A Dog-Friendly National Park

 

Walking your dog responsibly is a fun, healthy, and popular way to enjoy Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). GGNRA provides trails, beaches, and open spaces that are available for dog walking! We are proud to be the only park in the National Park Service to designate particular areas for allowing responsible dog walking off-leash when under voice and sight control.

Please Watch Your Paws

GGNRA is home to more than 2,400 plant and animal species (37 of which are rare, threatened, or endangered) and countless cultural resources including American coastal fortifications and Native American artifacts. Please observe signs indicating where pets are permitted in the park to ensure that park resources will be around for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

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Where to Walk Your Dog
Dog Walking Locations by County
Service Animals
Commercial Dog Walking
Federal Regulations That Apply to All Dog Walkers

 

Where to Walk Your Dog

If you bring your pet to Golden Gate National Recreation Area, please protect your pet, other people, and park wildlife by abiding by these regulations:

• Dogs are permitted on signed trails and areas identified in the table below.

• Pets must be restrained on a leash (except where noted otherwise below).
• In those areas, in table, allowing "voice control", dogs must be either on leash or under "voice control" at all times.
• "Voice control" means dogs are within earshot and eye sight of their owner/handler and respond immediately to commands to return to a leash when called.

• Pets may not be left unattended.

• Dogs must be on leash in all parking lots and picnic areas.

• Dogs are not allowed in park buildings and facilities, including outdoor restrooms and public showers.

• Dogs are not allowed at Muir Woods or Alcatraz Island.

• Dogs are not allowed on shuttle buses, public fishing piers, and campgrounds.

• For the health of other visitors, human companions are responsible for cleaning up and depositing pet feces in trash receptacles.
• "Unmanaged dogs" are pressumed to be not under control and not allowed.
• "Unmanaged dogs" are dogs that annoy, harrass, or attack people, wildlife, live stock, or other dogs.

 

Dog-Walking Locations by County

Updated August 2018

GGNRA LANDS OPEN TO DOGS & THEIR OWNERS/HANDLERS
Marin County
Location	Regulation
Alta Trail (Formerly Alta Ave) Between Marin City (Donahue St. ) to Oakwood Valley Trail	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Muir Beach - Beach Area Proper	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Muir Beach - Kaashi Way & Coastal Trail	On-Leash Only
Muir Beach - Redwood Creek Lagoon & Riparian Area	Closed to Access
Oakwood Valley - Oakwood Valley Trail to Alta Trail	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Oakwood Valley - Oakwood Meadow Trail	On-Leash Only
Homestead Valley	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Rodeo Beach and South Rodeo Beach (Excluding lagoon)	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Golden Gate Bridge to Marin Headlands Visitor Center (Coastal Trail to SCA Trail; SCA Trail to Slacker Trail; Slacker Trail to Julian Trail; Julian Trail to Coastal Trail) (Upper Fisherman’s Trail also available)	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Old Bunker Road Loop (Rodeo Beach Parking Lot along Coastal Trail to Old Bunker Road; Old Bunker Road to Fort Cronkhite Trail; Fort Cronkhite Trail to Lagoon Trail; Lagoon Trail back to Rodeo Beach parking lot)	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Fort Cronkhite - Picnic & Parking Lot	On-Leash Only
Orchard Trail (Formerly Orchard Fire Road) and Pacheco Trail (Formerly Pacheco Fire Road) connectors to Alta Trail	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Wolf Ridge Loop (Coastal Trail to Wolf Ridge Trail; Wolf Ridge Trail to Miwok Trail; Miwok Trail to Lagoon Trail)	On-Leash OR Voice Control
County View Road connector trail to Miwok Trail	On-Leash Only
Fort Baker	On-Leash Only
Fort Baker - Chapel Steps Trail, Pier, & Battery Yates	Closed to Acces
Coastal Trail (Between Hill 88 and Muir Beach)	On-Leash Only
Miwok Trail (Between Tennessee Valley parking lot and Highway 1)	On-Leash Only
Rhubarb Trail	On-Leash Only
Batteries Loop Trail around Battery Smith-Guthrie	On-Leash Only
South Rodeo Beach Trail	On-Leash Only
San Francisco County
Location	Regulation
Baker Beach (North of Lobos Creek): Beach Proper	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Baker Beach - Coastal Trail, Picnic Areas, Sand Ladder, Beach Access Trails, & Parking Lots	On-Leash Only
Crissy Field - Airfield, East & Central Beaches, Promenade	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Crissy Field - Wildlife Protection Area	*Leashes required July 1 to May 15th
Crissy Field - Marsh, Inlet, & Fenced or Signed Vegetation Areas	Closed to Access
Crissy Field - Picnic & Parking Lots	On-Leash Only
Fort Funston	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Fort Funston - 12-acre Habitat Protection Area closure, fenced or signed areas, & Coastal Trail north of Horse Trail intersection due to erosion	Closed to Access
Fort Miley	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Lands End	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Ocean Beach from the north end to Stairwell 21	On-Leash OR Voice Control
Ocean Beach from Stairwell 21 to Sloat Blvd*	On-Leash OR Voice Control *Leashes required all year except from May 15 to July 1
Fort Point - Trails & Marine Dr. shoulder	On-Leash Only
Fort Point - Inside the Fort	Closed to Access
Torpedo Warf	Closed to Access
Fort Mason (Excluding the community garden & residential areas)	On-Leash Only
Sutro Heights	On-Leash Only
San Mateo County
Location	Regulation
Milagra Ridge Trails	On-Leash Only
Mori Point Trails	On-Leash Only
Rancho Corral de Tierra (Excluding fenced or signed areas)	On-Leash Only
Sweeney Ridge Trails (Excluding the Notch Trail)	On-Leash Only
Sweeney Ridge - Notch Trail	Closed to Access

