developed rec sites = leash required; LTVAs winter season = permit
USFS national forests	Yes	≤ 6 ft in developed sites (36 CFR 261.16(j))	Most trails open leashed; backcountry = voice control	36 CFR 261.16(j): crated OR leashed in developed rec sites; hunting exception
AZ state parks	Yes (most)	≤ 6 ft (R12-8-115)	Yes, most trails	NO dogs: Red Rock SP, Tonto Natural Bridge trails; no buildings/museums/beaches; 2 pets/cabin max
CO state parks	Yes	≤ 6 ft (2025 Reg 16)	Yes, most trails	Off-leash ONLY at designated Chatfield + Cherry Creek areas; no swim beaches
NM state parks	Yes	≤ 10 ft (longest of the five)	Yes, most trails	No unattended pets; no excessive barking; 10 pm–7 am quiet hours
NV state parks	Yes	≤ 6 ft (NAC 407.140)	Yes, most trails	Sand Harbor: NO pets Apr 15–Oct 15; no beaches/buildings w/o supervisor OK
CA state parks	Yes, strictest of the five	≤ 6 ft, always	Designated trails ONLY — most beaches/trails off-limits	Unattended pets forbidden; overnight dogs stay in tent/vehicle; park-by-park exceptions
Private RV parks / KOA	Yes, usually	Varies by park	N/A	Pet fee, breed/size limits, dog parks — per park; KOA tiers all pet-friendly
Harvest Hosts / Boondockers Welcome	~75–95% of hosts	On leash, never free-run	On property only — open farmland/livestock	Filter map for pet-friendly hosts; farms have working animals

Camping Type Taxonomy

1. Dispersed camping (BLM / USFS, FREE)

Allowed on most BLM and USFS lands unless posted closed. No facilities; self-contained rig required.
14-day limit within any 28-day period; move ~25–30 mi between spots. Mittry Lake (Yuma area) aligned to 14/28-day cycle as of Nov 1, 2025.
BLM requires paying any posted amenity fee within 30 min of occupying a site.
BLM dispersed camping
BLM La Posa LTVA

2. LTVA winter overlanding (AZ/CA desert, $180/season)

Long-Term Visitor Areas: Imperial Dam, La Posa, Hot Spring, Tamarisk, Pilot Knob, Mule Mountain, Midland. Season Sep 15–Apr 15.
Long-term permit $180 (7 months); short-visit $40 (14 consecutive days, renewable). Includes amenities (restrooms, potable water, dump).
Fee-increase notice: a 2024 draft business plan proposed $600 season / $200 14-day, but as of Feb 2026 official listings still show $180/$40. Watch this — it WILL change eventually.
Off-season (Apr 16–Sep 14): $10/day, $15/overnight, $75 annual decal per vehicle.
La Posa LTVA, BLM
Yuma LTVA draft business plan (proposed fees)

3. NPS developed campgrounds ($20–$85/night)

Mather CG (Grand Canyon South Rim): $30/night family site ($15 w/ Senior/Access Pass), 30 ft max rig, NO hookups, generator hours 7–9 am / 6–8 pm, free dump + potable water at Camper Services, year-round, pets leashed OK in campground but rim-only trails. 14-day max stay.
Trailer Village (concessioner, same area): $80 classic (50A) / $85 paved (30+50A, water, sewer, cable). Max 50 ft. 13-month booking window. CLOSED Aug 31, 2026 due to Stage 4 water restrictions — verify reopening before planning. [VERIFY]
Mather CG, recreation.gov
Trailer Village, NPS

4. State park campgrounds ($10–$75/night)

AZ: $25–$50/night (Colorado River SHP: $25 non-electric, $50 hookup, $75 oversized); extra vehicle $15/night.
CO: FHU $41, electric $36, basic $28, primitive $18/night (2026 regs); seniors 64+ get reduced rates ($38/$33/$25/$15).
CA: site fees vary by park; + $8.25 reservation fee.
NV: Valley of Fire camping $20/night (NV plates) / $25 (out-of-state), +$10 utility hookup sites.
All CO state parks are reservation-only — no walk-up camping in the entire system (unique in the US).
AZ fee schedule
CO 2026 regs ch. 7 (campground fees)
Valley of Fire fees

5. Private RV parks (resort tier, $50–$230/night)

KOA tiers (live quotes, Oct 2026): Journey $55–$95, Holiday $49–$175, Resort $51–$232. KOA Rewards $39/yr → 10% off.
Monthly rates (see Pricing Norms §Snowbird & Summer monthly).

