Bringing Your Dog to a Cabin near Shenandoah: Fees, Trails and What to Pack

Most weeks someone asks us whether they can bring the dog. You can. Here is how it works at our three cabins, and what to know before you head into the park with a leash in hand.

The rules

• How many: up to two pets at each cabin.
• What it costs: one pet fee per stay, the same for one pet or two. It's $25 at The Turtle and $50 at The Sparrow and The Stag. When we posted this, a quote for a December stay at each cabin showed exactly those amounts as a line item, so nothing is added at the last step.
• Tell us at booking. Pets are declared at checkout, which is how the fee is added.
• Service animals aren't pets. They're welcome and never charged the fee.

The agreement asks for what you'd expect: keep your pets supervised, pick up after them and keep the noise down. Our pet-friendly cabins page has the full terms.

At the cabin

All three sit on the same wooded hillside, with no neighbor sharing a wall, so there's room to walk a dog before bed without leaving the property. The Stag has raised pet bowls waiting in the cabin.

The road up is gravel, and we strongly recommend all-wheel or four-wheel drive. Quiet hours run from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM, so a dog that barks at every sound outside is worth planning for.

Shenandoah National Park with a dog

Shenandoah is one of the few national parks that lets pets on trails. The National Park Service asks that they stay on a leash no longer than six feet, and that you bag their waste and carry it out until you find a trash can. Pets aren't allowed on ranger programs.

The part people miss is that a few popular trails don't allow dogs at all. As of the Park Service's page, last updated June 2025, those include:

• Stony Man (mile 41.7)
• Dark Hollow Falls (mile 50.7)
• Bearfence Mountain (mile 56.4)
• Limberlost (mile 43)
• and a handful of others on the park's pet page

The list covers fewer than 20 of the park's 500-plus miles of trail, so there's plenty left. Check the park's pet page (opens in a new tab) before you pick a hike, because it can change.

Not every outing needs the park. The Shenandoah River is ten minutes down the hill, and the Hawksbill Greenway runs along the creek in town. Whether a dog can join a canoe or tube trip is up to the outfitter, so ask when you book. Our Explore page lists the rest.

What to bring

• A leash of six feet or less, plus waste bags.
• Your dog's bed and a towel for muddy paws. Wet trails and a gravel road make for a dirty dog.
• Food and water bowls. The Stag has raised ones, but bring your own if you'd rather.
• Firewood if you want a fire. We don't supply it, but the Walmart in Luray sells it.

Check-in is from 3:00 PM and check-out is by 10:00 AM. Stays that start on a Friday or Saturday need two nights.

If you're driving out of DC, the weekend getaways guide covers the route and the timing.