Whenever we can get an excuse to bring our fluffy family member anywhere, we jump all over it, right? While you may actually be dodging work while staying in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, there are plenty of ways to celebrate National Take Your Dog to Work Day by staying in a Pigeon Forge Cabin! From pet-friendly cabins to dog-friendly hiking trails and drool-worthy scenic drives, it’s a great day to show your pup around the beautiful Smoky Mountains and get that doggy smile panting and open from ear to floppy ear.
Dog-Friendly Cabins
While the Smokies have an undeniable therapeutic effect on people, your 4-legged friend can benefit from some fresh mountain air and beautiful scenery, too! When you stay in a pet-friendly Pigeon Forge Cabin, you are afforded fun amenities, warm, inviting atmospheres, and your choice of views.
Yards
There’s nothing quite like some lush green grass to play and throw a frisbee right outside your cabin on sunny afternoons in the mountains! If unwinding by a nice outdoor fire while sipping on beer with the family pup resting at the foot of your lawn chair is your ideal way to end each day in the Smokies, be sure to check our Pigeon Forge cabins with outdoor firepits.
Rivers
Does your dog love splashing into rivers to play and fetch sticks bobbing down the river? Make their little heart flutter with a Pigeon Forge cabin by the water! Not only is it like a field day for your fluffy guy or girl, but the serene sights and sounds of babbling streams also provide a sublimely beautiful atmosphere to enjoy your morning coffee each day on your cabin deck.
Mountain Views
If your 4-legged friend is a little seasoned and just prefers a little lovin’ before falling asleep at your feet, a cabin with mountain views is your answer. Secluded cabins in the mountains provide a peaceful spot for them to take up as much space as they would like while drooling on the porch and resting in the late afternoon sunlight on the deck while you read a book in your rocking chair.
Dog-Friendly Hiking
Take advantage of the incredible scenery with your best friend on these scenic trails and parks where you can stumble into historic attractions and monuments, peaceful rivers, and quality bonding with your fuzzy love.
The Gatlinburg Trail
As one of the only two trails inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to allow dogs, you will definitely want to take the opportunity to let your furry friend out and about on this scenic hike. This 3.8-mile roundtrip hike from the Sugarlands Welcome Center is relatively flat and easy to navigate, but it certainly does not lack in views. Jog along picturesque streams creeping along the lush forest floor and, where the shallow waters widen, cool off with your pup and splash around in between historic structures and long stretches of tree-lined paths.
Shadows of the Past Trail (Townsend)
This hike is a lot longer at 10 miles roundtrip and a little off the beaten Smoky Mountain path in Townsend, Tennessee, but is very much worth it! It’s paved and pet friendly; pick up your “trail guide” brochure at the Townsend Visitors Center and follow a self-guided tour of 13 interesting historic sites found along the hike. Pass uber-cool sites with your pup such as Dark Island Swinging Bridge, one of the last swinging bridges dating back to the early 1900s, and the round homes of the Native American Site dated around 200 BC!
Scenic Drives to let their hair down
These winding roads will have your dog hanging their head out and tongues a-floppin’ in the wind as you meander throughout the gorgeous natural scenery of the Smoky Mountains.
Newfound Gap
As the major highway winding through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this is a popular scenic drive everyone will love. Meandering through thick mountain forestry, along babbling streams, and climbing the mountainsides lends you and your dog a beautiful, relaxing drive and breathtaking views of the park.
Cades Cove
This 11-mile loop wanders through a dreamy valley surrounded by majestic mountains and has often been hailed as one of the most photogenic areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Stop off at the picnic pavilions where the whole family can share a scenic lunch. Pack the family pup’s water bowl and leash so they can hang out for the picnic in Cades Cove, as well!
Shopping for those with 4 legs
Holly and Willy’s Pet Barn
Find everything you and your best friend could ever need while visiting the pet-friendly and friendly staff of Holly and Willy’s Pet Barn! The huge selections of pup accessories will have your four-legged friend sniffin’ and explorin’ all the aisles of treats, toys, accessories, and pet apparel. Roll in style with your little pup with big attitude in a doggie stroller, find a durable collar or harness with your favorite college team, or pick up the perfect ball to play fetch back at your Pigeon Forge Cabin.
It may be National Take Your Dog to Work Day, but with so much pet-friendly fun and relaxation to have in the Smoky Mountains, it’s time to escape and take your dog to the Smokies day, instead!