6. Harvest Hosts / Boondockers Welcome (membership, free stays)

Classic membership ~$99/yr ($84.15 first-year promo); +Boondockers Welcome ~$169/yr ($143.65 promo). 9,600+ HH hosts + 3,300+ BW host properties.
1-night standard (up to 4 extra nights for a fee at some hosts); hosts expect a purchase at wineries/farms/breweries.
Self-contained required: interior toilet + holding tanks/bladders; no gray-water dumping; no outdoor cooking. Schoolies / shuttle-bus conversions accepted — a van conversion WITHOUT interior toilet fails the requirement.
~40% of hosts within 5 mi of an interstate; 75%+ of BW hosts have hookups available.
Harvest Hosts pet policy
Harvest Hosts RV types
BW vs HH

7. Truck stops / casinos / rest areas ($0–$47)

Love’s: free RV overnight parking; RV hookups $32–47/night; RV Stops $50–60. Walmart/Cracker Barrel overnight where local ordinance allows (from camping.md).
AZ casinos (Quechan, Paradise, Cocopah, west of Yuma): winter RV parking ~$200/month per BLM’s own cost-comparison table.
Rest areas → full per-state rules in Pricing Norms §Rest areas & overnighting.

Dog Policy Deep-Dive

NPS

Baseline rule: dogs allowed in developed areas — campgrounds, picnic areas, parking, paved roads, some paved/paved-surface trails. Leash ≤ 6 ft, always. NEVER unattended if it creates danger or nuisance; never tied to trees/vehicles. Waste must be bagged and binned. Visitors centers: no pets.

BARK code (NPS-wide): Bag your pet’s waste, Always leash, Respect wildlife, Know where pets can go.

Yosemite (CA) — the strict end of the spectrum:

NO dogs on trails except the paved Wawona Meadow Loop.
NO dogs in walk-in, group, and some other campgrounds — but standard drive-in campgrounds OK (leashed).
Dogs may never be left unattended (even in vehicles).
Pet food attracts bears — store/feed pet food like human food.
Summer = heat + hot pavement warnings; dogs at risk on valley floor.
Yosemite pets page

Rocky Mountain (CO) — strictest park for trail access:

Pets prohibited on ALL trails, tundra, and meadows. Leashed dogs only along roads/parking/campgrounds/picnic areas. Endovalley Road = the official dog-walk road.
Left unattended in vehicles = prohibited; exceeding 6 ft leash = citation.
NPS publishes a full list of dog-friendly alternates OUTSIDE the park (USFS/state/local): Buchanan Pass (leash), Crosier Mountain (off-leash w/ voice control), Lily Mountain (off-leash), Lion Gulch (off-leash), Hermit Park (leash, fee), Indian Peaks Wilderness (leash, fee), Lake Estes Trail + dedicated dog park.
RMNP pets page

Grand Canyon (AZ):

Leashed in developed areas + campgrounds; pets restricted to rim trails only — never below the rim.
Mather CG: pets allowed on leash in campground.
GC dogs info (campground page) / pets pages per park.

BLM / USFS

BLM:

Dogs welcome on most BLM trails and lands. Leash not required on every trail, but dogs must stay under control — aggressive/loose dogs = citation risk.
Developed recreation sites (campgrounds, boat ramps, visitor centers) = leash required.
Check the local field office for closures (nesting seasons, wildlife protection) — this is how a “dog-friendly” area suddenly isn’t.
BLM pet public lands FAQ [VERIFY URL] — general guidance also in BLM recreation pages.

USFS — the legal foundation (36 CFR 261.16(j)):

In developed recreation sites (campgrounds, campsites, boat landings, trails, portages, fishing piers): dogs must be CRATED, CAGED, OR ON A LEASH ≤ 6 ft.
Off-leash OK in wilderness/backcountry unless a local Forest order says otherwise.
Hunting-exempt: dogs used for lawful hunting may run under certain conditions.
Real-world examples: Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit — leashed dogs welcome almost everywhere except designated swimming beaches (Nevada, Pope, Baldwin, Meeks Bay, William Kent, Zephyr Cove) and wildlife-restricted zones; dog-OK beaches: Zephyr Shoals, Hidden, Chimney, Raccoon St (Kings Beach), Echo Lakes.
USFS Tahoe dog page
Escalante/Cibola (NM) and Coconino (AZ): same 261.16(j) baseline — leashed dogs fine on forest trails, which is why Turquoise Trail and most Sedona trails are dog-friendly.

