Dogs are a big part of the family. You want them to be involved in the outdoor adventures your family embarks on. Get it, Bark! However some outdoor adventures are not appropriate for dogs or there could be a restriction on dogs all together. Hiking to the summit of Mount Monadnock is one of those places that has those restrictions.
Since 1986 a rule was put in place to restricted our furry friends from all trails and areas on Mount Monadnock that are within Monadnock State Park boundaries. The main issues were dogs attacking people, dogs attacking dogs, dogs impact on the environment and the most important, dogs dying on the hike up to the summit. Park staff continually ran into issues of people not bringing enough water for themselves let alone their dogs. Also the trails leading to the summit are exposed to rock that creates a problem for dogs and their bare feet.
Rules and restrictions are put in place to protect the park from the people, the people from the park and the people from the people. There are a few more rules that I want to share to educate hikers venturing out to the mountain.
We do our best to provide an optimal outdoor recreation experience when you come to Monadnock State Park. Please help us continue to serve recreational enthusiast by following these simple rules. Thanks Folks!
