One of the things many pet-loving and owning people are surprised to learn about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when they visit it for the first time is that it is not very dog-friendly. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (along with a few other big federal parks like Yellowstone) does not allow dogs on the vast majority of their trails. The primary reason behind this is for safety. Safety for the pets themselves and safety for other people, wildlife, and sensitive ecological areas. That said, there are a few great hikes you can do with your dog within the park, like the Gatlinburg Trail which meanders along the park’s border.
Yet, just because you can’t take Fido to hit all of the trails within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, that doesn’t mean dogs are banned everywhere in this area. In fact, Sevierville has a lot of great pet-friendly locations and activities for those families with four-legged members to take part in. Continue reading to learn about a few of our favorites!
Sevierville’s PetSafe Unleashed Dog Park
815-817 Park Rd, Sevierville, TN 37862
While certainly, dog parks are not a good fit for every dog, dog-friendly dogs are sure to love the city’s Petsafe Unleashed Dog Park located in the southeast corner of Sevierville City Park. This is a massive off-leash dog park that offers two areas for dogs to play that are separated for small and large breeds and mix breeds. Both areas feature dog agility equipment, water fountains, and shaded areas complete with benches for pet owners to enjoy as their furry friends get their energy out. You can even connect to public Wi-Fi here!
Sevierville City Park
1005 Park Rd, Sevierville, TN 37862
Of course, the dog park is not the only thing that is pet-friendly about Sevierville City Park. This is a massive public park that borders the West Prong Little Pigeon River. Here, you can take your pet (dog, cat, or otherwise) on a leash or otherwise contained walk along the river trail. Families with kids can enjoy the theme playground or all can feast at the many available picnic areas.
Douglas Lake
GPS Directions Here
Boaters and swimmers love Douglas Lake for its many recreational opportunities. Also known as Douglas Reservoir, this lake stretches across more than 30,000 acres with an incredible 550 miles of shoreline, the vast majority of which is public and dog-friendly. Take your boat (or rent a boat) and enjoy a whole day of exploring, swimming, and general cruising with your pets and your travel group. Places like Sevier County Park also make it easy to jump in at the shoreline and enjoy a beautiful lakefront day without needing a boat.
Great Smokies Flea Market
220 W Dumplin Valley Rd, Kodak, TN 37764
If you love shopping for a good deal and love even more shopping with your pet, then you will absolutely want to head on down to the Great Smokies Flea Market. Located just north of Sevierville, the Great Smokies Flea Market is the largest and most visited flea market in East Tennessee. It is all open air, and so leashed dogs and even other pets are welcome to peruse the booths every day they are open — which is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday throughout the year. The Great Smokies Flea Market is a truly eclectic place where you are sure to find unique items not found elsewhere. Expect to see plenty of food options as well as vendors selling homemade items, antiques, and even pet-oriented products.
Tanger Outlets Sevierville + Restaurant
1645 Parkway #960, Sevierville, TN 37862
This location is a two-for-one for pet lovers! Where the Great Smokies Flea Market is outfitted with a bunch of more independent vendors, the Tanger Outlets Sevierville features some of the biggest national vendors or brands. Here, you will find more than 100 stores that sell every type of designer clothing, accessories, shoes, and more at incredibly discounted prices. While dogs are not welcome inside most of the big brand-name stores like Old Navy, Vera Bradley, and American Eagle, they are welcome throughout the public walking areas of this massive open-air outlet center.
After you’ve visited a few shops, consider heading over to Chop House to enjoy a good bite to eat. This restaurant and most of the others in this area feature good American grill items and a decent-sized patio in the back where friendly dogs are welcome. If you don’t mind driving a couple of blocks away from the Tanger Outlets Sevierville outlet mall, we particularly recommend the nearby restaurant of The Roaming Gnome Pub & Eatery. This restaurant has an especially friendly staff that is renowned for making pets and their owners feel right at home. Their unassuming location features a nice outdoor patio and a large beer selection that nicely pairs with their American grill menu.
Gatlinburg Brewing Company
870 Winfield Dunn Pkwy #4, Sevierville, TN 37862
Breweries and dogs have really become a match made in heaven. Many breweries today feature outdoor beer gardens that are decidedly dog-friendly, and the Gatlinburg Brewing Company is an excellent example of this. This company just expanded its Sevierville location to include a massive outdoor patio largely to welcome in people with pups who like kicking one back in a more inviting outdoor area. This Sevierville location for Gatlinburg Brewing Company (they also have a facility in Gatlinburg, TN from which they take their name) brews its beers onsite and hosts an active calendar that includes monthly themed trivia and bingo nights as well as live musical entertainment and movie nights. Go here for the dog-friendly patio and stay for all of the human-oriented entertainment!
Learn More About Sevierville and All it Has to Offer
We hope this list of things to do with your pet has helped inspire your itinerary for your trip to the area. Remember, while most of the hiking trails in the national park disallow dogs, not all do. Make sure to talk with a ranger or visit the Sugarlands Visitor Center to learn more about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park itself and about those areas that are open to dogs.