State Parks (per-state)

Arizona — AZ State Parks (leash ≤ 6 ft, R12-8-115):

Dogs welcome at most parks; wet trails, campgrounds, day-use areas OK.
Prohibited: Red Rock State Park (entire park); trails at Tonto Natural Bridge; inside buildings, museums, and on developed (swim) beaches.
Camping cabins: max 2 pets per cabin.
Lost Dutchman SP (Apache Junction): leashed dogs on all trails (Treasure Loop 2.4 mi, Native Plant 0.25 mi paved, Siphon Draw 4 mi). No dogs in buildings; never unattended.
AZ leash rule + exceptions [VERIFY exact URL] — details consistent across BringFido + park pages.

Colorado — CPW (leash ≤ 6 ft, 2025 Reg 16):

Dogs on leash ≤ 6 ft on all Parks and Outdoor Recreation Lands by default.
Off-leash ONLY in designated areas at Chatfield and Cherry Creek state parks.
No dogs on swimming/water-ski beaches; no hunting-dog exception in developed parks (dogs may be used in season per regs).
Roxborough SP, Fishers Peak, and Cheyenne Mountain have their own stricter/trail-specific restrictions — [VERIFY] before visiting these three.

New Mexico — NM State Parks (leash ≤ 10 ft — the odd state out):

Leash up to 10 ft; dogs must not be left unattended in vehicles or campsites; no excessive barking (noise nuisance rules).
Stay limits: 7 days within 20 per May 1–Sep 30; 14 days per 20 off-season. Quiet hours 10 pm–7 am.
Fees: primitive $10, resident developed $15–$20, hookup $20 resident / $30 non-resident.
Hyde Memorial has a 7-day hookup limit year-round.
NM State Parks regs [VERIFY URL] — fee/stay/leash details from NM regs + park pages.

Nevada — NV State Parks (leash ≤ 6 ft, NAC 407.140):

Leash ≤ 6 ft at all times in developed areas.
Sand Harbor (Lake Tahoe): NO pets Apr 15–Oct 15; outside that window leashed.
No pets on beaches or in buildings without supervisor approval.
Clean up all waste — NV enforces this (fines).
Valley of Fire: leashed ≤ 6 ft, no dogs in Visitor Center, no dispersed camping anywhere in park, trails closed May 15–Sep 30 for heat. Camping fee note: $25/night out-of-state, +$10 hookup.
NV dog rule (NAC) [VERIFY URL]
Valley of Fire

California — CA State Parks (leash ≤ 6 ft, always — the strictest system):

Dogs must be on a leash ≤ 6 ft at ALL times; never left unattended; overnight campers keep dogs in their tent or vehicle.
NO dogs on most trails, undeveloped areas, or beaches UNLESS the unit has a specific exception.
Park-specific exceptions (confirmed):
- Armstrong Redwoods: main paved road, picnic areas, and Bullfrog Pond Campground only.
- Bean Hollow: beach, leashed.
- Bolsa Chica: bike path only.
- Brannan Island: paved roads + campsite area only.
- Cardiff: Cardiff Reef / Seaside area south of Tower 16.
- Caswell: NOT on trails.
280 state parks total; ~189 permit leashed dogs on some designated trails — read each park’s regs.
CA State Parks dogs page [VERIFY URL] — exceptions above from park-by-park pages.

Private RV Parks

No uniform federal leash rule; per-park: pet fee ($3–$10/night common tip range but unverified), breed restrictions, size limits, dog-park availability, waste stations.
KOA systems: Journey/Holiday/Resort tiers all accept pets; some Resort-tier locations have dog parks and wash stations — select in the filter.
Monthly-stay parks (Canyon View Grand Junction, Riverdance) cap at 2 dogs and require proof of vaccination — call ahead; the 2-dog cap is the common gotcha for multi-dog households.
Policy split: pet fees often waived on monthly stays but charged nightly at transient rates — ask at booking, not arrival.

