Deciding between Great Smoky Mountains and Yosemite? For dogs, Great Smoky Mountains rates D and Yosemite rates D. Great Smoky Mountains has 7 hand-verified trails (2 dog-friendly); Yosemite has 7 (1). Here's the full side-by-side, pulled from our own data.
| What matters | Great Smoky Mountains | Yosemite |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs (pet policy) | D Roads & campgrounds | D Roads & campgrounds |
| Trails mapped | 7 | 7 |
| Dog-friendly trails | 2 | 1 |
| Youngest kid trail | age 3+ | age 3+ |
| Timed entry / permits | Lottery, Permit required | Lottery, Timed-entry reservation |
| Park shuttle | No | Yes |
| Heat / altitude fueling | — | — |
| Activities mapped | 4 | 4 |
| Weather now | 55°F · Mostly Clear | 48°F · Clear |
DATA · NPS + NOAA + HAND-CURATION · VERIFY CLOSURES AT NPS.GOV
They tie — both grade D on our A–D pet-policy scale. Dogs are restricted to paved roads, campgrounds and parking areas — almost no trails.
They match — age-rated trails in both start at 3+.
Great Smoky Mountains has: lottery, permit required. Yosemite has: lottery, timed-entry reservation. Details and official booking links are in the table above.