 

Service Animals

Service animals accompanying a person with a disability, as defined by Federal law and Department of Justice regulations (Title 28 Code of Federal Regulations § 36.104), are allowed wherever visitors or employees are allowed. For more information on the DOJ ADA Revised Service Animal Regulations, please click here.


Commercial Dog Walking
GGNRA welcomes commercial dog walkers with a permit to visit the park. A Commercial Dog Walking Special Use Permit (CDWSUP) is required for any professional walking 4 to 6 dogs on GGNRA lands in San Francisco or Marin Counties. (Note: No more than six dogs can be walked in the park under a CDW Permit). To learn more, click here for information about the GGNRA’s commercial dog walking program.

 

Federal Regulations That Apply to All Dog Walkers

The Code of Federal Regulations specifies infractions that are citable offenses. Following is a list of CFRs that apply to all pet owners.

36 CFR § 2.15 -

• Failure to dispose of pet excrement.

• Leaving a pet unattended and tied to an object except in designated areas or under conditions which may be established by the Superintendent.

• Allowing a pet to make noise that is unreasonable considering the location, time of day or night, impact on park users, and other relevant factors, or that frightens wildlife by barking, howling or making other noise.

• Possessing a pet in a public building or at a designated swimming beach or in any area closed to pets by the Superintendent.

36 CFR § 2.1 - Possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging or disturbing wildlife, fish, plants or cultural or archeological resources (by person or dog).

36 CFR § 2.2 - Feeding, touching, teasing, frightening or intentional disturbing of wildlife nesting, breeding or other activities (by person or dog).

36 CFR § 2.34(a)(4) - Disorderly conduct (of on or off leash dog) which creates hazardous or physically offensive conditions

2017 Superintendent's Compendium: Dogs mus be under control of their owner/handler at all times with either a leash or under voice control. "Voice control" means dogs are within earshot and eye sight of their owner/handler and respond immediately to commands to return to a leash when called.

"Managed dogs" means dogs under control of their owner/handler at all times. "Unmanaged dogs" - dogs that annoy, harrass, or attack people, wildlife, livestock, or other dogs are presumed to be not under control.