Tag: pet-friendly

Bring Fido: Pet-Friendly Activities and Lodging in the Smoky Mountains

Posted on April 19, 2019 by - Activities, Blog, Lodging, Smoky Mountains

If you plan to bring your furry family friend with you on vacation to the Peaceful Side of the Smokies, wouldn’t it be nice to know where you can stay and what local activities are dog-friendly? What might surprise you is the number of pet-friendly activities in the area. The other thing that might surprise you, even more, is the dozens of hotels throughout Blount County that welcome your pet as another member of your family.

Pet-Friendly Activities in the Smoky Mountains

Doggywood – You can’t take your family dog into Dollywood with you, and let’s face why would you? But located just outside the gates to the park is Doggywood, a doggy daycare where your dog can spend the day in comfort and playing with the other dogs while you go play in the park. Doggywood opens half an hour before the gates open and stays open for half an hour after they close.
The Smoky River Rat – if your furry friend likes the great outdoors – why not take a trip out here and enjoy a lazy float down the river together on a tube or two. What a great way to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine together.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park – you can take your dog for hikes on the 1.5-mile long Gatlinburg Trail or the Oconaluftee River Trail. These are the only two trails in the park where dogs are allowed. However, your dog must be on a leash, and you must pick up any messes he leaves behind.
Cades Cove – Okay so your pup can’t get out of the car inside the park, but he is sure to enjoy the ride with his head stuck out of the window sampling the many amazing new odors here. The loop road measures 11 miles long and passes historic cabins and churches, along with numerous other buildings.

What About Pet-Friendly Places to Stay?

One of the more important details you should be concerned with if you plan to bring the family dog with you is finding a place to stay that allows dogs. More importantly, if you have a large breed dog, one that does not have a size restriction.  Here are three of the top places to stay in the area.
The Luxbury Inn & Suites – This hotel in Maryville allows all sizes of dog, but there is a $25 fee for small dogs and a $50 fee for large dogs. They do not allow cats.
Dancing Bear Lodge – this lodge in Townsend offers “Pet-Friendly” rooms for an additional $50 per night. According to the reviews at BringFido, Dancing Bear Lodge scores a perfect 5 out of five “Bones.”         
Townsend/Great Smokies KOA – one of the best ways to experience the peace and beauty of the Peaceful Side of the Smokies is to go camping. The KOA is like most, pet-friendly and has a dog park where your pooch can run around off-leash. There are some breed restrictions so be sure to call ahead to make sure your pup will be allowed to go camping with you.                                                                                     

Bringing Your Dog to Tennessee? Introduce Him to New Friends at PetSafe Dog Park in Maryville

Posted on July 2, 2018 by - Activities, Blog, Maryville

Love traveling with your dog? You’re not alone! Many dog owners decide to bring their pups along for their trip to the peaceful side of the Smokies. There are many RV parks, cabin rentals, and hotels in the Maryville, TN, area that welcome dogs. But once you arrive, what should you do with your pet? That’s easy – head to the PetSafe Dog Park at Pistol Creek!
What You Need to Know About the PetSafe Dog Park
This is Maryville, TN’s first dog park, and it offers plenty of room for your dog to run and play safely. The park is open from sunup to sundown, and features two separated, fenced-in areas. One is for larger breeds, while the other is for smaller breeds who may not want to be tumbled around by playful big dogs. Both areas have a double-gated entrance, so that you can step in through one gate, close it behind you, remove your dog’s leash, and then open the gate to the park and let them take off.
The dog park has a pavilion where you can enjoy some shade, and also benches, waste stations, and dog-only water fountains. There is some parking at the dog park, but you can also easily park nearby and walk to the park, which is right by the McCammon Avenue and McGhee Street entrance to the Bicentennial Greenbelt Park.
Keeping Your Dog Safe at the Dog Park
At the dog park, your dog will be in a safe environment. Only dogs with up-to-date vaccinations are allowed in the park, and owners are required to be in sight of their dogs at all time. There are also rules in place regarding aggression – at the very first sign of aggression, owners are required to leash their dogs. The park’s rules make sure that everyone stays safe, so that your dog can have tons of fun. You can learn more about the dog park rules here.
Fun Things to Do with Your Dog at PetSafe Dog Park
There are many ways that a dog park can give your dog some extra exercise while you are on vacation. Playing a good game of chase with other friendly dogs is always a pleaser, but consider bringing a ball, Frisbee, or their favorite toy for a game of fetch, as well. The large dog area is a full acre, and the small dog area is a half an acre, so the dogs do have room to chase after a nice long throw. Bring your dog to burn off their energy and have some fun, and they’ll be sure to be relaxed later when you want to get out and explore Maryville!

