Responsible Hiking With Your Dog

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Dogs can be great buddies to join you on outdoor adventures, since they're always ready and eager to explore new places. Enjoying outdoor walks with your pet offers health benefits for both of you and can help deepen the bond between animal and owner.

If you’re a lover of Hillsborough County’s conservation parks and nature preserves, grab some water for you and your best friend, get ready to hit the trails, and always remember to be a B.A.R.K. Ranger when bringing your dog out to hike!

Bag your pet’s waste. Dog waste has potential to spread disease to other pets, humans, and wildlife, so we don’t want it hanging out in our parks and preserves. Bring waste bags and deposit in an appropriate waste receptacle.

Always leash your pet. This should be a given as it’s actually the law in Hillsborough County, but just in case - remember to always keep your pet on a 6ft or shorter leash and stay on marked trails to avoid confrontation and potentially dangerous situations with wildlife.

Respect everything around you. All plants and animals are protected in Hillsborough County conservation parks and nature preserves, so keep them safe!  Yield to other hikers and don't assume that other dogs that you meet on the trail are friendly. Be aware of your surroundings and don't allow your pet to forage or burrow in brushy areas where poisonous insects, snakes, or frogs may be lurking. Remember that hikers and dogs always yield to equestrian riders, so give them space.

Know where you can go. Check to make sure your four-footed friend is welcome where you’re heading; some places may be off-limits for pups for either their safety, or the safety of the wildlife and habitat. To make sure you’re hiking where your pet can come too, check the county webpage and find the specific park or preserve you’re heading to.

 

a golden retriever walking on leash with owner behind, on a dirt trail at one of the hillsborough county's parks.


For more information about hiking with your dog, check out this article on dog ordinances, and this article on keeping your dog safe in Florida heat.  Learn how to be a good neighbor to nature by visiting this webpage for good neighbor tips.

We can’t wait to see you and your four-legged friend at our parks, it’ll be a howlin’ good time!

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