Boondocking / Harvest Hosts

75–95% of hosts are pet-friendly (marketing says “large majority”, blog says “over 90%” — honestly ~90%).
Pets on leash at your vehicle; NEVER free-run. Farms have working animals (dogs/livestock) that see yours as a threat.
Boondockers Welcome: stay on private residential property — keep pets out of gardens/yards, clean up immediately, follow host profile rules (some hosts: no pets at all).
Filter search by pet-friendly hosts; the app flags pet restrictions automatically when your stay request includes pets.
Quartzsite-specific warning (from a full-time RVer, fall 2025): coyotes run in packs near the LTVA/dispersed areas; missing-dog posts happen every season. NEVER let a small dog out unsupervised at night in the desert — leash + accompany.
Harvest Hosts pet policy
HH dog guide

Dog Safety by Region

Desert (AZ, NV, NM, SoCal):

Pavement/heat: at ~85°F ambient, pavement risks burns; JAMA data: 86°F air = 135°F asphalt. 10-second hand test: if your palm can’t hold the surface 10 sec, too hot for paws.
Coyotes (see Quartzsite warning above). Also rattlesnakes — most active dawn/dusk Mar–Oct; rattlesnake-avoidance training recommended for trail dogs.
Cactus/quills/cholla: barbed spines lodge in paws/faces; carry pliers; foxtails in CA grass seed season (May–Jul) — check ears/feet after every hike.
Giardia: stream/pond water in the SW is NOT safe for dogs; carry fresh water or filter.
Scorpions (bark scorpions common in AZ): shake out camp shoes; dogs get stung on paws/snout.

Mountains (CO, northern NM, Sierra):

Altitude: effects begin above ~8,000 ft even for fit dogs: tires easily, pants excessively, loses appetite, vomits. Mitigate: reduce exercise, extra water, high-moisture food, and descend if symptoms show. Trail Ridge Road tops at 12,183 ft — the drive is fine in a rig, hiking at that altitude with a dog needs acclimation.
Paw care: cold-weather booties for ice/snow above treeline (Tahoe/CO alpine trails).
Bear/mountain lion country: keep dogs leashed (a loose dog can get a bear tag-along); make noise; never let a dog bark at a bear.
Marmots/ground squirrels: avoid letting dogs dig/hunt rodents — plague vectors in the West.
Giardia is a real risk in alpine streams (beavers) — filter or carry.

General (all states):

6-ft leash is the federal + most-state standard; NM’s 10 ft is the exception that helps nobody but is legal there.
Dogs must NEVER be left unattended in a hot vehicle even cracked-windowed — most states’ criminal law includes this; parks issue citations.
NPS beyond developed areas + leashes: “know where your pet can go” is the single best planning shortcut — check each park’s pets page before arrival.

Pricing Norms

Federal (recreation.gov / NPS):

Reservation fee: $8 online / $9 call-center / $3 in-person. Change fee: $10. Cancel (day-before): $10 service fee + forfeit first night. Cutoff windows typically 0–4 days pre-arrival. 6-month booking window, sites go live 8 am MT.
America the Beautiful pass (2026): $80/year US residents; $250 non-residents (new tier Jan 1, 2026). Digital pass via recreation.gov. Covers entrance + standard amenity/day-use fees at ~2,000 federal sites. Does NOT discount campground reservations. Seniors 62+: $20 annual or $80 lifetime.
New 2026: 11 of the most-visited parks charge non-residents w/o a pass a $100/person entrance surcharge — never affects a pass holder.
Mather CG $30/night ($15 w/ Senior/Access Pass); Trailer Village $80–$85 full hookup.
NPS passes

State systems:

CA: ReserveCalifornia reservation/modification/cancellation fee $8.25 each (all non-refundable); 6-month rolling window, opens 8 am PST; book until 2 days pre-arrival (some same-day).
CO: CPW reservations $10 non-refundable + $6 transaction fee [MEDIUM — third-party source]; all parks reservation-only; 6-month window, go live midnight MT; cancel 14+ days = refund minus both fees, within 13 days = forfeit first night + fees. Camping: FHU $41 / electric $36 / basic $28 / primitive $18. Daily entry $10–11 (proposal to charge non-residents $15–17 under discussion [VERIFY]).
AZ: $3.60 reservation fee per campsite (Tyler Technologies); call center 1-877-MY-PARKS; camping $25–50/night; $15/night extra vehicle.
NV: Valley of Fire $10/day NV / $15 out-of-state; camping $20 NV / $25 out-of-state + $10 hookup; annual NV parks day-use pass $75.
NM: no booking fee shock — primitive $10, developed $15–$20 resident, hookup $20 resident/$30 non.
ReserveCalifornia fees
AZ fee schedule
AZ reservation policies

