Pets

 
 
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Are you visiting the park with your pet? Learn from Bark Ranger Frosty where you can take your pet for a safe and fun visit.

 

Where can I take my pet in Death Valley?

Leashed pets are permitted in developed areas, such as paved roads, unpaved roads, parking lots, campgrounds, and outside of federal buildings. The following are appropriate options nearby popular attractions:

If you’re visiting...

you can walk your pet at...

Badwater Basin

Devil’s Golf Course Road

Artists Drive

West Side Road

Zabriskie Point

20 Mule Team Canyon

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

Cottonwood-Marble Access Road

Dantes View

Greenwater Valley Road

Harmony Borax Works

Mustard Canyon

Ubehebe Crater

Racetrack Road

Charcoal Kilns

Upper Wildrose Road

Father Crowley Vista Point

Father Crowley Point road to Padre Point

 
 

Why are some areas closed to pets?

Pet Safety

Pets face several dangers when they leave developed areas, including adverse wildlife interactions, unstable historic structures, and hazardous plants. Limiting the areas in which pets can explore also helps limit their exposure to high temperatures and potential for dehydration.

Visitor Safety

Not all visitors are comfortable being around pets, especially dogs. The presence of pets in national parks can promote conflict among visitor use activities and detract from other visitors’ enjoyment of the resource.

Wildlife Safety

Domesticated animals are known to alter the movements and reactions of wildlife in the park. Native animals can be disturbed and even displaced by the scent of dogs and their excrement. Pet excrement (i.e. urine and feces) can also transmit diseases to wildlife, some of which can be fatal.

For a Safe Visit, Follow the B.A.R.K. Ranger Code

If you are planning to bring your pet to Death Valley, make sure you are prepared and are following the B.A.R.K. Ranger code. The code helps protect you, your pet, and the park while you are visiting. If the activities you have planned for your visit do not allow for pets or are unsafe, consider leaving them at home.

 
 

Other public lands

Death Valley National Park is surrounded by public lands that have less restrictive rules regarding pets. Contact the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Ridgecrest, CA or Battle Mountain, NV and the U.S.Forest Service / Inyo National Forest in Lone Pine or Bishop, CA for current regulations.

Last updated: January 19, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 579
Death Valley, CA 92328

Phone:

760 786-3200

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