Dog-friendly, near you

Dog-friendly hikes near Indianapolis

Looking for somewhere to hike with your dog around Indianapolis? Here are the 22 closest places where a leashed dog is welcome, pulled from every national forest, park, BLM area, wildlife refuge, state park, and dog beach we have verified, and sorted by rough distance from downtown.

Each one is checked for its own dog rule, so you can see at a glance where dogs are fully welcome and where a few limits apply. Distances are a straight-line estimate, so real drive times will run a bit longer.

22 places within ~150 miles, nearest first
INDog-friendly

Fort Harrison State Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
9 miles away · State park
INDog-friendly

Brown County State Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
40 miles away · State park
INDog-friendly

McCormick's Creek State Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
45 miles away · State park
INDog-friendly

Turkey Run State Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
55 miles away · State park
INDog-friendly

Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
63 miles away · Wildlife refuge
INDog-friendly

Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
69 miles away · Wildlife refuge
INDog-friendly

Spring Mill State Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
73 miles away · State park
INDog-friendly

Hoosier National Forest

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
76 miles away · National forest
OHLimited access

Hueston Woods State Park

Partly, dogs aren't allowed on the main swim beach, but the park has its own dedicated dog swim area.
78 miles away · State park
WIHODog-friendly

William Howard Taft National Historic Site

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
99 miles away · National place
DAAVDog-friendly

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
105 miles away · National place
GEROLimited access

George Rogers Clark National Historical Park

Leashed pets are allowed on the park grounds but not inside the visitor center or within the Memorial itself.
105 miles away · National place
INLimited access

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Leashed dogs are welcome across most of Chain O'Lakes State Park, but not on the beach.
117 miles away · State park
OHLimited access

John Bryan State Park

Partly, leashed dogs are welcome in John Bryan State Park itself, but they're banned from the adjoining Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve.
122 miles away · State park
CHYODog-friendly

Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
122 miles away · National place
LIBODog-friendly

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
123 miles away · National place
INDUDog-friendly

Indiana Dunes

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
138 miles away · National park
INLimited access

Indiana Dunes National Park

Mostly, leashed dogs are welcome on nearly all park beaches year-round, with one seasonal exception.
138 miles away · Dog beach
INLimited access

Indiana Dunes State Park

Leashed dogs can hike almost any trail at Indiana Dunes State Park, but they're not allowed on the swimming beach.
138 miles away · State park
KYDog-friendly

My Old Kentucky Home State Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
140 miles away · State park
INDog-friendly

Pokagon State Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
147 miles away · State park
MIDog-friendly

Warren Dunes State Park

Leashed dogs welcome on most or all trails.
149 miles away · State park
Planning a bigger trip? See the full IN dog trail guide for every dog-friendly park and trail in the state.

Common questions

Where can I hike with my dog near Indianapolis?

There are 22 verified spots within about a 150-mile radius of Indianapolis where leashed dogs are welcome, including national forests, state parks, and in some cases dog beaches. The closest ones are listed above, nearest first.

Are there dog-friendly trails close to Indianapolis?

Yes. State parks and national forests near Indianapolis are usually the most reliable, since most welcome a leashed dog on the trails. The list above ranks them by distance so you can find the nearest.