KOA (live quotes, Oct 2026):

Journey $55–95; Holiday $49–175; Resort $51–232. KOA Rewards $39/yr → 10% off. Tier meaning: Journey = one-night interstate stop; Holiday = basecamp; Resort = week-long stay.

Snowbird / winter (AZ, Oct–Apr):

La Posa LTVA: $180 for the whole Sep 15–Apr 15 season (water, dump, trash; no hookups) — still the best desert value on earth, if it survives the fee reform.
Full-hookup monthly: $325–$750 + metered electric (Arizona Sun $325/mo, 88 Shades $425/mo, resorts higher).
Arizona Sun also runs 6-month winter deals: $1,750. Holiday Palms (Quartzsite) = heated-pool resort tier. Quail Run caps rigs at 70 ft — fine for a 24-ft bus.
Five free BLM areas around Quartzsite (Plomosa Road, Hi Jolly, Scadden Wash, Dome Rock Mountain, Road Runner) — 14-day limit, free, no amenities.
LTVA pricing

Summer monthly (CO, Jun–Oct):

Canyon View RV Resort (Grand Junction): $1,140–$1,650/mo (Apr 1–Oct 31), $830–$1,350 winter; FHU included, metered electric, fiber-optic internet option $40/mo, min 3 months, 2-dog cap.
Riverdance (Vail Valley): $2,000/mo Jun–Sep; $1,500/mo Oct–May; FHU, heated bathrooms, pet-friendly, min 3 months.
Palisade Basecamp: ~$1,600/mo peak incl. electric [VERIFY]; The Grove (Montrose): ~$675–$775/mo [VERIFY].
Canyon View [VERIFY URL]

Rest areas & free overnight (per state, verified Aug–Sep 2026): | State | Rest-area rule | Source | |—|—|—| | AZ | No statewide prohibition; overnight tolerated at most | LegalClarity rest-area roundup | | CA | 8 hrs per 24-hr period | 21 CCR 2205 | | CO | Signs say no overnight/camping; ~8-hr fatigue stops tolerated, no statute | Boondocker’s Bible CO | | NV | 18 hrs per 2-week period | NAC 408.595 | | NM | 24 hrs per 3-day period; $100 fine, sign-posted | NMSA 1978 § 67-8-22 |

Dump stations:

Standalone/dump-only: $10–$25 typical (budget $15). Truck stops (Flying J/Pilot) $10–15; Love’s sometimes free with fuel.
FREE: many western interstate rest areas (AZ + NV notably generous); BLM/USFS managed campgrounds ($0–$10); many city/county wastewater plants ($0–$5); some casinos/fairgrounds; Camping World for Good Sam members (else ~$10).
Apps to find them: Campendium, iOverlander, Trucker Path, Sanidumps, rvdumpsites.net (filters by free + potable flag).
RV dump cost guide 2026

Amenities Matrix

Amenity	Where	Typical cost	Notes
Dump station	Rest areas, truck stops, state/fed campgrounds, wastewater plants	Free–$25	See Pricing §Dump stations; bring own hose & gloves
Potable water fill	Rest stops, visitor centers, truck stops, RV parks	Often free; $2–5	Verify “Potable” label — rinse water is NOT potable; winter = spigots shut off
Propane	Love’s/Pilot/Flying J, Camping World, hardware stores (AZ/NV/CO common)	Exchange ~$20–25 [VERIFY price]	Ask at truck stops; some RV parks resell
Electric metering	Monthly parks (AZ/CO): metered kWh	~$0.20/kWh (Arizona Sun example)	Budget $100–150/mo summer AC in desert
Mail / packages	USPS General Delivery at any post office	Free with ID	30-day hold default; bigger route towns (Quartzsite, Yuma, Grand Junction, Flagstaff) busy in season [VERIFY hold rules]
Laundry/showers	KOA Resorts, Trailer Village/Camper Services, Harvest Hosts rarely	Coin-op ~$1.50–4	Camper Services (Grand Canyon): showers + laundry year-round
Dog waste stations	Resort-tier KOAs, many state parks	Free	Bring bags everywhere else — most BLM/NPS sites require pack-out
Cell/internet	RV parks increasingly fiber (Canyon View $40/mo option); BLM = dead zones	Variable	Grand Canyon Mather has adequate voice on major carriers