Great Hikes for You & Your Dog in Blount County, TN

Posted on May 25, 2018 by - Activities, Blog

The Smokies region is beautiful, but there’s something extra special about seeing it with your best friend by your side. Just you and them, enjoying the sights and sounds of Eastern Tennessee, first through your own eyes, and then through their perspective.
The crisp, clean air, the sounds of rustling leaves, chirping birds, the smell of the pine trees, the fresh scent of the grass, the strong odor of animals who have been there before you, the gray of the plants, the darker gray of the trees… Oh, didn’t we mention? Your best friend just happens to be a dog!
Unfortunately for them – and despite the fact that they are some of the most enthusiastic hikers – pets aren’t allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (except for two small trails outside of Blount County) for reasons having to do with wildlife preservation. Thankfully, there are other options; you don’t have to leave your best friend behind to get some outdoor recreation. Check out these trails and get ready for your next great walk together!

The Maryville-Alcoa Greenway

The Maryville-Alcoa Greenway is a 9-mile trail that goes through both towns, offering a pleasant walk and access to 4 different parks in Maryville and 2 in Alcoa. It also offers links to the business and shopping districts in the towns, as well as picnic pavilions, natural areas, and fitness stations. The experience is pleasant and relaxed, with meandering streams here and there, and trails that are well-maintained and clearly-marked for different distances and directions, with water fountains and pet waste cleanup stations scattered throughout.
While you’re on the Maryville-Alcoa Greenway, don’t forget to visit the Petsafe Dog Park, which is Maryville’s first public dog park. The hours are from dawn to dusk every day, with a half acre for small dogs and a full acre for larger canines. There’s also a pavilion, benches, a dogs-only water fountain, and an unleashing area.

The Look Rock Tower Trail

The Look Rock Tower Trail is a short hike (perfect for smaller dogs!) of just under a mile. The trail includes an observation tower that allows human and canine hikers to take in some lovely views of the western side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as well the Maryville and Alcoa areas. Dogs are allowed, of course, but they have to be kept on leash, and it’s popular with families and kids. This paved trail is a great alternative to the non-dog-friendly Clingmans Dome trail in the National Park.

The Tremont Logging History Auto Tour

The Tremont Logging History Auto Tour is a unique trail that runs along three miles of gravel road, just south of Townsend, Tennessee. It’s actually a historical site – there was once a logging town there, around the 1900s.
Dogs on leash are allowed, but so is horseback riding, and look out for drivers – when they say auto tour, they mean that you can take your car on the trail (and what dog doesn’t love a good car ride?). If you’d prefer, you can actually drive the trail, park, and get out and enjoy the streams with your dog. If you do decide to walk the trail, it’s 6.1 miles altogether.
Wherever you and your best friend go together, make sure you’re ready for beautiful scenery, clean air, and all the natural beauty of the Smokies region that Blount County has to offer!

We Have Smoky Mountain Activities Even a Dog Will Love

Posted on September 12, 2018 by - Activities, Blog

Keeping busy in the Smokies region isn’t difficult – there are tons of things to do, all year ‘round – but finding activities the whole family, including canine members, can enjoy is a little more challenging. Here are 5 of our favorites.
Maryville-Alcoa Greenway and the PetSafe Pistol Creek Dog Park
There’s nothing like a day out in the park with your dog, is there? Especially when the parks are this nice. The Maryville-Alcoa Greenway is a 9-mile-long paved trail that connects the two cities, passing through a number of scenic areas and public parks, including the Bicentennial Park area, which also includes the PetSafe Pistol Creek Dog Park. Imagine hopping on your bike, riding down the trails with your dog running alongside, only to lounge in the dog park while your best friend burns off the rest of their four-legged energy. Pretty perfect, right?
Smoky Mountain River Rat Tubing
Whether you’re squeezing in a trip downriver before summer disappears or planning one for the next time warmer months roll around, you won’t want to miss an opportunity to go tubing with your dog. They tube for free, so strap on their doggy life jacket, rent a $2 tether, hook up your own tube, and prepare for one of the most entertaining trips down the Little River you can imagine. It’s not every day that you get to go sailing with such a cute first mate, is it?
Fishing the Local Waterways
Bank fisherman have long known the virtues of recreation alongside a (relatively) silent best friend, but did they know that dogs can also be quite seaworthy? Whether you’ve rented, borrowed, or bought a boat and taken it out on Chilhowee Lake or any of Tennessee’s famous tailwaters, the right dog can keep you great company when your free time takes you offshore.
Brewster’s Bark & Bed
You may know that there are great spas in the Smokies region that cater to humans, but did you know that there’s one that’s fully gone to the dogs? Brewster’s Bark & Bed offers everything: coconut and aloe deep-conditioning wraps, skin-soothing mud treatments, “pawdicures” with paw massages, and, should the worst happen, a “smell-u-later” de-skunking treatment.
They also are planning to offer training classes in their private indoor training area, which is a great way to further bond with your pet and give everyone some refreshers when it comes to the basics.
Parkway Drive-In Theater
Interested in catching a movie? Unlike most movie theaters, the Parkway Drive-In in Maryville doesn’t have to follow the rules about not allowing dogs indoors, because, well, they’re not! Well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome to join their human movie fans and catch a flick out under the stars, even if those canine family members might be more interested in the smells coming from the concession stand, where hamburgers and patty melts (as well as popcorn and the basics) are on offer.