LTVA amenity reality check: restrooms, potable water, dump — but toilets are “not always clean” and trash bins overflow in Jan. Self-sufficiency is the actual plan.

Trails & Recreation (per state)

Arizona:

Lost Dutchman SP (Apache Junction, 40 mi E of Phoenix): Treasure Loop 2.4 mi (easy/moderate, 500 ft gain); Native Plant 0.25 mi paved/accessible; Siphon Draw 4 mi (strenuous, 1,000+ ft to basin). Leashed dogs OK on all. Entry $7/vehicle.
Sedona (Coconino NF + Red Rock Country): most trails leashed-dog friendly; Red Rock Pass $5/day or $15/week (America the Beautiful pass accepted at NF trailheads). Bell Rock Trail 3.6 mi easy — iconic Courthouse Butte views. Little Horse Trail 3.4 mi. Oak Creek Canyon SR 89A drive (Sedona→Flagstaff, ~30 mi) — paved, no high clearance needed, 22–24 ft bus fine but the switchbacks near the rim are tight; stops Midgley Bridge, Slide Rock, West Fork, Oak Creek Vista. Fall = peak color.
Slide Rock SP: NO dogs at the water slide or creek access; dog-friendly short trail only.
Grand Canyon: rim trails + Mather CG leashed; never below rim.
Lost Dutchman map
Sedona dog trails
Oak Creek scenic drive [VERIFY URL]

Colorado:

RMNP alternative dog trails (NPS-vetted, outside the park): Buchanan Pass (9.1 mi, leash); Crosier Mountain (3.9 mi, off-leash voice control); Lily Mountain (1.9 mi, off-leash); Lion Gulch/Homestead Meadows (3.4 mi, off-leash); Hermit Park (2.5 mi, leash, fee); Indian Peaks Wilderness (Lake Isabelle 2 mi, leash, fee); Lake Estes Trail 3.75 mi loop + dedicated dog park in Estes Park.
Trail Ridge Road: 48-mi drive, crests 12,183 ft (highest paved road in US), Estes Park↔Grand Lake, open roughly Memorial Day–mid-Nov (this year opened May 29; closed mid-Oct to spring). Timed-entry reservation required 9 am–2 pm in 2026. Dogs: NONE on tundra trails — road/parking/campground only. Old Fall River Rd (9.4 mi, one-way, unpaved) opens ~Jul 4.
RMNP dog alternatives
Trail Ridge status — recorded line.

California:

USFS = CA’s dog-hiking backbone. Leash ≤ 6 ft in developed sites; control elsewhere.
Tahoe Rim Trail: full leash access, 270 km loop, day-hike segments 5–17 km; 6,000–9,000 ft elevation — altitude + cold-weather gear Oct–May. Tahoe beach rule: no dogs at Nevada/Pope/Baldwin/Meeks Bay/William Kent/Zephyr Cove beaches; YES at Zephyr Shoals, Hidden, Chimney, Raccoon St, Echo Lakes.
Cougar Crest Trail (San Bernardino NF, Big Bear): 11 km round-trip, moderate, 7,700 ft — Adventure Pass required for trailhead parking [VERIFY pass price]. Winter = snow + ice, dog boots useful.
Loch Leven Lakes Trail (Tahoe NF): 9.8 km out-and-back, moderate, alpine lakes; Jun–Nov.
Desolation Wilderness trails (Lake Aloha etc.): free permit at trailhead; dogs welcome, pack out all waste.
State parks: 189 of 280 permit leashed dogs on designated trails — per-park check mandatory (see Dog §CA). Classic dog-friendly picks: Tennessee Valley (Marin), Fern Canyon (Prairie Creek Redwoods).
Tahoe dog page

Nevada:

Valley of Fire SP (~1 hr from Vegas, I-15 exit 75): $15/vehicle out-of-state. Leashed dogs ALLOWED on open trails — seasonal closure trap: Fire Wave/Seven Wonders, White Domes, Pinnacles, Natural Arch, Prospect, Arrowhead, Charlie’s Spring CLOSED May 15–Sep 30 (heat; fatalities history). Open year-round: Mouse’s Tank 0.75 mi (petroglyphs, easy), Rainbow Vista 1 mi, Elephant Rock 0.2 mi. White Domes Rd = the scenic drive. West entrance closed Mon–Thu through end of 2026 (construction) — use east entrance.
Annual note: park closed Dec 1–14 for maintenance.
Valley of Fire hours/fees

New Mexico:

Enchanted Circle Byway: 84-mi paved loop from Taos (Hwy 522 → 38 → 64), through Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest, Angel Fire. RV/bus friendly (paved, maintained; side roads need clearance). Dogs: leashed on byway — bringfido-tagged pet-friendly route. Big views of Wheeler Peak (13,161 ft) and bighorn sheep at road edge.
Turquoise Trail (NM-14): ~50 mi ABQ↔Santa Fe; leashed dogs allowed (Cibola NF edge); stop Cerrillos Hills SP (5.2 mi trails), Madrid, Sandia Crest scenic byway (5 life zones). Wild Rivers Rec Area (Questa): Rio Grande Gorge trails — dogs leashed [VERIFY individual trail rule].
Eagle Nest Lake SP: fishing/lake walks, dogs leashed.
Enchanted Circle (AllTrails)
Turquoise Trail planner

Booking Platforms & Tools

Platform	Res fee	Change	Cancel	Window	Notes
recreation.gov (NPS/BLM/USFS)	$8 online / $9 phone / $3 in-person	$10	$10 + first night (day-before)	6 mo, 8 am MT	Also sells America the Beautiful digital passes
ReserveCalifornia	$8.25	$8.25	$8.25 + forfeit rules	6 mo, 8 am PST	Max 2 mods; book ≥2 days out; some same-day
CPWshop/Aspira (CO)	$10 + $6 txn	per regs	$10 + $6 + first night ≤13 days	6 mo, midnight MT	ALL parks reservation-only; call 1-800-244-5613
AZ State Parks (Tyler)	$3.60/site	—	per park	12 mo [VERIFY]	Call 1-877-MY-PARKS; fees $25–50
NV State Parks	none (day use); camping at gate	—	—	0 (walk-up + [VERIFY] online)	Cards + cash at self-serve kiosks; carry cash
Hipcamp	Guest fee: min $3, ~10–20%	per host	per host/cabin rules	rolling	Hosts pay 15% (12.5% w/ PMS); check pet filter + self-contained rule
Harvest Hosts	membership $84.15–$169/yr	—	—	instant	1 night standard; +4 extra nights fee; purchase expected
KOA	$0 booking; site fees	per park	per park	rolling	Rewards $39/yr = 10% off

Discovery tools: Campendium (free options + dump/water filters), iOverlander (community water/dump points), Dyrt (reviews) [VERIFY Dyrt free tier], AllTrails (dog-rule filters per trail), BringFido (pet-friendly POIs + hotels), Sanidumps + rvdumpsites.net (dump/water only), Trucker Path (truck-stop amenities).

Sources

Federal:

NPS Entrance Passes — 2026 pass tiers
DOI pass modernization + $100 surcharge (Nov 2025)
recreation.gov reservation fees (fees via help/FAQ)
Yosemite pets
RMNP pets
RMNP Trail Ridge scenic drive
RMNP road status
Mather CG (recreation.gov)
Trailer Village (NPS)
BLM La Posa LTVA
BLM Yuma LTVA draft business plan (proposed fees)
USFS Tahoe dog policy
36 CFR 261.16(j) (USFS developed-site pet rule) — §261.16(j)

State:

Private / community:

Cross-file note (Sep 24, 2026)

This file overlaps with camping.md on dog-policy, pricing norms, amenities, and trails. policies.md is the consolidated cheat sheet; camping.md is the destination stack with specific campgrounds/sites/rates. When one is updated, check the other. calendar.md is the dated 2026–2027 itinerary layer that stitches camping + events + routes together with drive legs and dog-home-base boarding windows — use it as the “what do I do on this date” file.